If there is anything that inspires awe in me, it would have to be the majestic natural wonders of this world. Their sheer size and scale alone are enough to humble me and remind me that I am but a tiny speck in this immense universe, a small fragment of the grand scheme of things, which for the most part, is a big mystery to us all.
In my books, very few can top the Grand Canyon of Arizona. One can only fully grasp its dimensions (446 kilometers long, up to 29 kilometers wide, and reaching a depth of 1,857 meters) when one comes in contact with it in person. Imagine a huge expanse of canyon, dated to be six million years old, carved by the Colorado River and its tributaries, exposing nearly two billion years of Earth’s geological history on layer after layer of rock!
The canyon and its adjacent rims are contained within several national parks and reservations – the Grand Canyon National Park, the Kaibab National Forest, the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, the Hualapai Indian Reservation, and the Navajo Nation. For thousands of years, Native American peoples have built settlements around the canyon and its many caves. For them, it is a sacred site, and I can see why.
There are different distinct ways of experiencing the Grand Canyon – its North Rim, South Rim, West Rim, through Havasu Falls, and through Grand Canyon East. The first two are contained in the Grand Canyon National Park, which is managed by the National Park Service. The third is located within the territory of the Hualapai Nation and managed by them. Havasu Falls is in between the West and the South Rims and is in an area owned by the Havasupai Nation (“people of the blue-green waters”). Grand Canyon East is located in the area along the Colorado River to the north and east of the South Rim and its primary attribute is the Little Colorado River that was responsible for carving several of the smaller canyons in the region.
They say that a raven (a very common bird in this part of the country) flies less than 20 miles across the canyon from the North Rim to the South Rim, but obviously, humans will have to take the longer route, which is a drive on a winding road around the canyon. The distance between the North and the South Rims is roughly 206 miles and takes about four to five hours by car.
However, there are those that do the rim to rim hike, which is extremely challenging. There are two trails – the North Kaibab/South Kaibab Route, which is around 22 miles, and the North Kaibab/Bright Angel Route, which is about 24 miles. Both trails take about twelve to fifteen hours to complete, including the recommended breaks. But take note – this is an extremely difficult hike that includes an elevation gain of 5,781 feet on the North Kaibab Route, 4,800 feet on the South Kaibab Route, and 4,400 feet on the Bright Angel Route. Some areas are very rocky and steep. This is not for non-experienced hikers and the non-physically fit. They say that less than 1% of the six million annual visitors embark on this hike and most prepare for months, or even years, for this expedition.
Basically, the North and South portions of the canyon are bisected by the Colorado River, and the two rims are very different in scenery, climate, and vegetation, mainly due to the differences in elevation. It’s like having two parks in one.
The North Rim, which is a full 1,000 feet higher than the South Rim runs 10 degrees cooler and supports plant and animal life that the drier South Rim cannot. Photographs taken from the North Rim will give you hints of green – aspen, birch, maple, and oak trees growing among the rocks. Photographs from the South Rim appear more rugged.
The West Rim is located farther west of both rims and is the closest to Las Vegas (125 miles away versus the 277 miles between the South Rim and Las Vegas), that’s why most day tours from Vegas are to the West Rim. And because the property is owned and run by the Hualapai peoples, the National Park Service pass is not valid here. One has to pay a separate entrance fee which includes a meal and an opportunity to walk on the glass-bottomed Skywalk.
Unlike the North and South Rims where outdoor activities are the main attraction, the focal point here is the Skywalk experience. This glass bridge is 10 feet wide and stretches 70 feet over the Grand Canyon in a horseshoe shape. In addition, there is also an emphasis on the Hualapai culture – a historical exhibit on the walls inside the Skywalk building, Native American dance performances, and a restaurant that specializes in traditional Hualapai dishes.
The Havasu Falls access, on the other hand, is not accessible by road. It is reached by a ten-mile hike or saddle ride down the canyon and requires special permits and fees. However, at this more secluded location, one will have the opportunity to see four other world-famous blue-green waterfalls from up close, aside from the Havasu Falls – the New Navajo Falls, Rock Falls, Mooney Falls, and Beaver Falls. It’s like an oasis in the desert. This can also be accessed via helicopter, but will still require a two-mile walk each way to the first waterfall.
There is no official “East Rim” and Grand Canyon East isn’t an official designation used by the National Park Service. Nevertheless, the most intrepid adventurers go there. This is the most difficult area of the Grand Canyon to access, but one is rewarded with close-up views of the canyon. One of its notable sights is Horseshoe Bend, situated seven miles before the beginning of the Grand Canyon.
As the name suggests, it is a horseshoe-shaped incised meander of the Colorado River and is accessible by a 1.5 mile trail from a parking lot off the highway. And because of the mineral content in this area, the waters of the river here turn a beautiful deep blue in the summer, and almost blood red during the rest of the year. This is also the starting point for other attractions within the area such as the Little Colorado River Gorge (which is strikingly different from the Grand Canyon because of its gray walls, the Antelope Canyon (a slot canyon located on Navajo land), the Marble Canyon (that marks the beginning of the Grand Canyon where the Colorado River and the Little Colorado River meet), and the Navajo Bridge (one of seven Colorado River land crossings).
