Story by Gerrit Paulsen
Photos by Cindy and Gerrit Paulsen

The Marble Canyon Lodge is stunningly situated in a deep, wide canyon between the majestic 3000-foot sheer Vermillion Cliffs and the Colorado River gorge, along a remote stretch of the Colorado at the very northern reach of Grand Canyon National Park. With Glenn Canyon and Lake Powell to the northeast and the Grand Canyon to the south and west, the flight here is worthwhile for the spectacular scenery alone; landing for a nice meal in these majestic surrounding is just an added indulgent bonus.
After a gorgeous early morning flight from Albuquerque we took our time circling down into Marble Canyon, both to admire the abundant geologic wonders surrounding us, and to remain within the 3-mile radius of the airport exempted from the Grand Canyon Special Flight Rules Area airspace restrictions.
The Marble Canyon airstrip’s canyon setting and relatively short narrow runway (3715’ by 35’, with scruffy desert vegetation narrowing the usable width by several feet), makes it a moderately challenging destination — perfectly adequate for most GA aircraft and pilots, but with very little margin for error, and ruthlessly unforgiving of unprepared or sloppy pilots. We chose to land uphill on runway 03, which also provides a clear approach path. Trees, the Lodge, and a 200-foot cliff complicate runway 21 arrivals. Errant pilots who land long and downslope on runway 21 are quickly punished with a trip through the rough unimproved overrun at the far end, followed by a 300-foot vertical drop into the Colorado River gorge.
Visiting pilots are asked to register at the Lodge office, which is directly across the street (US Highway 89A) from the aircraft parking area. There is a reasonable landing fee at this privately owned and maintained public-use airport, but it is generously waived for patrons of the Lodge and restaurant.
After registering our arrival, we made our way through the eclectic, well-stocked Trading Post — that effectively serves the needs of both tourists and local Navajo — to the restaurant. The Marble Canyon Lodge’s restaurant is divided into two distinct areas: an informal diner section with comfortable booth seating and a classic lunch counter, and a more formally appointed dining room with elegant wooden tables and chairs and a large corner fireplace. Both sections of the restaurant are decorated with Native American arts and crafts and fine Navajo weavings, along with vintage photos of the area’s rich history.