OT- Grand Canyon - kind of long post

Anyone been there? If so, then what is it we should we be signing up for? All I know to do is spit over the edge and throw a rock or something.
The Griswalds in the movie "Vacation" drove all that way, looked, said "yup" and headed back after about 5 seconds of looking.
One chance to get this right so we need to know where to go and what to do for a family of five which includes 3 teenagers who don't mind learning and exploring but not the heavy physical stuff for us parents. Late Dec. so nights will be cold. As I got it figured so far... North rim closed in winter. West rim has the skywalk on the injun reservation but not much else. South rim has some tours, park service, museums, learning center etc.
Not much on hiking as I'm getting too old for that sort of nonsense. Everything seems to be uphill both ways as I get older. No burro rides either as this flatland farmer from the prarie won't go down a steep rocky slope on something self propelled with no steering wheel. River raft/boat rides on the Colorado seem unnatural too (can't swim), especially when your riding a glorified inner tube! My idea of a boat is something that keeps me and the inside of the boat drier than the body of water around me. But the helicopter fly-in sounds alright. Death from falling from the sky would at least be quick and painless and put on a he11 of a show for the on lookers. Thats what I like about things mechanical, either they work or they don't. Maybe I could spot a few old tractors from up there!
Let me hear your experiences and what your family and kids enjoyed the most.

Just got back from a few dys in the area. We spent the night in Flagstaff drove in from Williams or the south visitor center..Worked our around the right side. Took about a day and felt like a month. After so long it all gets to looking the same. The big thing is everything there is either just new or under construction. I think all the Stimlus money must have went to that area. Lots of new pavement and buildings. Getting a little cold to go on up in colorado but you could go down and go around Sedona pretty area. The state of Arizona has a lot to offer. The guys on this forum laid out my 13 day swing and it was perfect.

I have 250 miles of hiking in the canyon with permits in the back country. I will give three recommendations:
If you are fit it is a wonderful hike down Bright Angle trail to Indian Gardens. It is about half way down the canyon, and on well traveled trail.
Beautiful, and you wold need to have broken in supportive hiking boots, food for at least 2.5 trail meals, with protein in it. Trail mix, and one gallon of water each. (I am serious) You will also need Dr. Scholl's Mole skin. (foot patches to cover hot spots before they blister.
This trip is about as aggressive as a novice can be happy doing, if they are fit, and if they are used to walking 5 miles. Walk modestly, do not hurry either going down, or up. Pace yourself such that you can breath without stopping to catch up with air. To do it this time of year, 5 layers of thinner clothing to make warm at many temps is good advice. Drink the water all along you should come out with none left, having put down the last about 200' blow the rim.
It will be necessary to start the hike no later than 7:30 AM to be friendly and not hurried.
The rim is above 7000' altitude, and if you are a flat lander, it will be serious breathing difficulty.

To see wider open spaces, the beauty, and less traffic, a different trip is all the way to dripping springs trail to dripping springs. All above rules apply.

Staying on top looking down just go to most of the look overs along the park road.

The north rim is harder to get to, but is more scenic (if possible).

The road from the east end of the grand canyon park to flagstaff through the Little Colorado river valley is extra fine. It would be mostly a car thing, but is what you expect from seeing the movie CARS.

I hope this helps. I love the canyon.
Jim

We went about 10 years ago, one day trip up from Pheonix. We only could go on the south side as north side roads weren't open yet in the begginning of May. What you'll see from from each of the view points is different location but everything looks the same as the last just a different angle

Sounds like you might as well skip the canyon, nothing much to do there. If your going west from there just go on to Vegas, the kids will love it. If your going south thru central Ariz take the canyon drive to Sedona then on to Jerome about 50 mi south of Sedona - Jerome is the real deal as mining towns go. On south to Phoenix, see a rodeo, wear your best necktie to dinner at the Pinnacle Peak Patio, kids will like what happens, sit outside with the local gunslingers wearing some fine leather and shooters, have a great time.

The only problem with the Grand Canyon, is that the first half of your hike is easy, all downhill. It's the trip up that makes you huff and puff.
On the bright side, it is a lot better to hike it when it is relatively cool out.

You will love the Canyon, amazing place. I agree with all others have said, recomend the mule ride if you can make a reservation and qualify (requires you and gear weigh less than 200lbs) which meant a diet for me!!!!

Also, if in the area and you can find the time, Bryce Canyon, and Mesa Verde are very nice. I think that Bryce is even nicer.

I've been to the south side twice. The first time there wasn't much tourist traffic. The second time it was like a completely different place. Views were the same, just more tourists. We went to the north side one time and thought it was way better. Not much tourist traffic and you could walk out to any point you wanted. Beautiful lodge to take in also. If I have a chance to go again, it would be to the north rim.

Pinnicle Peak is one of my favoriete places in Phonix. we usually stay a Camel Back Mountain and every time it takes me about an hour to figure out how to get up to the Resturant but for anone that has never been It is definatly worth the trip. I have never figured out is it the place or the food ,but either way everytime I am in the area I go by.

Bryce Canyon!