I have seen the Grand Canyon through the South Rim. This is the most visited section and the most recommended for first-timers for several reasons. One, it is open all year round no matter what the season. Second, it is the most easily accessible from most major western American cities. Third, it has a host of several hotels and lodges (most of them historic), camping grounds, restaurants, shops, and visitor centres that could cater to visitors’ needs at any time. Fourth, it has miles of paved road and dirt paths that are also dotted with museums and family-oriented attractions for visitors with young kids. Fifth, it offers more activities and trails – hiking, biking, mule rides, river rafting, helicopter tours, among others.
But the best reason is the fact that it is considered by many as the “true Grand Canyon,” because from here, one can get vast, expansive views from close to two dozen viewpoints, each with their own unique attributes, with many allowing visitors to peer all the way down into the river. The magnificent photos that one sees in postcards, travel magazines, and tourism sites are taken from this rim.
We drove to Flagstaff and made it our base for a day trip to the Grand Canyon. It’s only a ninety-minute drive, and the city of Flagstaff itself is very pretty. Surrounded by mountains, deserts, and ponderosa pine forest, our scenic drive from Flagstaff to the South Rim was also a tour on its own. Because it is only a day trip and we have a young child with us (our nine-year-old niece), long hikes and strenuous activities were out of the question. We spent our time at the Grand Canyon Village instead, checking out its historic buildings, then walked along the rim to take in the breathtaking views from various viewpoints. We also did a very short hike.
The Grand Canyon Village is the hub of the park. It is where the hotels, lodges, museums, restaurants, and gift shops are concentrated. Despite the commercial appeal, some of the buildings there do have interesting historical backgrounds:
El Tovar Hotel – built in 1905 with a design reminiscent of a Swiss ski chalet with overtones of an upscale Western hunting lodge; hosted President Roosevelt and Albert Einstein on their visits here; has an upscale restaurant, casual lounge, gift shop, and porch with canyon views
Bright Angel Lodge – built in 1935 and designed by premiere female architect Mary Colter (rare in those times); offers quaint rim-side cabins and European-style rooms
Buckey O’Neill Cabin – residence of William “Buckey” O’Neill from 11891-1897 (he is known for joining President Roosevelt’s Rough Riders); the oldest structure at the South Rim and is now part of the Bright Angel Lodge
Lookout Studio – built in 1914 and also designed by Mary Colter; used as the prime vantage point into the canyon and used for viewing California condors; has a beautiful fireplace and also houses a gift shop
Kolb Studio – built in 1904 and served as the studio of canyon photographers and adventurers, Ellsworth and Emery Kolb; includes a bookstore and art gallery with a special Kolb exhibit
Hopi House – built in 1904 and also designed by Mary Colter to look like the traditional native house; serves as a retail outpost and gallery for high-quality Native American crafts such as rugs, baskets, jewelry, and kachinas (Native American dolls that represent nature spirits)
Train Depot – built in 1909 and was formerly the Santa Fe Railway Station; one of the few remaining log train depots in the United States; currently serves passengers on Grand Canyon Railway’s daily trips from the town of Williams
Verkamps’ Visitor Centre – was part of the early 20th century development of the South Rim aimed at providing services for the influx of visitors the newly-arrived Santa Fe Railway would bring; now a modern visitor services centre
Maswik Lodge – located a quarter or a mile from the edge of the Grand Canyon, it is nestled in a ponderosa pine forest
Thunderbird Lodge – built in 1968 with a concrete façade, which was the style of that era; meant to provide not exactly charming, but basic comfortable rooms that have partial canyon views
Kachina Lodge – built in 1971; not as charming as the other lodges but strategically situated right on the canyon rim
McKee Amphitheater – an outdoor venue used by park rangers to conduct educational programs
Yavapai Lodge – built in 1958 reminiscent of Route 66 motels but with upgraded rooms; situated a quarter mile from the rim and nestled in the woods where visitors are bound to see elks, deer, and lots of squirrels
Yavapai Geology Museum – housed in a 1928 building; features interactive exhibits on the geologic history of the region and offers guided tours
Market Plaza – houses a full-size grocery store and deli, a general store that sells camping supplies, and a post office
Most of the iconic Grand Canyon viewpoints can be found at the South Rim, and each has something unique to offer. The ones we were able to access were:
Mather Point – main viewpoint where one can see nearly a quarter of the Grand Canyon at over 7,000 feet of elevation; from here, one can also see iconic rock pinnacles such as the Vishnu Temple and the Temple of Zoroaster
Yavapai Point – one of the most popular viewpoints because of the panoramic views all the way from the Havasupai Point in the west to Desert View in the east
Trailview Overlook – towering over the Bright Angel Trail, one can see the steep trail switching back down the canyon walls, the rest houses along the trail, and the specks of hikers making their way up or down the trail
Maricopa Point – a narrow promontory that extends 100 feet from the rim before dropping away below; has 180 degrees view of the canyon all the way to the canyon floor
Powell Point – site where the Grand Canyon National Park was dedicated in 1920; has a memorial in honour of John Powell, who led ground-breaking expeditions here and played an important part in the discovery of the canyon
Hopi Point – provides an unobstructed view of the canyon; opposite this lookout, on the North Rim, one can see several prominent mesas, including Isis Temple, Horus Temple, and Osiris Temple
Mojave Point – provides a view of the 3,000 vertical cliffs that encircle The Abyss
The Abyss – about a one-mile walk from the Mojave Point; named as such on account of a sheer drop to the Tonto Platform about 3,000 feet below
Pima Point – located in a densely wooded area whose main overlook is located at the edge of a side canyon; offers clear views of the Colorado River and over 40 miles of the canyon
My husband was disappointed because he could not do a long hike. He knew it beforehand, but after seeing the canyon and its surroundings, he felt that longing. We wish we could, too, but half of us in the group were not in good physical shape to tackle those intimidating trails.
