Divine Creation: The Grand Canyon
The sight of the Grand Canyon is truly a marvel to see. There’s really nowhere else like it in the world and it’s something that you have to see in person to genuinely experience. I’ve seen dozens of images of the Grand Canyon on the Internet, from a variety of angles. I must admit, though I thought the Canyon was beautiful in those pictures, I wasn’t really blown away by its splendor until my husband and I visited it last May during the Memorial Day weekend.
When my husband, James, and I realized that Memorial Day weekend was just around the corner, I started to do research on the Grand Canyon. It’s been one of the places James and I have been longing to visit, so I couldn’t wait to start booking accommodations and tours.
Surprisingly, I found very little pertinent information regarding a Grand Canyon vacation. I discovered many sites offering pictures of the Canyon, some sites provided weather and statistical data, and few, like the national park’s homepage gave some information on limited lodging near the Canyon.
Tours, which included riding donkeys on the rim, were steeply priced. Particular excursions we wanted to try needed to be reserved 1 to 2 years in advance! You really need an ample amount of time to plan a Grand Canyon vacation if you want to experience all these trips. I’ll provide more information on these later.
First, let’s discuss why we should visit the Grand Canyon anyway. Namely, it has been called one of the seven natural wonders of the world by CNN and was recognized as USA Today’s eighth new wonder of the world, a list of which includes the Internet, interestingly enough.
Moreover, a quick overview of Grand Canyon facts distinguishes this tourist hotspot from others. The Grand Canyon is approximately one mile deep and runs 277 miles long. I was amazed to find out that the length from the North Rim to the South Rim was 10 miles, but it would take a 5-hour drive just to go from one rim to the other, since you would have to take the roads around the Canyon. The Canyon, along with the park, covers a whopping 1,217,000 acres. And, it may be difficult to spot it sometimes, so make sure you keep your eyes peeled for the Colorado River that runs through the Canyon, especially if you choose not to hike down for closer views.
In addition to its spectacular landscape, the Grand Canyon also has an amazing collection of flora and fauna. The Canyon is home to 1700 species of plants, 373 species of birds, and 97 species of mammals. As for humans, evidence dates back to 4,000 years ago when the Desert Archaic people resided within the Canyon. Since then, Native American tribes were the main inhabitants until the 1500s, when Spanish conquistadors arrived in the area. In 1919, the government declared the Canyon and its surrounding areas a national park, which is how we experience it today.
When to Visit
Grand Canyon is one of those natural wonders that seem to transform itself into something different every time, depending on the weather. The red gorges are easily visible during the summer months, but observing the Canyon under a white blanket of snow makes it also a treat to see. For those who are concerned about the repressive heat of summer in Arizona, and who would like to see the bare, red, beauty of the Canyon, spring might be an ideal time to visit. That was when James and I experienced the Canyon, and indeed, what an experience it was!
Grand Canyon is one of those natural wonders that seem to transform itself into something different every time, depending on the weather.
Besides Arizonians, few may know that during the cool, spring season, tufts of clouds lie lowly by the tops of the Canyon, creating such a surreal, almost mystical effect. James and I didn’t expect this sight when we booked our vacation. Actually, a day before James and I drove to the Canyon from our place in California, we checked the weather online, so we would know what type of clothing to pack. At that time in California, we were experiencing warm weather, going into the 90s. All along, James and I were expecting that Arizona’s weather would reach the 100s, thinking that it had hotter climates compared to California. But, much to our chagrin, we saw thunder cloud icons and immediately called the hotel to get a more accurate forecast for our weekend getaway.
The hotel informed us that it has indeed been raining, thunders hit sporadically, and to expect colder temperatures in the Canyon. Needless to say, we were a bit disappointed, but since it was too late to cancel our reservations, we decided to try Grand Canyon in the rain anyway.
This should forewarn those that fail to check on their destination’s weather too close to departure date. If you are booking months in advance, read up on the area’s typical climate during the time you would like to visit. Then, a week before you plan to visit, check the weather again both online and with the hotel’s receptionist.
