The Navajo Bridge is just up the road. When the bridge was constructed in 1929, it was the world's largest suspension bridge and the only place within 750 miles where one could cross the Colorado River. A new bridge has since been built for cars, but the original bridge is still used by pedestrians and bungee jumpers (though I later learn that bungee jumping is prohibited there).

As we drive into Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, we see huge boulders strewn about, as if giants had tossed them at each other in a battle. The road winds around cliffs down to Paria Beach, where the green-blue waters of the Colorado are rushing by. This is where Grand Canyon rafting trips begin, and it's the only spot where you can drive to the banks of the river. Shirley and I rest on a rock in the sun and wonder why people work so hard—hiking or riding a mule—to reach the river from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. On the beach, we meet a Navajo family who had just caught three trout in the river.

NAVAJO NATION See both hardship and incredible beauty while touring the Arizona portion of the Navajo homeland. Photos by reader Kara Lucchesi of San Diego, Calif. • Launch the slide show

The fish remind us how hungry we are. As soon as we reach Lees Ferry Lodge, where we plan to spend the night, we order a big lunch—grilled trout for me and a burger for Shirley. Located on the edge of Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, the lodge couldn't be in a more beautiful setting. Cliff faces and narrow canyons have been carved out of the rose-colored rock over millions of years, exposing layer upon layer of sandstone, limestone, and shale. I feel like I can see for miles. And the silence! When I stop for a second, I hear nothing but the flapping of a raven's wings.

After a long walk, we return to the lodge. The restaurant looks like the kind of place outdoorsmen would enjoy—duck decoys and wooden fish carvings hang on the pine walls, and the backs of the booths are shaped like fish. Behind the bar, more than 100 types of beer are on display. Shirley orders ribs that hang over the edges of her plate and a Singletrack Copper Ale, while I opt for beer-battered cod and an Oak Creek Amber Ale. We round out the evening later with some stargazing on the patio. This is such a dark, remote area that the stars are among the most vivid I've ever seen.

Lodging

• Lees Ferry Lodge Milepost 541.5, Hwy. 89A, Marble Canyon, 928/355-2231, leesferrylodge.com, from $60

Activities

• Dinosaur Tracks Hwy. 160, five miles east of Hwy. 89
• Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Hwy. 89A, Marble Canyon, 928/608-6404, nps.gov/glca, $15 per car
• Vermilion Cliffs National Monument Hwy. 89A, Marble Canyon, 435/688-3246, blm.gov/az/vermilion/vermilion.htm

DAY 3
We're up early for bacon, fried potatoes, and pancakes at the lodge, and then we're on the road, heading north for a tour of Antelope Canyon. In the morning light, the layers of stone in the winding walls of the gorges glow in beautiful shades of pink and orange. We admire the high stone arches and twisting passageways in the rock. Bathed in this extraordinary light, the canyon is as spiritual as any cathedral.

The Shonto area southeast of Antelope Canyon is famous for Navajo pottery, but we didn't expect to find so many artists represented at the Shonto Trading Post. A bit out of the way in a canyon, the post is still a place where artists can trade their wares for food and other goods. Shirley and I ooh and aah at the exquisite pots, baskets, and woven jugs before Shirley buys a $120 Navajo wedding basket.