We did hike the Trail of Time, a 1.3-mile section of the paved Rim Trail between the Yavapai Geology Museum and Verkamps’s Visitor Centre. The path supports a self-guided hike by means of signs posted along the way explaining the formation of the Grand Canyon that includes samples of rocks found in each geological layer. Along the trail, one can find brass markers for every meter representing one million years of geologic time. It’s more of an interpretative walk along the canyon’s history, rather than an actual hike, but it was worth doing.
At the gift shop, my husband collected all sorts of brochures, mainly on the hiking trails. He said that the next time we visit, we’d stay right here at the park so he could hike at his heart’s content. He even convinced our nine-year-old niece to join him later on. I warned my brother and sister-in-law in jest after I saw her pocketing some small rocks she picked up along the rim, clearly following my husband’s example of collecting rock samples. I told them, yup, it starts like that, and before you know it, you’d have more than 50 boxes of rocks in your basement.
We stayed until sunset and watched the spectacle from Mather Point. It was a magical experience. Apart from the canvass of vivid colours, large shadows, and dancing lights that enveloped the entire canyon that changed from orange to pink to purple in a matter of minutes, what struck me the most was the fact that this great monument of Nature has stood there for millions of years and has remained a constant presence sunrise after sunrise, sunset after sunset. I just stood still, with eyes (and mouth) opened wide. This is indeed a very special place, and I intend to return.
We stopped at the town of Tusayan, not far from the Grand Canyon National Park. This little town has become the extension of the South Rim. In the 1950s, when the canyon’s popularity had grown to the point where more lodging was needed for the influx of visitors, Tusayan had stepped up. Construction of hotels began and with that came the establishment of restaurants, stores, gift shops, and even an airport. Tour companies began to set up their offices there and canyon-related attractions and activities spurted, including the world-famous IMAX Theatre that features a giant six-story screen and state-of-the-art sound system.
We purchased tickets for the 34-minute movie, “Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets.” I told my husband that for the time-being, it was a good alternative to hiking the canyons and going down the canyon floor. The images were sharp and the shots were executed in a way that will make the viewers feel so close to the canyon, soaring over it like an eagle, trekking the canyon floor dwarfed by the canyon walls on each side, or feeling the rush while rafting along the Colorado River. It showcases the early Native American settlements there and their connection to the land, and includes a recreation of John Powell’s 1869 boating expedition through the canyon. For half an hour, you could just get lost in the its beauty and majesty.
Aside from the theatre, the IMAX facility also functions as a visitor centre with an information booth, a collection of tourist magazines and brochures, a dining area, and a souvenir shop that sells unique memorabilia. It also offers one-of-a-kind activities and experiences in the canyon by way of helicopter tours, airplane tours, paragon skydiving, jeep tours, railway tours, river rafting, and river expeditions. The possibilities are endless. Outside the facility, the main street is lined by souvenir stores and local crafts stores. As a gateway town, this could also be a possible base for another visit.
One can never get enough of the Grand Canyon. And I’ve only seen one side of it. Visiting the North Rim, West Rim, the Havasu Falls lookout, and the east side of the canyon are must-dos, in order to appreciate, not so much as to fathom, this grand monument in all its glory.
Photo Credits:
cntraveler.com, mygrandcanyonpark.com (Whit Richardson, Dollar Photo, Deposit Photos, Caitlin Madison Kirkman, Shutterstock), hikingguy.com, horseshoebend.com, usparklodging.com, skyscraperpage.com, nps.gov, grandcanyondeals.com, Eric Astrauskas (Creative Commons), brewbooks from near Seattle (Creative Commons), canyontours.com,
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