Grand Canyon ArizonaA Gift From Prehistoric GenerationsFew trip destinations will simply blow you away. Grand Canyon Arizona is one that will. It will transcend anything you'll ever experience. The Grand Canyon is sheer awe and breathtaking beauty that will provoke all that inspires. It is a treasured gift of nature that took millions of years to sculpt a lifetime of thrill and enjoyment for the world.
From November to March, the Grand Canyon is often dusted with snow accenting its panoramic views. All four seasons offer amazing scenes of its vast expanse, incredible depth and varying perspectives. For an awe inspiring visual tour, world famous photographer and multimedia producer Helmut Kuhn has captured these pictorial moments that will imbed for a lifetime. Grand Canyon South RimOver 90% of Grand Canyon visitors travel to the South Rim and its Grand Canyon Village where amenities and lodging comforts are more amiable to family travel adventure. The South Rim is open year-round and offers over 2,000 hotel rooms and in addition to hotels, it bustles with lodging accommodations, restaurants, museums, souvenir shopping and the convenience of park ranger services and programs. The South Rim is a short scenic drive from both Flagstaff Arizona (78 miles) and Williams Arizona (58 miles) where there is also an abundance of hotels and tour companies offering tours to the Grand Canyon. Williams Arizona is home to the world famous Grand Canyon Railway and Resort which offers a scenic journey to the canyon via historic railway. Flagstaff Az is the thickly forested mountain pine country jewel of Northern Arizona and is nearby Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon which is rated one of the most scenic drives in America by Rand McNally. For convenience, consider purchasing a prepaid park entry ticket at the ticket vending machine in the IMAX Theatre in Tusayan off Route 64. This way you can zip through the prepaid ticket line. This strategy will help avoid peak traffic permitting quicker parking at your hotel, the South Rim Visitor Center or the Maswik Transportation Center where you can catch the park's shuttle bus which conveniently explores the Grand Canyon South Rim, the historic Grand Canyon Village and the scenic eight mile excursion along West Rim Drive. Or take your car and also enjoy the 26 mile visual tour down the East Rim Drive.
Your entire family will thoroughly enjoy the thrill of an overnight trip on sure-footed mules along cliff edges to the bottom of the canyon floor to the historic Phantom Ranch. To ride the mules, riders must be at least 4'7" tall and must not weigh over 200 pounds. If you have fear of heights or animals, this is not the tour for you. Grand Canyon North RimThe North Rim offers superb views from a different canyon perspective. Hiking trails are more rugged than those at the South Rim, more remote and have few concessions. This side of Grand Canyon is definitely for the more adventurous type where hiking mandates a greater degree of physical fitness. Although the views of the canyon walls are spectacular, there are few sights of the Colorado River which is much further away versus the South Rim. From mid-October to mid-May visitor services at the North rim of the Grand Canyon are closed without park ranger convenience and security. Never the less, the scenes are breathtaking and if you're an experienced hiker that likes tranquil solitude without the crowds, the North Rim may be for you. The driving distance between the South Rim and North Rim is over 200 miles, so if you plan to travel to both canyon sides, plan a several day trip. Trip Information & ContactsGrand Canyon National Park (928)638.7888 All visitor services at the Grand Canyon South Rim are open all year, 24 hours daily. Visitor services at the North Rim are closed from mid-October to mid-May. The road from Jacob Lake to the North Rim (Highway 67) is subject to closure without notice during that period. For more trip and travel information, visit http://www.nps.gov/grca
|
Over 5 million visitors annually travel to the Grand Canyon to experience all it has to offer as one of the designated Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Although the summer months is the peak season, spring and fall are probably the best times to plan your trip, particularly if you plan to hike down into the canyon. Both the South Rim and North Rim offer summer temperatures in the 70s and 80s, but the temperature down in the canyon can reach 110-115 degrees.
If you're into mild family style hikes, consider the spectacularly scenic West and South Rim trails which begin at the South Rim Visitor Center. For a more adventurous hike down into the Grand Canyon, the most popular is the Bright Angel Trail which offers water stations, shade rest areas and rest rooms. The Hermit Trail overlooks the Hermit Rapids at the Colorado River with majestic views of nature's most pristine panoramas.