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| Attraction Guide : 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. Transportation : Grand Canyon Airport (GCN) is located 7 mi/11 km south of Grand Canyon Village in Tusayan. Most flights into the airport originate in Las Vegas. Small planes and helicopters leave from the airport for flightseeing trips over the canyon. Greyhound provides service to Flagstaff, and shuttles are available to Grand Canyon Village from Flagstaff. There is also shuttle service to the village from Tusayan and Williams. Other bus lines offer tours of the South Rim from Phoenix and Tucson. The Grand Canyon Railway runs from Williams to Grand Canyon Village. A free shuttle bus operates on the West Rim Drive from mid March to mid October, and a free hikers’ shuttle runs from the Backcountry Office and Bright Angel Lodge to the South Kaibab Trailhead during the same period. Sightseein g bus tours of the South Rim operate from park lodges as well as the train depot. Handicapped persons visiting the park can reserve a space on one of the handicapped-accessible sightseeing trams that travel the West Rim Drive, or arrange permission to take their own vehicle on the road. In addition, all of the scenic walking trails at the top of the canyon are paved, though some portions of them may be too steep to negotiate in a wheelchair. Taxis run by Grand Canyon National Park Lodges are also available on the South Rim. There is no public transportation to the North Rim from either Flagstaff or Phoenix. A van shuttle operates in the summer between the North and South Rims, mainly for backpackers making the hike across the Canyon, rim to rim. Reservations for the van shuttle can be obtained by contacting Trans Canyon Van Service, phone 520-638-2820. Visitors interested in river trips should be aware that most excursions begin at Lees Ferry, which is a drive of several hours from either the North or South Rim. Arriving & Departing By Air Airports Arizona's major gateway, Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) (24th and Buckeye Sts. off I-10, PHONE: 602/273-3300), is about 240 mi south of Grand Canyon. Las Vegas's McCarran International Airport (LAS) (PHONE: 702/261-5733) is about 280 mi west of Grand Canyon. Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG) (S. Pulliam Dr. off W. John Wesley Powell Blvd. PHONE: 928/556-1234), which receives flights from fewer airlines than the Phoenix or Las Vegas airports, is about 96 mi south of Grand Canyon. Some sample flying times are: from New York (51/2 hours), Chicago (31/2 hours) and Los Angeles (11/4 hours). By Bus By Bus Greyhound (PHONE: 800/231-2222) provides service to Williams and other destinations near the Grand Canyon. By Car By Car If you're traveling from the east or south, the best access to the Grand Canyon's South Rim is from Flagstaff or Williams, both on I-40. There are two routes out of Flagstaff: One, U.S. 180, heads 81 miles northwest to Grand Canyon Village; the other runs north on U.S. 89 and then turns west on Route 64 - a total of 107 miles to Grand Canyon Village. The latter route is generally considered the more scenic of the two but can be dangerous or impassable during the winter. If you're crossing Arizona on I-40 from the west, the most direct route to the South Rim is on Route 64 from Williams to Grand Canyon Village, a distance of 58 miles. To reach the North Rim from Flagstaff, proceed north on U.S. 89 to Bitter Springs, then take U.S. 89A to Route 67 and head south to the North Rim, a total distance of 210 miles. By Train By Train Amtrak (PHONE: 800/872-7245) provides daily service into Arizona from both east and west. The stop for the Grand Canyon is Flagstaff. From Flagstaff, bus connections can be made to Grand Canyon Village through Nava-Hopi Tours (PHONE: 928/774-5003 or 800/892-8687). To reach the North Rim from Grand Canyon Village, take the Trans Canyon Shuttle (PHONE: 928/638-2820). Train service between Williams (63 miles away) and the South Rim's Santa Fe Railway Station is aboard the historic Grand Canyon Railway, which first carried passengers in 1901 and was reinstated in 1989. The handsome 1923 passenger cars, which chug along behind near-turn-of-the-century engines, transport visitors year-round (limited schedule between early October and late March). Reservations can be made by contacting the Grand Canyon Railway (PHONE: 800/843-8724). The cost of this 4 1/4-hour round-trip (same-day) treat is $62 for adults, including park |
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