Cliff Dwellers Stone House In Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
- Date Visited: May 2021
- Address: Marble Canyon, AZ 86036
- GPS: 36.7462, -111.75104
- Hours: 24/7
- Price: Free
Last May we spent two weeks boondocking in Marble Canyon inside the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument located in northern Coconino County, Arizona. The entire area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and there are a ton of incredible places to camp there.
During our stay we went on some incredible hikes exploring Lonely Dell Ranch, walking the river at Lee’s Ferry, and found an abandoned mine. We walked across the original Navajo Bridge and even spent time on a beach in the middle of the desert.
Another cool spot in the area is the Cliff Dwellers Stone House.
Story goes that in the late 1920’s former Ziegfeld Follies dancer Blanche Russell and her husband, Bill, were moving to the southwest for his health. He suffered from tuberculosis and the hope was the dry desert air would help ease his symptoms.
During the road trip their car broke down and they had to take shelter.
Within days the couple fell in love with the area and decided to stay.
They built their home under the overhang of the largest rock. Eventually, they upgraded their stone home, built a successful trading post and restaurant and sold gas to passing travelers.
They spent ten years living life to their fullest in this little spot where their car broke down before selling the business.
Remnants of their home can still be seen today as well as remains of a couple other smaller buildings used for various purposes. You are free to roam around the area to check out all the cool structures.
Be wary of low ceilings and loose rocks though during your exploration.
Also, 13 species of rattlesnake live in Arizona, more than any other state, so watch where you step and place your hands.
There are a bunch of very cool rock formations to check out as well during your visit.
There are a number of giant rocks balancing on some teeny tiny bases looking like they will tumble right off during the next big wind storm. The farther back you go the more rocks you can find to climb.
After exploring the structures we spent some time scrambling over boulders and had a lot of fun.
While exploring these historic structures you can see the gorgeous cliffs that make this area a national monument making the views pretty spectacular here. If you ever get a chance to visit Vermilion Cliffs National Monument I highly recommend it.
I also suggest you stop at the Cliff Dwellers Stone House as well during your drive.
It’s a neat little stop full of history and will only take up fifteen minutes of your time. If you want to have a little more fun and climb up a boulder or two add another fifteen minutes to that.
I swear you’ll have a good time.
Located right off of Hwy 89A, the scenic drive for the monument, you can find the Cliff Dwellers Stone House.
There is no official parking for the spot, you just pull in and find a place to park. You can visit this little attraction 24/7 and it’s absolutely free. There are no restrooms here.
Local Navajo can often be found set up here selling wares.