The Grand Canyon – Always Pack Light

At some point in your life, please make it a point to go see the Grand Canyon. It’s one of the most magnificent places on earth.

If you typically take your family to tourist destinations like Branson or Gatlinburg, the Grand Canyon will be great change of scenery. Even though there’s a lot of tourist activities you can do, there’s nothing quite like it. Words seem inadequate and pictures don’t do it justice. I hope you’ll see for yourself.

When visiting the park there’s four different Rims you can see. Each one has different views and activities available to the public. Most people only get to see one Rim because they are so far apart. The South and East Rims are the only two that are in close in distance.

I would recommend you go to the South Rim if you’ve never been there before. It has more recreational activities, lodging, and places to eat.

The South Rim

The South Rim is the most popular part of the park. It offers some of the best views and is open all year.

The South Rim gives you the most options when it comes to seeing the park. You can view the park from by airplane, helicopter, rafting, riding bikes, or in jeeps. You can also take a bus tour from Las Vegas.

For those staying in the area, you can take a free shuttle bus along Hermit Road that has nine stops along the rim giving visitors some amazing views. You can catch the bus at the Hermit’s Rest Station, located at the beginning of the Rim Trail.

Hermit road is closed to private vehicles between March 1^st and November 30^th. The shuttle bus doesn’t run during the winter months of December, January, and February.

If you visit the South Rim make sure you check out Lookout Studio and Maricopa Point. You won’t be disappointed. They are two of the most amazing views of the Grand Canyon.

The West Rim

The West Rim has become a really popular part of the park due to two reasons; the Sky Walk and its proximity to Las Vegas.

The Sky Walk at Grand Canyon west is a 10 foot wide glass bridge extending 70 feet out over the rim with glass floors at an elevation of around 4,000 ft. It is located at Eagle Point and is owned and ran by the Hualapai Indian Tribe.

You have to buy tickets to go on the Sky Walk and see the three lookout points at the West Rim. It’s $46.95 for a shuttle service and to see the three lookout points and $66.90 for a shuttle to view all three lookout points and go on the skywalk. When you buy a pass, it won’t work for entrance into the West part of the park. You will have to buy another pass if you want to enter the park.

The West Rim is usually best for people only visiting for the day.

The North Rim

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is the least visited part of the park. It’s a bit remote with limited facilities, making it less desirable to most people.

With that being said, it still has some major benefits. The North Rim is close to the Utah border and relatively close to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park. If you want to see all three parks on one trip, it’s great choice.

The North Rim provides visitors with some unique views that no other part of the park can. From the Grand Canyon Lodge you can walk out on a paved trail to Bright Angel Point. You can see Bright Angle Canyons and Roaring springs from top of Bright Angle Point.

Two other places you should see are Point Imperial and Cape Royal. From Point Imperial you can see Mt. Hayden; the highest point in the park at 8,803 ft. Point Imperial also gives you a rare view of the Painted Desert. From Cape Royal, you can get an amazing panorama view of the park. You should also check out Roosevelt Point and Walhalla Overlook.

The North Rim closes for the winter because it sits above 8,000 ft. and it gets covered in snow early. Many of the facilities start to shut down on October 15^th each year. You can still camp till November 1^st , but you will have to bring your own stuff. Everything shuts down after November 1^st, but you can still view the park from dawn to dusk till December 1^st. It opens back up May 15^th each year.

The East Rim

If you visit the East Rim of the park, you can travel along Desert View Drive for 25 miles where you can stop at several pullouts, each revealing a different view of the park. This route is less crowded than others in the park. You will see more people toward the end of the drive at the South entrance.

As soon as you enter the park at the East entrance you will want to stop and get a glimpse of the park at Navajo Point. Along Desert View Drive, some of the best views can be seen from Lipan Point, Grandview Point, and Moran Point.

Grandview Point has a lookout tower you can climb up in to get an even better view. There’s a pretty good view of the Colorado River from the East Rim. Well, as good a view as you can get from that high up. Located North East is Horseshoe Bend, one of the most photographed spots of the Grand Canyon.

Lodging

For lodging at the South Rim, the Historic Grand Canyon Village is located nearby with lots of hotels and lodges. It’s located close to the rim so it’s convenient for hiking or seeing the park at sunrise or sunset. The South Rim’s Desert View campground is available during the summer months but closes for the winter.

At the North Rim there’s only one lodge in the park, the Grand Canyon Lodge and one campground. When the Grand Canyon Lodge is sold out there are two hotels that sit outside the park; the Jacob Lake Inn and the Kaibab Lodge.

If you’re coming from the West, a lot of people stay in Las Vegas, as it’s only 120 miles from the park. If you want to stay closer, there aren’t many choices. Your best bet is to stay in a cabin at Grand Canyon Resort, only two miles from the Park. It’s a working cattle ranch but they offer several options for entertainment. The Hualapai Ranch and Hualapai Lodge located in Peach Springs is a 115 miles from the West entrance.

Most people that come to the East Rim end up staying near the South Rim because it’s so close. There’s really not much in lodging near the East entrance.

If you hike into the canyon, you can stay at the Phantom Ranch cabins. There’s a lottery and limited availability when staying there, so make sure you book your stay early.

There are also a lot of campgrounds you can stay at inside the park. If you camp after hiking inside the park you may have to get a permit.

Recreational Activities

If you’re looking to do more than just look at the canyon, there’s plenty of things available.

You can take a helicopter tour, float the Colorado River, go camping, ride four-wheelers or jeeps, ride mules into the park, or go to the Grand Canyon Imax. The Grand Canyon Imax shows The Grand Canyon: Hidden secrets.

Parts of the movie give you views of the park as if you’re flying in a plane through the canyon. I highly recommend it. My Dad was so impressed with it; he bought the DVD to take home.

Hiking in the Grand Canyon

If you’re a little more adventurous and physically fit, I urge you to go hiking in the park. A word of caution though; It can be extremely dangerous. Over 250 people are rescued each year in the park from hiking.

Even though it’s dangerous, it can also be extremely rewarding. Hiking offers unparalleled views of the park. If you do go hiking make sure you are in good condition and are prepared for it. It’s very strenuous and the heat can take its toll on you. Prepare plenty of food and plenty of water before you go. You should also do some reading and watch some videos before you go.

If you hike rim to rim it’s going to take you several days because it’s 44 miles round trip. You will need to obtain a back-country permit for most overnight camping and hiking trips.

Not all the hikes are that long. You can do some of them in a day, but none of them are super easy due to the elevation change.

Planning

When planning your vacation to the Grand Canyon there’s several things you must account for.

First off, you need decide when and where you’re going to go. As mentioned previously, some parts of the park close for the winter. There are more activities to do in certain parts of the park too.

Second, how long are you planning on staying. If you’re just going for a day trip, lodging isn’t going to be that big of a factor. If you are going to stay a couple days, make sure you book your room well in advance.

Third, you need to know what you want to do when you get there. If you want to float the Colorado River, you’ll have to meet at a certain location and book in advance. Most activities are booked months before hand, so make sure you get reservations before going.

Lastly, if you are going to go hiking, you better get yourself in shape a couple months before hand. You’ll also need to bring all your own supplies.

I hope you enjoyed the article. Give us a like or follow us on Social Media if you did. Comment below if you visit the Grand Canyon. I’d love to hear about your trip and see your pictures. Let me know if there’s anything I left out.