Navajo Waterfall Arizona
Grand Falls is a natural waterfall system located 30 miles northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona in the Painted Desert on the Navajo Indian Reservation. At 185 feet tall, it is an enormous waterfall higher than Niagara Falls. It dumps snowmelt or monsoon rain into the Little Colorado River below. It is famous for its extremely muddy flow which is a major contributor as to why the Little Colorado River is so opaque. It is said that the waterfalls are analogous to flowing chocolate depending on the amount of water present. Heavy rains or snowmelt will produce spectacular viewing, photography and sound whereas the scarcity of water will produce only trickles or no flow at all.
Grand Falls was formed when lava from nearby Merriam Crater flowed in to the Little Colorado River creating a lava dam. The river was forced to reroute itself around the dam and Grand falls formed where the reroute rejoins its original course.
The waterfall is remote and no major paved roads access it. In fact the closest road, Grand Falls Road, crosses the floor of the Little Colorado River since at times during the year, a 4 x 4 vehicle can traverse it - the falls are dormant for months of the year and reduces to only a drip. To access the falls, a 4 x 4 vehicle is required and only Navajo guides or experienced backcountry people are advised to take the road across the river.
