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SUMMER 2003 GRAND CANYON SOUTH RIM - SUMMER 2003
YES you should visit the Grand Canyon South Rim. It is easy to get around. Nice places to stay. Inexpensive if you are careful. There is much more to do than I ever imagined. I loved it. On a future visit we will plan to visit the North Rim, a little more remote than the South Rim, and the Desert View which is a good full day trip from the South Rim. The South Rim entrance is open 24/7 all year and the North Rim is closed from late November thru early March. View of the Grand Canyon from a helicopter (click for pictures) We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, Grand Canyon and saved a significant amount of money by planning ahead and prepaying our three-day stay over the Internet. We had a one-bedroom suite in their older section and the three nights cost us $200 total. That was a nice savings over their retail rate of $139/per night plus tax and their high-season rate of $169/night plus tax. The room has a kitchen/living room with TV, bathroom and bedroom with TV. The kitchen had a small refrigerator and microwave. The room was spacious and comfortable. Remember this is the wilderness and not the Hyatt Regency. Sunrise at the Grand Canyon (click for pictures) Let me encourage you to be sure to go to a sunrise at the Grand Canyon. Sunrise is about 5 A.M. however Arizona is two hours earlier than our central time zone so it isn’t as difficult as it might appear. Additionally, you must go to at least one sunset at the Grand Canyon. Sunrise and sunset are absolutely magnificent Sunset at the Grand Canyon (click for pictures)
The two main observation points on the South Rim are Yavapai Observation Station and Mather Point. Mather Point is the most visited observation point. You can visit Yaki Point by catching a bus at the appropriate place in Village East. We ran out of time and didn’t get to Yaki Point.
The Park Pass is for 7 days and cost $20/vehicle. We went in and out of the Park more times than I could count so it was inexpensive.
We immediately visited Mather Point and were wowed by the rugged beauty of the Canyon. Even though the guide books disdain this location as touristy and difficult to park I found it to be a good introduction to the Grand Canyon. Our next stop was the El Tovar for an outstanding lunch. The restaurants walls are made of pine wood with murals depicting the ritual dances of several Indian tribes. There are windows on the north and south ends of the room that looks out onto the Park. Don’t miss at least one visit here. We finished lunch and headed out of the Park back to our hotel and a few minutes of rest. Next stop was the helicopter ride.
The helicopter ride was unbelievable. It was thoroughly enjoyable. We took the ride to get a good feel for the size and majesty of the Grand Canyon. Wow is it beautiful and really huge. The colors, depth, formations, and expanse are indescribable but I will attempt to share with you some of my impressions a bit later. Let me remind you that helicopter rides are physically uncomfortable. Do not ride the chopper just after a meal. Drink a little water before you get on the helicopter. If you have a problem riding backwards in the chopper be sure to tell the clerk before you begin your ride. Close your eyes if you feel yourself getting faint or light headed. They do have airsickness bags that you can use if you need them. If you need them don’t be bashful, use them. The ride is not a competition. We took the 45-minute trip that costs $139 per person with a triple A discount. There is also a 25-minute trip that also gives a triple A discount. Additionally they have airplane rides available but we didn’t check those out.
Our next trip into the Park was to Mather Point for Sunset. The view is significant and awesome. Lots of folks and you may have to walk a way from where you park. The trees are small compared to the east. Their Pinion Pine (translation Pine Pine) is distinct and healthy. I like the smell of these trees. The sunset was colorful. The view is delightful. We didn’t know all of the formations you could see from this location but enjoyed seeing all of them. Early in the morning and late in the afternoon are when the colors are most distinct.
Our next trip to the Grand Canyon will include the Desert View and its associated points, Grand View, Yaki Point and Desert View. Many of the Park visitors do not get to this area.
Yavapai Point is congested. Parking may be difficult. This Point has outstanding views of the inner canyon trails. The views are expansive of the upper and lower Canyon. There are interpretive panels in the observation station that identify all of the major landmarks. There are four major hiking trails (Bright Angel Trail, Plateau Point Trail, the Tonto Trail, and the North Kaibab Trail) identifiable at this point. The point is located about 1 mile east of the Village.
Sunset at Yavapai Point is majestic. The sights become exotic as the sunsets and the reds change to darker shades and then to black. The view is so immense that it is hard to take it all in.
We experienced one sunrise at Mather Point. We watched the gentle glow from night to day and then the sun popped up. Everything suddenly was awash with color. After the sun rose we walked about a mile east on the Canyon Rim toward Yaki Point. The Canyon was beautiful and large. The drop-offs to the Canyon floor were immediate in some places and more gradual in other areas. There were a lot of people there with us. It was cold and windy and a memorable moment.
We returned and walked through the Village East a little after the Sunrise experience at Mather Point. We went by the El Tovar Hotel, Thunderbird Lodge and the Bright Angel Lodge. Our first day in the Canyon had been an overview. Today we would hike the Canyon. We did. Beginning at Hermit’s Rest shuttle point we hiked up-hill about a mile to Trailview Overlook. The trail was enjoyable, dusty and ever rising. The footing was easy and we all did well on the walk even though we were worn out. The views of the Canyon were superb and breathtaking at some points. The Trailview Overlook literally reached out into the Canyon and offered beautiful sights. We caught the shuttle at Trailview Overlook and rode to Powell Point where we again had great views of the Canyon. We hiked from Powell Point to Hopi Point, maybe a half mile, all uphill, and enjoyed the views from there. It was lunchtime so we caught the shuttle back to our start and walked up the hill to Bright Angel Lodge. They have great vegetarian chili. Our waiter Costa from Portugal was new but did an excellent job of serving us. After lunch we walked some more and enjoyed our time in the Park.
Later in the afternoon we visited the IMAX Theater. Don’t miss the IMAX picture of the Grand Canyon. The opening scene will make your heart beat quicker. What a great experience seeing so much of the Canyon and then whisking through the Canyon at the IMAX.
Saturday morning we left at 6 A.M. and visited Sedona, Arizona. We returned to the Grand Canyon arriving about 2 P.M. We visited Yavapai Point and Mather Point and wound our way through the Park. We ate supper at the Arizona Room at the Bright Angel Lodge. This was great. Our table overlooked the Canyon. The food was excellent. One of the dishes we had was the sage-rubbed grilled chicken with apple honey glaze and it was excellent.
We returned to our hotel early in the evening and packed for our 6 A.M. departure for Santa Fe. We had a great time at the Grand Canyon.
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