Historic District River Trail

Charles Spencer arrived at Lees Ferry a far better salesman than miner, and the river trail traces the ruin of his ambition. Between 1910 and 1912 he sank investors' money into scheme after scheme to pull gold from the Chinle clay: a steam boiler hauled by ox-team, a mule trail to a distant coal seam, even a steamboat shipped in pieces from San Francisco. None of it worked; the gold would not separate from the mud. He left behind stone buildings and a lesson in frontier hope.

What the plaque says

Throughout the 1800 and 1900s, Lees Ferry was backdrop to a mix of Westward expansion dreams and failed schemes. Because of its stragic location along the Colorado River, unlikely groups overlapped on these shores. Miners, traders, US government scientists, Church elders, and the occasional outlaw shared the trials of frontier here. Walk the River Trail to glimpse the myriad people and purposes that left a mark on Lees Ferry. Great Expectations, Prospector Charles H. Spencer made an outsized impact on Lees Ferry in his short time here. A better salesman than miner, Spencer never succeeded in extracting minerals the way he succeeded in exciting investors. When he staked his claim at Lees Ferry, financial investors and hardworking minders went along for the ride, but never struck it rich with Charlie.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Antelope Canyon — 12 mi
  Tsé bighánílíní — where the water runs through the rock

More markers nearby

• Lees Ferry — steps away
• Upper Ferry Site — 0.5 mi
• Lees Ferry Fort — 0.5 mi
• Lonely Dell Ranch — 0.6 mi