In any case, you already know that we were able to see something more beautiful than we expected during spring, so I suggest visiting the Grand Canyon during this time. Rains came in the late afternoon and were very brief. So, if you head out early in the morning, it should be no problem. Bring a windbreaker, something light and waterproof to keep you from getting wet and cold, but allow you to move easily.
Another advantage to going during the spring months is that there are typically fewer tourists around this time compared to other seasons such as in the late spring, summer, and fall, since the Canyon is open all-year round.
James and I were only able to visit the South Rim, but if you dare to drive those extra miles to experience the North Rim, plan to book your stay during June to October. During the winter months, roads are closed to the North Rim due to heavy snowfall. Depending on how easily you can brave the cold, it’s probably not wise to visit the North Rim during January and February.
However, despite the distance, there are many reasons to visit the North Rim. Primarily, it is less crowded than the South Rim and has a higher elevation (about 1,000 feet higher), which allows you to have better views of the Canyon.
Still, if you are visiting the Canyon for the first time, you may just be overwhelmed with the South Rim views alone. Coming from California, you have a shorter drive, more access to lodging and eateries, and have more souvenir shops in the area. There is so much to take in! Consider visiting the North Rim the next time you visit the Grand Canyon. It is a good idea to see both sides, since they have such different panoramic views.
Lodging
The best place to save some money and still stay near the South Rim entrance is finding accommodations at the small town of Tusayan, Arizona. Let’s be clear, though. Don’t expect to spend less than $90 a night for a decent hotel. But, that certainly is a cheaper rate compared to the prices of the cabins located inside the national park. Rates for those places can go average $200 a night. If you’re on a budget, it’s a wise choice to stay in Tusayan and drive the 5 minutes to the national park.
I found this place using a Kayak search, and it showed me that the town was only a few miles away from the park. It was about $100 a night, which was a good price, considering we were staying during the Memorial Day weekend. It looked clean and had good reviews, so we decided to book it.
Not knowing what to expect, James and I found our stay here to be a pleasant surprise. Canyon Plaza Resort provided us with a spacious, clean bedroom with a king bed. The room had two sinks, TV, and coffee maker. Right outside our room, there was an indoor 18-foot hot tub, which was such a perk during the cool climate. Other services they offer are free airport transportation, an indoor restaurant, complimentary continental breakfast, free high-speed wireless Internet access, and accommodation for pets, provided you pay a fee.
James and I took advantage of the indoor restaurant for dinner because restaurants outside the hotel were steeply priced, even though they were mainly “Mom & Pop” places. Even McDonald’s deluxe breakfast cost $10, double the price at home in California.
The complimentary breakfasts helped us visit the park earlier. We didn’t have to search and eat out at another place. Breakfast times at the hotel starts at 6 am and ends at 9 am daily.
There are other hotels located in Tusayan, but I found the best deal in Canyon Plaza Resort during the Memorial Day weekend.
Experiencing the Canyon
There are a number of ways to tour the Grand Canyon. Popular excursions include going on a mule rides, as I mentioned earlier. Mule rides are can be booked up to 13 months in advance, which is highly recommended. However, for the budget-friendly traveler, this experience might be a little too costly, averaging $150 per person.
There are also Canyon adventure tours, which include helicopter, jeep, and river tours. Of course, you should expect that each of these will cost about $200+ per person. You can book them from various places like Viator.com, GrandCanyon.com, or Xanthera.
Hiking is one of the most inexpensive ways to see the Canyon, and the park provides various trails for beginning to advanced hikers. I would recommend taking the Rim Trail in the South Rim, since it is fairly an easy hike.
For those who want to challenge themselves a bit further, the park provides more difficult trails, but advise hikers to camp overnight so as to avoid heat and exhaustion. You would need to acquire a permit from the park’s Information Center and the earlier, the better. Permit requests can be as early as five months in advance, so plan ahead.
Guided tours are always offered by various independent agencies, with prices averaging $50 per person. But, a real sweet deal that many might not be aware of is tours provided by park rangers in the South Rim. There isn’t much information on these tours online. You would get most of the information at from your concierge, provided you get an experienced one in your hotel.
