Every time we visit the Grand
Canyon, we remember our first reaction: We stood on the edge of an immense
abyss, yet an abyss so brilliantly colored and intricately shaped, that
we could only stare. It took one of the other new arrivals at the overlook
to sum it up: “Wow.”
There will inevitably be others beside you when you first lay eyes on
the canyon, at least if you visit the more popular South Rim. In fact,
there will be others around you for almost everything you do during
your visit. More than 5 million visitors go to behold this wonder each
year. To say that such crowds don’t detract from the experience
would be misleading, yet we feel it’s still well worth whatever
aggravations you might encounter. The Grand Canyon is simply one of
those places that everyone should see.
The best strategy is to visit the park at those times o f the year when
it won’t be packed with sightseers. Summer is the canyon’s
peak season: If you have to visit then, reserve accommodations and specialty
tours at least a year in advance. Spring and fall see lighter crowds,
especially early in March and late in October. Even a winter visit is
possible on the South Rim, though you may encounter snow and cold temperatures.
A visit to the more remote North Rim (May-October) will also help you
to avoid crowds.
Another way to find some solitude is to arrange a trip into the canyon,
which is the best way to appreciate its size and topography. Options
include hiking or riding a mule down from the top or passing through
the canyon on a river excursion. We highly recommend a visit below the
rim for those who are up to it, but it’s not a journey to undertake
lightly. Should you decide to stick to the topside, as most visitors
do, you’ll hardly be disappointed.
The Grand Canyon, which was cut by the Colorado Riv er, is aptly named:
It measures 277 mi/446 km in length and averages 1 mi/1.6 km in depth.
Its width varies from a few hundred feet to almost 20 mi/33 km. If you
travel from the rim to the inner canyon, the steep gorge at the bottom
of the canyon that contains the Colorado, you’ll traverse several
life zones, moving from a landscape of ponderosa pines at the top to
harsh desert at the bottom. Hundreds of species of mammals, birds, reptiles
and amphibians are found in the park. Mule deer are the most common
animals seen, but you may also encounter desert bighorn sheep, bobcats,
coyotes, mountain lions (mainly confined to the North Rim), beavers,
gophers and a variety of lizards and snakes. The park is also home to
a number of endangered species, including the peregrine falcon and the
bald eagle.
The South Rim, by far the better known and more popular of the park
areas, is where you’ll find most of the accommodations, amenities
and services. Before beginning a tour of the South Rim, get a copy of
The Guide, which is handed out at the park’s entrance. It’s
invaluable for trail information, maps and park activities.
Whenever you visit, the South Rim’s Grand Canyon Village is likely
to be crowded, but don’t let that stop you from having a look around.
This National Historic District contains some fascinating buildings.
For example, the El Tovar Hotel—its design combines elements of
a Swiss chalet with those of a Norwegian villa—was constructed
of limestone blocks and Oregon pine logs in 1905. The nearby Hopi House,
which was built by Hopi workers, is a classic Pueblo-style building.
And the first National Park Service Administration Building, constructed
of rough-cut pine and stone, is a good example of what has come to be
known as “rustic architecture.” There’s also a store
in the village that comes in handy for stocking up on supplies, be they
snacks or complete backpacking provisions.
Near the village is the Yava pai Observation Station, which offers panoramic
views of the canyon from its observation windows. It also has some informative
exhibits about the park’s geological history—they’re
quite informative, particularly if you’re making a brief visit
to the canyon.
There are two driving tours along the South Rim, both of which offer
glorious views from numerous overlooks. The West Rim Drive, soon to
be known as Hermit Road, (16 mi/26 km round trip) is so popular that
it’s actually closed to auto traffic from Memorial Day to 1 October:
During that period, you have to take one of the free shuttle buses that
make stops at each overlook. (This type of mandatory shuttle access
may become more widespread as park officials attempt to better manage
the large crowds that visit the canyon.) Plan at least a half day to
travel out to Hermits Rest on the far end of the West Rim Drive and
return to the village, which allows time to admire the many viewpoints
along the way.
The other tour, th e East Rim Drive (a 46-mi/74-km round trip from Grand
Canyon Village to Desert View) is not as heavily trafficked and is open
to private cars year round. Parking at the major overlooks can be a
problem in summer, however. At Desert View, be sure to climb the 70-ft/21-m
watchtower—this is the highest point on the South Rim, and the
360-degree views of the Painted Desert, the Inner Gorge and the Colorado
River are fabulous. Also in the vicinity, the Tusayan Ruin and Museum
has exhibits that detail Native American cultures, and you can take
a self-guided tour of the ruin, an Anasazi pueblo from AD 1185.
The village of Tusayan (TOO-say-yon) is 7 mi/11 km south of Grand Canyon
Village. A number of hotels are located there, as well as restaurants
and gift shops. The National Geographic Theatre in Tusayan has an IMAX
presentation about human habitation in the canyon, from the earliest
prehistoric visitors to the present.
