Diamond Creek in Peach Springs, Arizona

The Grand Canyon extends for some 278 miles along the Colorado River, from Lee’s Ferry (River Mile 0) to the Grand Wash Cliffs just upstream of Pearce Ferry (River Mile 280). Automobiles can reach the river at Lee’s Ferry and at Pearce Ferry, and those are common put-in and take-out points, respectively, for river trips down the Colorado through the Canyon.

The north side of the Grand Canyon throughout this length is nearly all included in Grand Canyon National Park. However, much of the south side of the river, to the west, is included in Native American reservations. In particular, from about River Mile 165 to River Mile 273 the south shore of the river lies in the Hualapai (pronounced “WAL-uh-pie,” in the Spanish fashion) Reservation. The Hualapai Reservation includes Diamond Creek, which is the only place in the Grand Canyon where an automobile can reach the river, and many of the commercial river trips take out here rather than run all the way to Pearce Ferry. People also run short trips from Diamond Creek down to Pearce Ferry, a stretch where there are a few smallish rapids but which in any case is stunningly scenic. The Hualapai themselves run such trips in the warm season.

The Diamond Creek road follows a traditional route used by the Hualapai to access the river, and it’s reported that the first automobile made the trek in 1914. In addition, a small lodging, the Farlee Hotel, was open briefly near the Colorado River in the late 19th century but had closed by 1900. All remnants of the hotel have long since been swept away by flash flooding.