But, a real sweet deal that many might not be aware of is tours provided by park rangers in the South Rim.
The first night of our stay, our concierge gave us a weekly bulletin that listed and described ranger tours and times. Tours run approximately half an hour to an hour long, some even go up to 4 hours, depending on how much you cover. Ranger tours vary from a guide to Canyon plant life to the explanation of the Canyon’s geology. Most of the time, they take short hikes on the trails, but there are few that go on more challenging hikes, which the bulletin identifies.
The best part of the ranger tours is that they are free and still provided tourists with some Canyon education. James and I decided which tours we wanted and set up our itinerary around them. We learned so much on these guided tours and think they are really worth your time.
The Grand Canyon IMAX movie is one of the last ways we experienced the Canyon. On the last day of our stay, we drove one minute from our hotel to the National Geographic IMAX theatre and watched the movie that lasted about 34 minutes. Tickets cost about $12.
The movie gave us such unique perspectives of the Canyon, seen from difficult vantage points. It also dramatized the history of the Canyon’s discovery from the native peoples who inhabited it to the modern visitors of today. This is a must to see if you are visiting the Canyon for the first time.
The National Geographic Gift Shop also provides great souvenirs for tourists and jackets to weather the cold temperatures. As an added bonus, if you purchase the park entrance ticket at the National Geographic Store, you can get free tickets to the Grand Canyon IMAX movie.
Generally, park entrance fees are $12 per person or $25 per vehicle. This is a 7-day pass, which means you can visit the park once within 7 days.
Other Ways to See the Canyon
Still, there are some other ways to experience the Canyon.
Sky Walk
Contrary to popular belief, the famous Skywalk is not located in the South Rim. You can find it at the North Rim of the Canyon, but it’s not within the national park. Owned by the Hualapai tribe, the Skywalk is one of the newest attractions at the Grand Canyon and requires reservations up to one year. Tour packages are priced from $80 and include a shuttle ride from various viewpoints in the North Rim.
Indeed, the Skywalk is a unique experience, but I personally would not recommend it if you are budgeting both time and money. It is 250 miles away from the park and with this distance, you might be forced to just find accommodation in that area, an additional cost if you were already staying in the South Rim. Another reason to maybe opt out of trying the Skywalk is that you can’t even bring cameras on it. I understand that this is to protect the environment from cameras in Canyon, but for such a once-in-a-lifetime experience, you would want to record it somehow.
Havasupai Falls
When I was doing my research online on tours at the Canyon, I stumbled on such beautiful pictures of waterfalls. The Havasupai Falls are located in the Havasupai Indians’ reservation and require lodging reservations be made months in advance.
Entrance/trail fee is about $40, including the environmental fee of $5. You are allowed to camp overnight for $17. Guided tours start at $60 per person.
Lodging here was quite costly – about $145 per person. This is something to consider if you plan to visit the falls as the Havasupai reservation is only accessible by foot or helicopter. With all of these costs (financial and physical) combined, it’s probably best to venture out here another time when you’ve gotten a better idea of the Canyon.
Extras
There are multiple ways to enjoy the Canyon without having to do expensive tours. For instance, opt to ride the shuttles and visit each of the different viewpoints in the South Rim. The shuttle drivers give some basic information and the ride gives you a tour around the park. On one of our shuttle rides, James and I got to see deer in the wooded areas that we passed by.
Make sure you visit the El Tovar Hotel and enjoy a meal there. The hotel has been around for more than 100 years and has interesting Indian tribal art, warm fireplaces, not to mention spectacular views of the Canyon from inside the restaurant. Particularly, for James and me, we found the Hotel’s restaurant to be quite romantic, so we couldn’t pass up eating inside. When you make a reservation, specify that you want a window seat. It might be a longer wait, but it’ll be worth it. Generally, it can be about $40 per person, but the food, service, atmosphere, and views are all great, making this experience simply memorable.
- Sheena Valero
Useful Links:
http://www.havasufalls.net/havasupai-hiking.shtml
http://www.havasupaitribe.com/waterfalls.html
http://www.grandcanyonlodgenorth.com/