Zane Grey's West Society

10/05/2026

Before Zane Grey became synonymous with the American West, another obsession took him far beyond the landscapes of his novels: big-game fishing.

Grey was one of the pioneering figures of modern sport fishing, traveling from the Florida Keys and Nova Scotia to Mexico and the South Pacific in pursuit of enormous game fish. Over the course of his life, he held more than ten world fishing records.

One of his most remarkable catches came in Tahiti in 1930, when Grey landed a 1,040-pound blue marlin on rod and reel. According to the National Park Service, it made him the first person to catch a fish weighing more than 1,000 pounds by rod and reel.

And it wasn't a one-off achievement. His 618-pound silver marlin remained a recognized world record until 1953, fourteen years after his death.

For an author remembered primarily for cowboys, deserts, and the frontier, Grey's life at sea was nearly as adventurous as the stories he put on paper.

10/01/2026

Zane Grey went west with his wife’s last inheritance.

In 1907, Zane Grey was still a struggling writer when he met the legendary frontiersman and conservationist Charles “Buffalo” Jones in New York.

Grey wanted to accompany Jones on an expedition to the Grand Canyon. There was one problem: he could barely afford to go.

So Grey and his wife Dolly made a remarkable gamble. They used the last of her inheritance to finance his trip west. Grey joined Jones as a writer and photographer, traveling through the rugged country around the Grand Canyon.

It changed his life.

Grey turned the expedition into The Last of the Plainsmen in 1908, and the landscapes and people he encountered became material he would return to throughout his career. Just two years later, Harper & Brothers published his first successful Western, The Heritage of the Desert. Then, in 1912, came Riders of the Purple Sage.

One of the most consequential trips in Western literature was essentially financed by a married couple betting the last of their money on an unpublished writer.

08/26/2026

Zane Grey is the gent is the rear. Who is the man and the front and in what river are they canoeing? Our thanks for Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River for this image an there are the details:

Catalog Number: UPDE 698
Classification: HISTORY
COMMUNICATION ARTIFACTS
DOCUMENTARY ARTIFACTS
Material: PAPER(PHOTOGRAPHIC)
Artist/Maker: GREY, ROMER CARL PHOTOGRAPHER
Manufacture Date: 1902-1903
Related Collection: SEE GREY FAMILY PAPERS, UPDE 900, AND JAMES FAMILY PAPERS, UPDE 902.
Dimensions: H 12.6, W 18.0 CM

Description

BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPH.
ZANE GREY AND ALVAH JAMES IN A CANOE, SEEN FROM THE BACK, PADDLING THROUGH LOW RAPIDS. TREES IN BACKGROUND. PHOTO IS GRAINY. HORIZONTAL FORMAT. "Zane Grey Museum 1981 LACKAWAXEN, PA/PHoto appeared in RECREATION/magazine dated June 1903,/(VOL. 28 #6) contained in an/article by DR. Zane Grey,/entitled "Canoeing On the Delaware."/This photo is accredited to "Amateur Photo by/R.C. Grey, Zane's brother." WRITTEN IN BLUE INK VERSO. "W10a" IN PENCIL UPPER LEFT VERSO. "Zane Grey and Alvah James/in canoe" CIRCLED RIGHT SIDE VERSO.

York

08/14/2026

07/28/2026

If anyone asks if Zane Grey owned any dories on the Rogue River, you likely can say, "Yes." He owned Winkle Bar and this dory has the name written right on it. Zane Grey's West Society Archives is proud to announce a new exhibit entitled "Archival Photographs of Grey’s Boats and Ships". This image is one of dozens of images showing boats all the way from canoes to passenger liners. We appreciate Ed Pritchard's input in developing this exhibit. https://zgws.org/archives/exhibits/show/navy

Scotia

credit: BYU, L.Tom Perry Collections, MSS8710

07/25/2026

Before he became one of the best-selling American authors of the 20th century, Zane Grey was a dentist writing manuscripts whenever he could find the time. He spent years collecting rejection letters before finally breaking through with Riders of the Purple Sage. Success rarely happens overnight.

06/17/2026

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Shinumo Creek, Grand Canyon

Far from the crowded overlooks of the Grand Canyon, Shinumo Creek was one of the remote wilderness areas explored by Zane Grey and his close friend, frontier guide C. J. “Buffalo” Jones. In the early 1900s, reaching this rugged canyon required days of travel by horseback and on foot through some of the most isolated terrain in the American West.

Grey ventured into the Shinumo region while exploring the North Rim and the country surrounding the Kaibab Plateau. The area’s sheer red cliffs, hidden springs, and narrow canyon passages became part of the landscape that fueled many of his Western novels. Unlike famous destinations such as Rainbow Bridge, Shinumo Creek remained largely unknown to the public, making it exactly the kind of frontier country Grey sought out.

His journeys through places like Shinumo Creek helped shape his vision of the West—not as a tourist destination, but as a vast, wild, and often unforgiving landscape where adventure still existed beyond the edge of the map. Today, hikers and river runners who visit the creek experience terrain that remains remarkably similar to what Grey encountered more than a century ago.

06/01/2026

Zane Grey’s West Society is proud to present the first in a series of videos celebrating the life, legacy, and literary influence of Zane Grey.

Featuring sweeping visuals and compelling storytelling, this production explores Grey’s enduring connection to the landscapes that inspired his work and helped define the American West. The film includes interviews with leading Zane Grey scholars and historians who examine his impact on Western literature, film, and popular culture.

Presented by Zane Grey’s West Single Action Shooting Society (SASS)
Produced by Emmy Award-winning Quantum Leap Productions

Supported by gifts from Charles & Jennifer Sands and the Zane Grey’s West Society Endowment Fund

Sweeping, memorable visuals, along with engaging audio demonstrate ...

05/25/2026

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: Catalina Island

Perched high above Avalon Harbor on Santa Catalina Island, Zane Grey built one of the island’s most recognizable homes in the 1920s. Designed in a Pueblo Revival style with adobe-inspired walls and sweeping ocean views, the house became both a retreat and creative workspace for the famed Western author. Grey spent years on Catalina fishing, writing, and entertaining guests at the property, which overlooked the Pacific from the hills above Avalon. The residence later became known for its distinctive architecture and dramatic setting, remaining an enduring piece of Catalina Island history even after suffering damage from a 1930s fire and later redevelopment.

05/20/2026

I'd be surprised if anyone can identify this boat and what Zane Grey used it for.