The first crossing of the river, at the mouth of the Paria, was made by a
portion of a party, headed by Hamblin, in the fall of 1860. A raft was
constructed, on which a few were taken across, but, after one animal had
been drowned and there had been apparent demonstration that the dangers
were too great, and that there was lack of a southern outlet, the party
made its way up the river to the ford.
The first successful crossing at the Paria was in March, 1864, by
Hamblin, on a raft. The following year there was a Mormon settlement at
or near the Paria mouth. August 4, 1869, the first of the Powell
expeditions reached the mouth of the Paria, this on the trip that ended
at the mouth of the Virgin.
In September, 1869, Hamblin crossed by means of a raft. That the route
had been definitely determined upon was indicated by the establishment,
January 31, 1870, of a Paria fort, with guards. In the fall of that year
President Brigham Young visited the Paria, as is shown in a letter
written by W.T. Stewart, this after the President had seen the mouth of
the Virgin and otherwise had shown his interest in a southern outlet for
Utah. In this same year, according to Dellenbaugh, Major Powell built a
rough scow, in order to reach the Moqui towns. This was the crossing in
October, when Jacob Hamblin guided Powell to the Moqui villages and Fort
Defiance.
In his expedition of 1871, Powell left the river at the Ute ford and went
to Salt Lake. A few days later, October 22, his men, with a couple of
boats, reached the Paria for a lengthy stay, surveying on the Kaibab
plateau, in the vicinity of Kanab. It was written that the boat "Emma
Dean" was hidden across the river. By that time ferry service had been
established, for on October 28, 1871, Jacob Hamblin and companions, on
their way home from the south, were rowed across.