Visit the Grand Canyon

How I did it: Since I only live 3 hours South of the Grand Canyon, it was easy for us to just make a day & a half trip up there. I used the internet to explore the different Rim options and activities available. North Rim is a 6 hour drive or so from the South Rim (even though its only 10 miles across from side to side!). From the South Rim to Grand Canyon West which is operated by an Indian Reservation and also has the new Skywalk is also about a long drive, about 5 hours the opposite direction. We chose to head to the South Rim and I’m glad we did. The South Rim is full of great viewpoints and lots of historical sites such as ruins, Hermit’s Rest, the Watchtower, and lots of trails. To drive the length of the South Rim and stop at all the points and linger for about 5 minutes will take up most of your day! There are also free guided tours available throughout the day from the Visitors Center. If you decided to go to the GC Marketplace from the Visitor’s Center, walk the .8mi there and just take the shuttle back. What a beautiful walk full of trees and birds and HUGE black Ravens that were just mesmerizing to see.  If you travel there during the winter, expect it to be chilly, especially when the wind picks up. It does snow, too, and the locals told us to keep an eye on the sky because things can change pretty drastically so I imagine that is why a lot of the Canyon activities such as horse rides close after Nov. 30.  As far as lodging goes, there are several lodges in the South Rim. If you’re interested in staying a bit further out, Williams is a great choice. Located about 30mi south of the South Rim is the city called “The Gateway to the Grand Canyon.” Here is where the GC Railroad is located. The town is cute and has tons of shops, restaurants, hotels, motels and B&B’s.  There are also some hotels in-between the downtown of Williams and the South Rim if you’re interested in staying a bit closer but they will be technically located in Williams so be sure to map the location and see where it puts you. We actually chose to stay in Flagstaff which is on the way from Phoenix and has always been one of my favorite places to visit in AZ. Flagstaff is also a great tourist spot with a huge Meteor Crater to check out, the Lowell Observatory that discovered Pluto, and just lots of character from the old hippies and college students of NAU.

Lessons & tips: Admission to the National Park (per car) is $25.The Watchtower on the South Rim actually closes at 4:30pm not 5pm like we were told. This may change seasonally but we arrived a few minutes too late and couldn’t go to the top! Pace yourself if you aren’t used to the high altitude (just shy of 8000’). The air is thin and wandering around the rim is uneven and rocky. Be sure to wear good shoes! Especially in the summer when the ground is dry & crumbly and many of the drivable roads in winter turn to walk-only when it warms up.

Resources: We stayed at The Arizona Mountain Inn in Flagstaff and stayed in suite #21. Great homey B&B. There are also cabins on site if you want something more private or outdoorsy. www.arizonamountaininn.com
Had we took the chance on staying in Williams, it would have been here at The Red Garter. This is an old bordello that has been renovated into a B&B and is in a great central location that is just across from the Railroad Depot. www.redgarter.com Grand Canyon National Park site  http://www.nps.gov/grca/

Dec 09, 2008, 10:01AM PST | 1 comment | 4 cheers