Lee’s Ferry was the site of one of the few possible crossings of the Colorado River available to early pioneers, between Utah and Arizona. Unlike other places along the river, Lee’s Ferry is a relatively low spot not hemmed in by sheer canyon walls, like one experiences just a few miles up the river at Horseshoe Bend. The water is also free of turbulent rapids in this area, making it a perfect place for a pioneer family like that of John D. Lee to set up a ranch, a ferry service, and later with the help of the Mormon church, a trading post. The name of the ranch, Lonely Dell, reflected its isolation in the harsh environment of the Southwest.
John D. Lee, is perhaps best known to history for the part he played in an attack by Mormon pioneers on a wagon train heading through southwestern Utah, that would become known as the Mountain Meadow Massacre. He was also the only person really held accountable, with his execution in March 1877.
Lees Ferry – Glen Canyon (Purchase)