DO NOT THROW IN A ROCK!!!HIGHLY ILLEAGLE!!! HIKER KILLED IN '09 BY SOMEONE THROWING IN A ROCK!!!

Me, south rim, feet hanging off, great place for picnic lunch!

Then Mesa Verde, very old dwellings!

Visited the North Rim about 5 years ago, found it absolutely beautiful. We were on our way from SoCal to NoDak and visited 7 natl parks along the way. Really found Zion Natl Park to be more beautiful than Grand Canyon, mostly because at Zion you're at the bottom of the canyon. And like Lloyd, we also visted Mesa Verde, which was probably our favorite. The other ones we hit were Joshua Tree NP in California, Arches NP in Utah, Rocky Mtn NP in Colorado and Wind Cave NP in South Dakota. Only spent one day at each, so we didn't have time to appreciate it like we should.

Never seen it from the top, but the view from the Bottom is pretty ok;-} Spent 17 days rowing my raft down the Colorado 3 years ago. Unless I die soon, I'll do it again.

Ben

Hi Straw Boss: I have flown the Grand Canyon and from reading your post I will guess that you will be not be impressed and consider it a big waste of money. I have flown most of Arizona at low levels ( less then 3,000 ft AGL) when it was legal. My 1st view of the Canyon was not a big deal since I did not understand the size factor.( I had to stay above the top Rim heigth to be legal ) After flying I drove to the South Rim and used good Binoculars and started looking at the details down below, only then I started to be impressed. Dec is Winter there. Go South a bit to Sedona and its nearby Red Rock country and enjoy it and come back to the South Rim in the warmer weather an spend more time exploring "Details" of the Canyon. Leave the flying part to people who fly often. Take the mule rather then flying.. good luck.. ag.

Work hard and Fast trying to take in everything the south side has to offer in 2 days ,, Burrow ride GETS HI MARX from everyone ,, THEN Go to the North side to Rest and Relax an entire day , 20 %fewer people ,, Truely Awesome Wonderful Experience .. Note ..West of the Mississippi River there are a Lot fewer DUMAZ warnings , Guardrails ,STUPITY NOTICES for idiots to keep potential Darwin award winners from getting in trouble,,So Be Careful ," You are at YOUR OWN Risk !"on the CANYON Trail .. and it may take a while to be rescued ...

Lloyd,

Is that a parachute? Were you getting ready to jump?

Just one question about the canyon. Where is the delta?

There is a place called Toroweap on the north rim west of the main N.rim visiters area that is open year round. It is 60 miles off the main road but accessible by car though not overly easy. That makes it worth while in my opinion because there are no tour busses, no McDonalds etc. We did it two different times from LasVegas with a rented vehicle.

Hi Teddy: Google grand canyon delta and you will get several good hits.. Try the following:
http://talkorigins.org/indexcc/CH/CH681.html
A good question deserves a reply.. ag

There is a neat train ride into the park on the south side from Williams. They have steam and diesel locos. Look up Grand Canyon Railway on Google.

Steven

Go to the North Rim, better views and way less tourists. Go in May or early June but not much after because it will be very hot if you climb down any. We flew to Las Vegas and rented a car in early June and driving in to the North Rim Lodge, saw snow still under the cedar trees. The North Rim Lodge is wonderful but books up full very early. Paul in Mississippi

(quoted from post at 06:21:34 10/27/10) Just one question about the canyon. Where is the delta?

Click to expand...

If you are asking about the end of the canyon, it dumps into Lake Mead. Or I should say that at one time the lake backed up into the canyon for quite a few miles. What with the lake level being so low now I don't know what it looks like anymore. Before the dam was built silt was washed down to the Sea of Cortez, but now the upper end of Lake Mead catches most of the silt.

I've flown over it a few times, and I can say that when you're up in a plane tens of thousands of feet up, and look down to see how big the Grand Canyon is, and its huge from way up there, then its big. Really, really big. Its a shame that we signed it over to the united nations and they now own or have jurisdiction of it. Things like that should not happen, and the folks that make that kind of stuff happen...

Mark

Hi folks,

A lot of good information here about the National Parks in and around the Colorado Plateau. I live in Kanab, UT which is considered the center of the Color Country. I am within 100 miles of seven National Parks. I have visited these parks at all times of the year.

In the fall, the Zion Canyon National Park is my favorite because it is cool, the visitors are less, and the wildlife is plentiful and visible due to the trees having lost their leaves.

Bryce is the most spectacular but is quite cold in the winter. A fresh snowfall makes Bryce Canyon even more spectacular.

My all time favorite is Glen Canyon National Recreation Area on the Colorado River just north of the Grand Canyon. One thing you will need in order to see the beauty of Glen Canyon is a boat, because the Glen Canyon Dam has created Lake Powell which fills the bottom half of Glen Canyon. Lake Powell is 160 miles long with 1600 miles of shoreline, due to the many side canyons and coves. I spend a lot of time in the summer on Lake Powell.



A must see on Lake Powell in Glen Canyon is Rainbow Bridge National Park, which you can only access by boat. There are tour boats that leave Wahweap Marina near Page AZ twice a day. Here is a picture of Rainbow Bridge, the second largest natural bridge in the world.