Last week, we were lucky enough to spend about 40 hours with E’s parents at the Grand Canyon! It’s a big national park, so here are my recommendations for having a great time while you’re there (especially if you’re only there for a little while).
1. Visit the North Rim of the Canyon (and camp there or stay at the Grand Canyon Lodge). This area is a little less crowded than the South Rim, but the views are still incredible. About a decade ago, I visited the Grand Canyon with my parents, and we visited the South Rim. My favorite part of that experience was seeing the Colorado River, with visible rapids, and while it wasn’t as easily visible from the North Rim, which worried me, you can find views from the North Rim if you drive/hike a little bit.
2. Sunrise. While I make it my mission to avoid waking up early, this sunrise was worth waking up at just before 5 a.m. to witness. There are no crowds (although it’s hard to avoid a few people) and it’s quiet and peaceful. It’s incredible to watch the sun light up the Canyon layer by layer.
3. Moonlit hike. After we watched a sunset (see below!), we hiked down from the lodge to an easy trail in the moonlight. It was surreal–walking along the edge of the Canyon with only the light of the moon to guide us? I’ve heard a hike with just the stars is fairly awesome, too, but alas, we had a moon. I didn’t mind, because otherwise I would probably have walked off the trail. My night vision is not the strongest…
4. Find a squirrel. On the North Rim, the finger of land is fairly isolated so there are a few unique species to the area. I was a little freaked out when if first saw the Kaibab squirrel because they look like weird mutated squirrels. Once we learned what they were, I definitely nerded out over them and took a million pictures every time we saw one. You’re welcome for not including them all.
5. Sunset. While the sunrise was a little more special because it was easier to escape the crowds, sunset over the Canyon is definitely worth it. We grabbed some cocoa, kicked back, and just took in the view!
6. Bright Angel Point. This hike is just a short walk from the Grand Canyon Lodge & Visitor Center. It’s a great introduction to the Canyon!
7. Stop by the Grand Canyon Lodge. While we camped instead of staying in the Lodge’s (adorable) little cabins, I enjoyed stopping by the Lodge for more information about the area and history of the Canyon, and for the beautiful views. I love me some views with my coffee!
8. Drive the Cape Royal Road. From the parking lot, take a short trail (about 15 minutes) to both Angel’s Window and Cape Royal. Angel’s Window might have been one of my favorite views of the entire trip, both from a spot where you can view the actual window, and the point over the window finally gave me a glimpse of the river. Just past Angel’s Window is Cape Royal, a must!
^^Angel’s Window!
9. Drive to Point Imperial. If you drive the opposite way from Cape Royal, you can hit Point Imperial, the highest point on either of the rims of the Grand Canyon. It’s a very short hike but it feels like you can see the entire canyon from here. The roads to both the points also have many vista points, so take your time…and stop for a restroom when you see it! (Trust me).
10. Hike Kaibab trail. While we only hiked a very small portion of this trail, I would love to go back and hike to the bottom of the Canyon. I can’t even imagine! Plus, it’s supposed to be hot at the bottom of the Canyon, which is weird because it definitely was cool at our campground.
Linking up for Travel Tuesday with Bonnie, Van, Kaelene & Sammy, as well as Erica for Listed Tuesday!
