What to bring?
Stroller?
On Rim Trail
Restrooms?
At visitors centers and trailheads
The Grand Canyon is a must-see when going out west! We had a full day to pack in as much as we could. Thanks to Full Suitcase, I was able to use her advice to plan an itenarary of the highlights. Definitely check out her blog!
We got up bright and early to try to once again beat the heat and crowds. At 7 am, there was hardly anyone in the park and suprisingly, it never got very busy. We began by driving to the main visitors center. From here, we walked out to Mather’s point, which was only a 5 minute walk with incredible views! This is a popular spot, so it gets more crowded as the day goes on.
From Mather’s Point, we were able to hop on the orange shuttle bus to South Kaibab. Here, we took the trail to Oooh Aaah Point. Its important to do this trail in the morning hours because it stays shaded until about 10:30am. It’s about 2 miles round trip and takes about 1.5-2 hours taking it easy like we did. It’s rated as “moderate” because it’s a steep downhill, full of switchbacks, into the canyon and back. Also, beware that if the mules are running, you will have to clear the trail to let them pass but it’s such a fun site to see! Even though the uphill was a little bit of a challenge, it’s a shame to go to the Grand Canyon and only stay on the rim! It was easily my favorite part of the day! Going a mile deep into the canyon, you realize how big the canyon really, still not even making it half way to the canyon floor below. You can also continue this trail to Cedar Ridge if you are up for a little more of a challenge! Just beware, how far you hike down is how far you will have to hike back up!
After this hike, we took the orange shuttle back to the visitors center where our car was parked to pack up our picnic lunch and trade the carriers out for the stroller! This also was a great chance for a bathroom break that wasn’t a port-a-potty (we learned our daughter has an extreme fear of them).
We then hopped on the westward bound orange shuttle to the Yavapai Geology Museum. When getting off the shuttle, there was a great observation point, Yavapai Point, with a few shaded benches that made a great spot for our picnic lunch!
We then continued on the Rim trail, through the Trail of Time, which tells the history of how the Grand Canyon came to be over a period of millions of years. This trail is 1.7 miles, paved and easy, with several viewpoints along the way. It ends at the “Village,” which was definitely the most popular spot for tourists in the park! This a great place for a snack, restroom break, and gift shopping. There is also a Hopi House that you can walk through and tour.
At this point, you have two options. You can hop back on the blue express line back to the visitors center or you can jump on the red shuttle to some other great observation points! Our visit was during monsoon season so their daily afternoon storm was rolling in, making our choice to call it an early day pretty easy. However, if you choose to continue on, I’ve done some research on what are the best spots to stop! The red shuttle runs along Hermit Road, stopping at 9 viewpoints, the best being Trail View Point, Hopi & Powell Points, & Mohave Point.
Comentarios