A Simple Step-by Step Guide To The Grand Canyon
Located in northwestern Arizona, Grand Canyon was sculpted largely by the erosion powers of the Colorado River 6 million years ago. The canyon is 277 miles long and 10 -18 miles wide rim to rim and drops to a depth of over a mile (6,000 feet / 1,800 metres). The almost vertical walls are like a stack of pancakes, twelve rock layers of red, yellow and green due mainly to minerals such as iron. It is this pastiche of colors, which gives special beauty to the sunrise and sunsets in the canyon.
One can view the canyon from the edge of the surrounding plateaus, the North and South Rims. More accessible is the South Rim, 7000 feet above sea level and is open all year round. The much higher North Rim, 8000 feet above sea level, is open from Mid-May till mid-October, and closes during winter because of heavier snowfall. It takes a 5-hour drive from rim to rim, over 200 miles one-way.
The best time to see the Canyon is during Fall (September – November) or Spring (April-May). Not too hot and not too cold. The gorge is usually twenty degrees warmer than at the rim, so summer can be desert hot as you go down the canyon.
Now let’s have a daily plan for your visit solely on the South Rim where the major avenues of arriving at the Canyon are directed and facilities are available to accommodate four million visitors a year. There are two entrances to the South Rim, the South and the East. Most likely, you will be entering the South Entrance if coming from Williams, Flagstaff, Phoenix or Las Vegas. If you are driving from Utah, then you will enter through the East Entrance.
PLEASE REFER TO MAP BELOW or go to http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/maps.htm
First Day
Assuming you will be arriving in the morning, the first thing to do is to go to a viewpoint, of which there are several.
From the South Entrance drive immediately to Mather Point.
From the East Entrance, bear left to Desert View overlook.
Just like all visitors, your breath will be taken away by the sublime spectacle. Eventually you will walk over (from Mather but a 20 minute drive from Desert View) to the Canyon View Information Plaza, which has restrooms, bookstore and a visitor center with park rangers to answer your questions. Grab a copy of The Guide as well as a Trip Planner if you have not requested one in the mail.
Then you can go back to the parking lot at Mather and wander to nearby viewpoints along the rim trail, such as the Yavapai Observation Station. Later in the day take the shuttle, or drive, to where the rustic lodgings are located, called Grand Canyon Village. Best bet to get a parking space is near the Maswik Lodge (with a relatively cheap cafeteria) or Bright Angel Lodge. All parking is free unless designated for hotel guests. At Bright Angel, you are once again at the rim with never-ending spectacular views.
Now that you have slightly overcome your wonder and lock-jaw sensation, you have two choices, go west on the Hermit Road or east along the Desert View Drive. Do the scenic Hermit Road first which is 8 miles one way. Board the free shuttle at the terminus located in between Maswik and Bright Angel Lodges. From the station, the shuttle stops along several viewpoints and takes an hour each way. The shuttle runs slow, so if you want to watch the sunset and its interplay on the canyon rocks, plan ahead. As time gets closer to sunset, lines run longer and so is the wait for the shuttle. No doubt, the best viewpoint for imbibing the sunset is at Mojave Point, where you can get a glimpse of the Colorado river a mile below. If you are getting off at every eight view points allow at least 3 – 4 hours. Wherever you plan to watch the sun set, be there half an hour before and at least 10 minutes after so you can enjoy the changing hues of the sky, and the light and shadow play on the rock temples. If you can, try to watch the sunset everyday from other viewpoints. Sunsets can be dramatically different from day to day.
Second Day
Wake up early and watch the sunrise at Mather Point or Yaki Point (if open, less crowded). If driving from outside the park, be prepared for a long line to pay for park entrance fees. You may miss the very tranquil sunrise. Of course you can avoid this by buying your park pass in advance. Bundle up; Grand Canyon is chilly and windy in the early morning.
After sunrise, you can devote the day to hiking a trail.
At the South Rim, there are 5 trails. On your first day, you have definitely done part of the flat horizontal rim trail that meanders at the edge of the rim. It is like walking along the beach or a boardwalk, no sweat! The part of the rim that borders the Grand Canyon Village has souvenir shops, restaurants and lodgings encased in historic buildings such as the Bright Angel Lodge and El Tovar Hotel.
The other four trails are down, down and down. That means on your return you will be going up, up, and more up, facing what looks like an insurmountable physical challenge. Forget the other two unmaintained trails, Hermit and Grandview, unless you are an experienced desert hiker. For the beginner, I suggest the two closest trails to the South Entrance. Try the Bright Angel Trail first, located at the edge of the Bright Angel Lodge near the Hermit Road shuttle station, which is the easiest, and go down as far as your time allows. The hiking time formula is Time Going Up is twice Time Going Down. At this pace, you will be back up the rim feeling good. One of the highlights of the Bright Angel Trail is just being two to three yards away from a massive sheer face of a rock, which gives a repetitive echo. Hello, hello –ooh, hell- ooh….
