One of the hidden beauties of Navajoland is a little spot away from the highway, behind the dormant volcanic peaks a few miles northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona, out past the antelope that graze nearby on the tall summer grass. It is known as Grand Falls, and during the dry season it is a serene getaway of mudstone cliffs with a trickle of water. But during the rainy season, it is a roaring cascade you can hear a half-mile away. The Little Colorado River combines with runoff from the San Francisco Peaks to meander over hundreds of layers of rock at Grand Falls before dropping off to an oasis below, forming a stark contrast to the dry, flat desert which surrounds the falls. In fact, if a volcanic eruption half-million years ago had not poured lava into the Colorado, blocking its flow, the falls would not exist. The river regained its original path, but to get there it had to create Grand Falls. This waterfall is frequently dubbed “The Chocolate Niagara” because of its muddy brown color.
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