Includes bibliographical references (p. 469-514) and index.

The Colorado River and its deeply entrenched canyons create a lengthy barrier to travel in the interior West. From the mid-19th until the mid 20th century, one of the few places between California and Nevada where wheeled vehicles could cross it was at the mouth of the Pahreah River, between Glen Canyon and the river's steep drop toward Grand Canyon. Lee's Ferry was a primary link between Utah and Arizona. Mormons looking for new lands for colonization first developed the site. John D. Lee and parts of his family seeking an inconspicuous spot after the Mountain Meadows massacre, first took up residence at what they called Lonely Dell. As river exploration and adventure increased, the place became as important to those using the river as to folks crossing it.