Grand Falls of Little Colorado River

About this activity

There are some pretty spectacular natural wonders across the USA, and many in Arizona itself. One of these are the Grand Falls of Little Colorado River and when you see it, you will be glad you made the trip!

These falls are a natural waterfalls system which are located about 30 miles NE of Flagstaff. Found within the Painted Desert on the Navajo Nation, the falls are actually taller than Niagara Falls at 185ft. Pretty impressive!

The drive to the falls are quite rough, and require a 4x4, but the result is worth it! It's known for being quite muddy as it dumps snow melt or monsoon rain into the Little Colorado River and this is a major contributor to the river. 

It's these heavy rains or snow melt that actually produce the incredible viewing, so if you love photography you will want to take your camera!

The falls were actually formed when lava from the nearby Merriam Crater flowed into the Little Colorado River. This created a lava damn, and when the river was forced to reroute itself, the Grand Falls were formed at the point where the river rejoins is original course. Pretty cool huh?

The closest road is Grand Falls Road, as the actual waterfalls are remote and have no major paved roads to access it. This just means you get an adventure out of your family day out, and the ultimate prize at the end!

If you want to visit the falls, you need a Navajo Nation hiking permit, and the trail is .5 mile long and pretty easy. Make sure you don't leave the trail as that is against the Navajo law. The experience is a great for kids to learn about the history of the Navajo tribe too, and the area and why it's so important.

A stunning experience in nature that will feel like your little secret when you arrive!