While the South Rim is open year round, the facilities at the North
Rim are only accessible mid May to late October. (The exact dates vary
from year to year, depending on the weather.) Generally, the road from
Jacob Lake, Arizona, to the North Rim opens around 15 May, as do the
lodge, campground and other services. They close in mid October, but
day use is allowed until the snow flies. If you want to experience the
canyon in more of its pristine silence and isolation, a visit to the
North Rim is a must: It only gets a fraction of the number of visitors
that the South Rim gets, partly because it closes in the winter and
partly because it’s in a rather remote location.The North Rim is
strikingly different from the South—the vegetation is much more
alpinelike (the North Rim is 1,000 ft/300 m higher). Thick forests of
spruce, fir, locust and ponderosa pine are mixed with stands of aspen
and meadows of wildflowers. You’ll also see more wildlife, such
as mule deer and the rare Kaibab squirre l. The drive to Cape Royal
from Bright Angel Point is considered by some to be better than either
of the South Rim drives.
If you have a week or more, visit both the South and North Rims—but
don’t underestimate the time you’ll need to travel between
them. Though the average distance across the canyon as the crow flies
is only 10 mi/16 km, it’s a five-hour drive (215 mi/345 km) to
get from the South Rim to the North Rim.
Trips into the canyon are ruled by two parameters: money and effort.
Hiking can be inexpensive, but a trip of several days is a very arduous
undertaking. Mule and river trips involve less sweat, but they’re
not cheap. No matter which method you choose, you need to make arrangements
well in advance of your trip—up to a year in advance for the mule
and river trips.
A multiday hiking trip is recommended only for those in excellent health
and in good physical condition. Access to the canyon is strictly controlled
by permits, which are required for everything except day hikes. Permits
are obtained from the park’s Backcountry Office, Grand Canyon National
Park, P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023, phone 520-638-7875. Write
first for a Backcountry Trip Planner, and do so well before your trip.
Requests for permits can be made four months prior to the date of the
outing and should be sent in as soon as possible.
Plan on at least a three-day hiking excursion to reach the Colorado
River and return to the top, though four or five days is preferable
(you’ll need a full day to go down and a full day to hike out).
There are 15 trails that lead to the inner canyon from both the South
and North Rims, and they vary in their length, difficulty and in the
number of hikers using them.
Preparation is crucial. Each person will need a gallon of water per
day, and you’ll need to locate and purify whatever water you can’t
carry with you. Food and proper gear (especially heavy-duty hiking boots)
are es sential as well. Failure to heed these requirements can be costly:
Every year there are hundreds of cases of dehydration, heat stroke,
injury and exhaustion, many requiring rescue. The safest way to undertake
a multiday hike is to hire an experienced guide. The Grand Canyon Field
Institute also conducts organized outings, many of them focusing on
special topics such as natural history or photography.
Those who want a less extreme outing can make day hikes below the rim.
The upper portions of the Bright Angel and South Kaibab Trails are two
good options. Just remember: The farther you go down, the farther you
have to hike up. Ascending the trails in the heat of the afternoon is
much more taxing than descending in the morning.
The South Rim mule trips use the Bright Angel Trail, which begins near
Grand Canyon Village and descends to Phantom Ranch at the bottom of
the canyon. There’s a two-day trip to the bottom and a one-day
trip that go es partway down—we suggest the two-day option. (There
are some restrictions: Mule riders must be at least 55 in/140 cm tall,
weigh less than 200 lbs/90 kg with equipment, be able to understand
English and not be visibly pregnant.) Food and lodging are available
at Phantom Ranch, which enjoys a lovely setting among huge cottonwood
trees on the north bank of the Colorado River, near the junction of
the North Kaibab, South Kaibab and Bright Angel Trails. The cabins at
Phantom Ranch are almost always booked one to two years in advance.
Reservations for the mule trip itself can be made 11 months in advance
of departure. It’s also possible to take a mule trip from the North
Rim down to Roaring Springs, a one-day trip that’s available only
in the summer.
Boat trips down the Colorado are particularly exciting. More than a
dozen river outfitters offer a variety of river expeditions (most take
a week to two weeks, but some three-and four-day trips are offered).
Advance reservations are absolutely necessary as access to the water
is limited. You can choose from several different craft: motor-driven
rafts, oar-driven rafts and oar-driven aluminum dories. Outfitters generally
provide all meals during the trip.
Other ways to see the canyon: Helicopters and planes give flightseeing
tours of the canyon, departing from Grand Canyon Airport near the South
Rim. Legislation has limited aircraft flight paths over some heavily
visited areas and declared other areas to be flight-free zones.
One of our favorite excursions in the area is the very popular Grand
Canyon Railway, which provides scenic rail service from Williams, Arizona,
to the South Rim (it takes less than three hours). Passengers ride in
1923 Harriman coaches, a 1923 Harriman club car, a 1950s club car and
a domed coach. From Memorial Day until September, the train is pulled
by an early-1900s steam locomotive; after September, vintage 1950s diesel
locomotives power the train.
The Havasupai Indian Reservation (which contains Havasu Canyon) is an
off-the-beaten-path site adjacent to Grand Canyon National Park (it’s
accessible only on foot, by horseback or by helicopter). Guided horseback
tours (reservations required) are available that include accommodations
in a modern lodge in the town of Supai, at the canyon’s bottom.
You can also camp. The spectacular waterfalls, massive travertine rock
formations and sheer canyon walls make visiting this tiny Indian village
at the western end of the Grand Canyon an unforgettable experience.
We recommend this attraction for those who enjoy outdoor activities
and something out of the ordinary. |
