Grand Falls Virtual Cache
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This cache offers wonderful views of the Little Colorado river canyon, Grand Falls, and interesting geology too.
As you approach the Navajo Indian reservation boundary from the west along Leupp Road (Navajo Road 15) and the turnoff onto Navajo road 70, you will see the cause of Grand Falls on the left in the form of Merriam Crater which issued a 10 mile long lava flow which blocked the Little Colorado river canyon. Once you turn northward onto Navajo road 70, you'll follow the eastern margin of this flow out to approximately the original path of the river before turning left up onto the flow to the rim of the canyon and a parking area with several picnic sites. This road is a dirt road about 9 miles from the turnoff to the Falls and may be impassible in wet weather.
When the lava flowed into the canyon, it blocked the river, damming the flow. It filled the canyon to the rim and above and then flowed downstream, partly filling the downstream canyon. The river filled the canyon upstream before finding a path around the lava and back into the canyon at the present site of the Grand Falls. The falls may be dry these days thanks to the drought and it apparently flows best with the spring runoff and after large amounts of rainfall.
To log this cache, upload a picture of you with your GPS and the falls clearly visible.
For more information, I would recommend the book Volcanoes of Northern Arizona by Wendell A. Duffield which contains descriptions of Grand Falls along with an excellent geologically oriented road guide to this area and its many Volcanoes.
Thanks to w1qa who have created this excellent gigapan image of Grand Falls: (visit link)
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ybbx sbe gur enznqnf bss gb gur yrsg - vs lbh trg gb gur evire, ehaavat be qel, lbh'ir cnffrq gur gheabss gb gur orfg ivrjvat nern.