Thinking of going to the Grand Canyon?

These pictures were taken in 20l1. My fifth or sixth time to visit the Grand Canyon, my husband’s third. We walked down part of the Bright Angel Trail, the trail you see in the second photo. My picture was taken about 3/4 mile down the trail, at which point we, as casual walkers and not hikers, turned around and went back up. The trail itself is almost eleven miles long, I believe, and we encountered casual walkers like us as well as the serious hikers who actually stayed overnight in the floor of the Grand Canyon.

If you’ve never been, let me tell you what you’ve probably already heard: no photo does it justice. The Canyon is mystical, almost surreal. My youngest son, at 15 in 2004, complained about the 90 miles we had to travel from Flagstaff to get to the south rim, wondering what was “so special about a big hole in the ground.” When we stopped and went out on the first lookout point, he was silent for a few minutes then turned to me and said, “I get it.”

As a former Arizona resident who left part of my heart there, I hope you’ll visit the Canyon someday. And I hope you’ll go to the south rim. It’s much better than the north rim, in my opinion.

Some advice: stay in Williams or Flagstaff. Williams is 60 miles from the south rim and Flagstaff is 90. The famous highway Route 66 goes through Flagstaff. There is lodging closer to the canyon, but it is pricier. The El Tovar Hotel, a historic hotel, is popular and convenient to the activities, inside the national park and overlooking the Canyon, but once again, pricier. It’s pretty old, so don’t expect elegance. How to dress? Check the weather forecast, but be sure to pack a jacket, even if you go in the summer. Nights can get chilly, and Flagstaff is almost never hot. The best months to go are May through September. Williams and Flagstaff are at high elevations, and snow hits early. As a matter of fact, it snowed in Williams earlier this week. There are cabins you can stay in at the Canyon, but they’re not cabins like you rent in the Smokies. They’re rustic and very small, fit only for sleeping. My husband’s cousin and his wife did a white-water rafting trip on the Colorado. They had a guide, and their group slept under the stars–no tents–each night.. They ended up in the water once, and they said the water was very cold, so be prepared. I asked them if they’d do it again, and they both said “YES!” If you’re an outdoors type of person, you can enjoy the Canyon for days, but if spectator activities are more your thing, a one-day visit will be enough. Although there are numerous lookout points, there’s probably not much point to going to all of them. And that glass walkway that extends over the Canyon? I’ve not been on it, so I can’t give a testimonial. But, hey, if heights are your thing, go for it!