U.S. Highway 89A begins at U.S. Highway 89 in Bitter Springs, and travels north and west along the Vermillion Cliffs and Grand Staircase to Fredonia, AZ, then north to the Utah state line.
U.S. Highway 89A is the former alignment of U.S. Highway 89, and carried that shield from 1926 through 1959. In 1959, with the construction of Glen Canyon Dam, U.S. Highway 89 was moved to it's present alignment through Page, leaving the former highway as U.S. Highway 89A.
Perspective from Northbound U.S. Highway 89A
Distance sign to Jacob Lake and Fredonia, the two major control points on U.S. Highway 89A. The sign in the background shows mileage to the other three towns on the route, Marble Canyon, Vermillion Cliffs, and Cliff Dwellers. Photo taken June 22, 2007.
U.S. Highway 89A passes to the south of the Vermillion Cliffs, which glow in the late afternoon light of this photo. Photo taken June 22, 2007.
U.S. Highway 89A is the Vermillion Cliffs scenic road.
Photo taken June 22, 2007.
The Vermillion Cliffs have been protected as part of
the new Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, administered
by the Bureau of Land Management. Photo taken April 10,
2006.
Perspective of Navajo Bridge
The New Navajo Bridge opened in 1995 as a replacement
for the original Navajo Bridge. This is a photo taken
looking northbound at the new bridge. Photo taken June
22, 2007.
The new bridge has a similar design to the original
1929 bridge, but a wider bridge deck for improved safety
and additional load-carrying capacity. Photo taken June
22, 2007.
The new bridge is 150 feet south of the original bridge.
This photo shows both bridges in relation to each other,
with the new one on the left. Photo taken June 22, 2007.
Looking northbound on the approach road to the old bridge.
This bridge was built in 1929, before U.S. 89 was even
paved, and was the first crossing of the Colorado River
in northern Arizona. Photo taken June 22, 2007.
Looking northbound at the end of the bridge while on
the original bridge, now a pedestrian walkway. Notice
the narrow width. Photo taken June 22, 2007.<
Looking southbound across the original bridge.
Photo taken June 22, 2007.
This is the view from the original bridge deck, facing
southbound. Notice the terrain is less steep than it is
facing northbound. Photo taken June 22, 2007.
This construction plaque is placed on the north end
of the bridge. As part of the construction of the new
bridge, a visitors center was placed at the north end
of the old bridge. Photo taken June 22, 2007.
The Colorado River is 430 feet below the deck of the
bridge, in a deep gorge. The only access point through
this gorge is at Lees Ferry, located just north of the
bridge. Photo taken June 22, 2007.
U.S. Highway 89A enters the small town of Marble Canyon.
Marble Canyon is named after the canyon along the Colorado
River (which U.S. 89A paralells), and is known for the
Cliff Dwellers Lodge located in town. Photo taken June
22, 2007.
The Bureau
of Land Management has responsibility for the Arizona
Strip lands along U.S. Highway 89A. Photo taken June 22,
2007.
Distance sign to the town of Cliff Dwellers. Photo taken
June 22, 2007.
Distance sign to Jacob Lake, Fredonia, and Kanab, Utah.
Photo taken June 22, 2007.
U.S. Highway 89A paralells the Vermillion Cliffs all
the way to Jacob Lake. Photo taken June 22, 2007.
U.S. Highway 89A enters the town of Cliff Dwellers.
This is the last small town reached before climbing up
to Jacob Lake. Photo taken June 22, 2007.