If you have an extra day, after the third day, the other trail worth exploring would be the steeper South Kaibab Trail. To reach the trail head, you need to take a shuttle going to Yaki Point (no cars allowed). The South Kaibab Trail appears to be more daunting at the start with five or six steep switchbacks. But the trail immediately tapers to a gentle slope all the way to Ooh Aah Point and Cedar Ridge. Yes, I did utter “Ooh Aah” (many times) at the stunning dimensions and decided I would have my snack break and Kodak moment there and then.
The rules in hiking are: stay cool with a hat and lightwear (bring a light waterproof jacket just in case of a thunderstorm, and a vest if the weather is cold), go slowly, rest often, eat (energy bars) and drink frequently.
Third Day
Take the 25 mile eastern Desert View Drive, 25 miles one-way. You need your own private vehicle here. There are no shuttles. It will take at least half a day to stop at every overlook. Cap the trip at the last overlook which is Desert View where you can buy lunch. If you have limited time, plan on Grandview Point as a must-stop. Every overlook in Grand Canyon captures all your senses, hypnotizing you to stay a little longer and breathe in and reflect on life. If leaving Grand Canyon through the East Entrance, this is an adventurous way of seeing other sites by taking Highway 89 south or north.
Though this article gives you a three to four day itinerary, I highly recommend budgeting at least five full days and nights to enjoy the other sites and places Grand Canyon offers to its visitors.
Park Information and Entrance Fees
Entrance is $20 per private vehicle or $10 per pedestrian or cyclist or free for holders of a National Park Pass. You can request a Trip Planner by writing to Grand Canyon National Park, PO Box 129, Grand Canyon AZ 86023 or www.nps.gov/grca, Tel. (928) 638-7888.
You can also request a good free park guide from www.americanparknetwork.com, Tel. (212) 581-3380.
Leased pets are allowed on rim trails but not below the rim with the exception of service animals. NPS provides temporary day-use wheelchairs at no charge at the Canyon View Information Plaza.
Getting There and Driving
Grand Canyon National Park is located 80 miles north of Flagstaff, Arizona. If you are passing by Flagstaff and you are hungry for a great breakfast, I highly recommend The Place, Mike & Ronda’s, 21 S. Milton Road (tel. 928-774-7008) or at 3518East Route 66, Park Santa Fe Shopping Center (Tel. 928-526-8138). Hours: 6 am- 2 pm M-F, and 6 am-3pm, Sat, Sun.
Flying in and renting a car? Grand Canyon is five hours from Phoenix, AZ, 230miles and six hours from Las Vegas, NV, 277 miles. Unless you get a good flight deal to Flagstaff, the trip from Phoenix is actually enjoyable as you pass through different climate zones.
Word of advice: obey strictly road signs, especially in the park, as in Stop Signs, if not you will surely be stopped and be ticketed.
Money, Food and Lodging
There is a BankOne and its ATM machine in the park. To save money, buy your supplies at the supermarket (right besides the bank), Canyon Village Marketplace, open daily from 7:30 pm till 8:30 pm.
The Maswik Cafeteria offers the cheapest restaurant menu. Great bargain to have, especially on Thanksgiving Day with turkey lunch or dinner for under $10 with trimmings and dessert.
If you want to sleep close to the rim, the lowest priced rooms and best views are in the Bright Angel Lodge. For lodging inside the park, call months in advance Xanterra Parks & Resorts at 1-888-297-2757, www.xanterra.com. If you are considering staying overnight down in the canyon, ask for their Phantom Ranch rates (great adventure!).
Reservations can be made for the Mather campground (with showers and facilities) by calling Spherix at 1-800-365-2267, www.reserveworld.com. Please call up to six months in advance. There are other camping facilities you can call for availability, Xanterra (for trailers) or the Grand Canyon National Park (see contact information below). Note: the Desert View Campground near the East Entrance is on a first-come, first-served basis and is closed from late Fall to early Spring.
Just a mile outside the park’s South Entrance is the hotel/restaurant strip “village” called Tusayan. There are chains such as McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, and Wendy’s. Some of these food joints open late in the morning or are closed on holidays. The nearest gas station is also at Tusayan.
Write to the Author
I would love to hear from you, send an e-note to writetojosephlopez@yahoo.com
My jaws dropped the second my eyes marveled at the panorama. Imagine a vast chasm the size of the whole state of Rhode Island or six times the island nation of Singapore, precipitously dropping a mile deep and containing hundreds of conical buttes, spires and mesas towering a mile high. You are looking down at a massive crater populated with rock platforms, amphitheaters, gates, shrines, and temples four times the height of the 110-story Sears Tower, across a never-ending horizon. Truly it deserves the name GRAND Canyon.
