USDA Forest Service Celebrating Wildflowers

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Southwestern Region Viewing Area

LOCATION and PHOTOS

Map displaying the route to the Kaibab Plateau area.

Colorado blue columbine.
Colorado blue columbine (Aquilegia caerulea). Credit: M. Siders, Source: North Kaibab District - Photos.

Purple-white owl's-clover.
Purple-white owl's-clover (Orthocarpus purpureoalbus). Photo source: Al Schneider, Southwest Colorado Wildflowers, USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.

Kaibab Plateau Scenic Drive

Forest: Kaibab National Forest

District: North Kaibab Ranger District

Description: Arizona State Highway 67 provides access to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The 44-mile drive from Jacob Lake to the North Rim has been described as “the most pleasant 44 miles in America”. The highway is a designated National Forest Scenic Byway and a State Scenic Parkway, the Kaibab Plateau–North Rim Parkway. The Byway starts on State Highway 67 and continues to the end of the Grand Canyon National Park on the North Rim. The Kaibab National Forest boundary is 30 miles south of Jacob Lake on State Highway 67.

As the route passes through the Kaibab National Forest, visitors can view beautiful high elevation mixed conifer forests, sub-alpine meadows, montane grasslands, ponds and limestone outcrops. Tree species that occur in the area include ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) with some Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), white fir (Abies concolor), corkbark fir (Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica) and quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides). Each of these areas supports a unique plant community and provides many opportunities for viewing wildflowers including beautiful fleabane (Erigeron formosissimus), silverweed cinquefoil (Argentina anserina), small-leaf pussytoes (Antennaria parvifolia), purple-white owl's-clover (Orthocarpus purpureoalbus), and sand dune wallflower (Erysimum capitatum).

Safety First: Due to heavy winter snow, State Highway 67 is normally closed from November through mid-May. Services along the route are limited.

Directions: From Flagstaff, go north on US Highway 89N to Marble Canyon (about 140 miles), then travel west on US Highway 89 Alt. to Jacob Lake (41 miles). From Kanab, Utah go south on US 89 Alt. to Jacob Lake (37 miles).

Contact: Kaibab Plateau Visitors Center, HC 64, Highways AZ 67/US89A, Jacob Lake, Arizona 86022. Phone: (928) 643-7298. Hours: Thurs.-Sun., 9:00 am - 3:00 pm MST.

Closest Town: Fredonia, Arizona.

For More Information:

U.S. Forest Service
Rangeland Management
Botany Program

1400 Independence Ave., SW, Mailstop Code: 1103
Washington DC 20250-1103

USA.gov logo

Location: http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/regions/southwestern/KaibabPlateau/index.shtml
Last modified: Tuesday, 24-Jun-2008 21:57:44 EDT