Located in northwestern Arizona, Grand Canyon was sculpted largely by the erosion powers of the Colorado River 6 million years ago. The canyon is 277 miles long and 10 -18 miles wide rim to rim and drops to a depth of over a mile (6,000 feet / 1,800 metres). The almost vertical walls are like a stack of pancakes, twelve rock layers of red, yellow and green due mainly to minerals such as iron. It is this pastiche of colors, which gives special beauty to the sunrise and sunsets in the canyon.
One can view the canyon from the edge of the surrounding plateaus, the North and South Rims. More accessible is the South Rim, 7000 feet above sea level and is open all year round. The much higher North Rim, 8000 feet above sea level, is open from Mid-May till mid-October, and closes during winter because of heavier snowfall. It takes a 5-hour drive from rim to rim, over 200 miles one-way.
The best time to see the Canyon is during Fall (September – November) or Spring (April-May). Not too hot and not too cold. The gorge is usually twenty degrees warmer than at the rim, so summer can be desert hot as you go down the canyon.
Now let’s have a daily plan for your visit solely on the South Rim where the major avenues of arriving at the Canyon are directed and facilities are available to accommodate four million visitors a year. There are two entrances to the South Rim, the South and the East. Most likely, you will be entering the South Entrance if coming from Williams, Flagstaff, Phoenix or Las Vegas. If you are driving from Utah, then you will enter through the East Entrance.
PLEASE REFER TO MAP BELOW or go to http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/maps.htm
First Day
Assuming you will be arriving in the morning, the first thing to do is to go to a viewpoint, of which there are several.
From the South Entrance drive immediately to Mather Point.
From the East Entrance, bear left to Desert View overlook.
Just like all visitors, your breath will be taken away by the sublime spectacle. Eventually you will walk over (from Mather but a 20 minute drive from Desert View) to the Canyon View Information Plaza, which has restrooms, bookstore and a visitor center with park rangers to answer your questions. Grab a copy of The Guide as well as a Trip Planner if you have not requested one in the mail.
Then you can go back to the parking lot at Mather and wander to nearby viewpoints along the rim trail, such as the Yavapai Observation Station. Later in the day take the shuttle, or drive, to where the rustic lodgings are located, called Grand Canyon Village. Best bet to get a parking space is near the Maswik Lodge (with a relatively cheap cafeteria) or Bright Angel Lodge. All parking is free unless designated for hotel guests. At Bright Angel, you are once again at the rim with never-ending spectacular views.
Now that you have slightly overcome your wonder and lock-jaw sensation, you have two choices, go west on the Hermit Road or east along the Desert View Drive. Do the scenic Hermit Road first which is 8 miles one way. Board the free shuttle at the terminus located in between Maswik and Bright Angel Lodges. From the station, the shuttle stops along several viewpoints and takes an hour each way. The shuttle runs slow, so if you want to watch the sunset and its interplay on the canyon rocks, plan ahead. As time gets closer to sunset, lines run longer and so is the wait for the shuttle. No doubt, the best viewpoint for imbibing the sunset is at Mojave Point, where you can get a glimpse of the Colorado river a mile below. If you are getting off at every eight view points allow at least 3 – 4 hours. Wherever you plan to watch the sun set, be there half an hour before and at least 10 minutes after so you can enjoy the changing hues of the sky, and the light and shadow play on the rock temples. If you can, try to watch the sunset everyday from other viewpoints. Sunsets can be dramatically different from day to day.
Second Day
Wake up early and watch the sunrise at Mather Point or Yaki Point (if open, less crowded). If driving from outside the park, be prepared for a long line to pay for park entrance fees. You may miss the very tranquil sunrise. Of course you can avoid this by buying your park pass in advance. Bundle up; Grand Canyon is chilly and windy in the early morning.
After sunrise, you can devote the day to hiking a trail.
At the South Rim, there are 5 trails. On your first day, you have definitely done part of the flat horizontal rim trail that meanders at the edge of the rim. It is like walking along the beach or a boardwalk, no sweat! The part of the rim that borders the Grand Canyon Village has souvenir shops, restaurants and lodgings encased in historic buildings such as the Bright Angel Lodge and El Tovar Hotel.
The other four trails are down, down and down. That means on your return you will be going up, up, and more up, facing what looks like an insurmountable physical challenge. Forget the other two unmaintained trails, Hermit and Grandview, unless you are an experienced desert hiker. For the beginner, I suggest the two closest trails to the South Entrance. Try the Bright Angel Trail first, located at the edge of the Bright Angel Lodge near the Hermit Road shuttle station, which is the easiest, and go down as far as your time allows. The hiking time formula is Time Going Up is twice Time Going Down. At this pace, you will be back up the rim feeling good. One of the highlights of the Bright Angel Trail is just being two to three yards away from a massive sheer face of a rock, which gives a repetitive echo. Hello, hello –ooh, hell- ooh….
If you have an extra day, after the third day, the other trail worth exploring would be the steeper South Kaibab Trail. To reach the trail head, you need to take a shuttle going to Yaki Point (no cars allowed). The South Kaibab Trail appears to be more daunting at the start with five or six steep switchbacks. But the trail immediately tapers to a gentle slope all the way to Ooh Aah Point and Cedar Ridge. Yes, I did utter “Ooh Aah” (many times) at the stunning dimensions and decided I would have my snack break and Kodak moment there and then.
The rules in hiking are: stay cool with a hat and lightwear (bring a light waterproof jacket just in case of a thunderstorm, and a vest if the weather is cold), go slowly, rest often, eat (energy bars) and drink frequently.
Third Day
Take the 25 mile eastern Desert View Drive, 25 miles one-way. You need your own private vehicle here. There are no shuttles. It will take at least half a day to stop at every overlook. Cap the trip at the last overlook which is Desert View where you can buy lunch. If you have limited time, plan on Grandview Point as a must-stop. Every overlook in Grand Canyon captures all your senses, hypnotizing you to stay a little longer and breathe in and reflect on life. If leaving Grand Canyon through the East Entrance, this is an adventurous way of seeing other sites by taking Highway 89 south or north.
Though this article gives you a three to four day itinerary, I highly recommend budgeting at least five full days and nights to enjoy the other sites and places Grand Canyon offers to its visitors.
Park Information and Entrance Fees
Entrance is $20 per private vehicle or $10 per pedestrian or cyclist or free for holders of a National Park Pass. You can request a Trip Planner by writing to Grand Canyon National Park, PO Box 129, Grand Canyon AZ 86023 or www.nps.gov/grca, Tel. (928) 638-7888.
You can also request a good free park guide from www.americanparknetwork.com, Tel. (212) 581-3380.
Leased pets are allowed on rim trails but not below the rim with the exception of service animals. NPS provides temporary day-use wheelchairs at no charge at the Canyon View Information Plaza.
Getting There and Driving
Grand Canyon National Park is located 80 miles north of Flagstaff, Arizona. If you are passing by Flagstaff and you are hungry for a great breakfast, I highly recommend The Place, Mike & Ronda’s, 21 S. Milton Road (tel. 928-774-7008) or at 3518East Route 66, Park Santa Fe Shopping Center (Tel. 928-526-8138). Hours: 6 am- 2 pm M-F, and 6 am-3pm, Sat, Sun.
Flying in and renting a car? Grand Canyon is five hours from Phoenix, AZ, 230miles and six hours from Las Vegas, NV, 277 miles. Unless you get a good flight deal to Flagstaff, the trip from Phoenix is actually enjoyable as you pass through different climate zones.
Word of advice: obey strictly road signs, especially in the park, as in Stop Signs, if not you will surely be stopped and be ticketed.
Money, Food and Lodging
There is a BankOne and its ATM machine in the park. To save money, buy your supplies at the supermarket (right besides the bank), Canyon Village Marketplace, open daily from 7:30 pm till 8:30 pm.
The Maswik Cafeteria offers the cheapest restaurant menu. Great bargain to have, especially on Thanksgiving Day with turkey lunch or dinner for under $10 with trimmings and dessert.
If you want to sleep close to the rim, the lowest priced rooms and best views are in the Bright Angel Lodge. For lodging inside the park, call months in advance Xanterra Parks & Resorts at 1-888-297-2757, www.xanterra.com. If you are considering staying overnight down in the canyon, ask for their Phantom Ranch rates (great adventure!).
Reservations can be made for the Mather campground (with showers and facilities) by calling Spherix at 1-800-365-2267, www.reserveworld.com. Please call up to six months in advance. There are other camping facilities you can call for availability, Xanterra (for trailers) or the Grand Canyon National Park (see contact information below). Note: the Desert View Campground near the East Entrance is on a first-come, first-served basis and is closed from late Fall to early Spring.
Just a mile outside the park’s South Entrance is the hotel/restaurant strip “village” called Tusayan. There are chains such as McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, and Wendy’s. Some of these food joints open late in the morning or are closed on holidays. The nearest gas station is also at Tusayan.
Write to the Author
I would love to hear from you, send an e-note to writetojosephlopez@yahoo.com
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