Grand Canyon - just a very small part of the vast view

A trip to the Grand Canyon is a “must see” when you travel out West in the USA.  Arizona recognizes it as one of its finest attractions by designating itself the “Grand Canyon State” on license plates.Most people drive or come by bus to see nature’s show.  It is a drive from Flagstaff (80 miles) or Williams (59 miles), but can also be reached by the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams, a fun trip.

Upon arrival during the main summer tourist season, expect to park in the lot at the South Rim and use shuttle buses to get you to the viewing areas.

Mather Point is a focal point for viewing, but anywhere along the South Rim Trail is a great place to settle in for views.  (I found Mather Point to be overwhelming with tourists who were all jockeying for position to get “the” photo shot of all time.)

Grand Canyon view

Calming walking along the paved path the skirts the rim, I found spectacular views, including some views of the Colorado River ‘way down below. Close to dusk, we were edging down the South Rim trailhead, just trying to get photos from different vantage points when we were stopped by a Parks Ranger who told us we could not go any further at that time of day.  They are protective of people, since the path can be treacherous.  People do take mule rides down the trails, but late in the day, they keep people in “civilization.”

Grand Canyon with Colorado River way below

Grand Canyon at dusk

Food and Lodging

There are restaurants at the Park’s South Rim, but they are of the hewn wood and rustic variety.  There are landmarks like the El Tovar Hotel that have been around for over a century (which was refurbished a dozen years ago), as well as Bright Angel Lodge, Kachina and Thunderbird Lodges, Maswik Lodge, and Yavapai Lodge.  All of the previous have some form of dining facility.

If you are the intrepid sort and plan the strenuous hike to the Grand Canyon’s floor and need a rest stop, Phantom Ranch is the respite for those travelers.  (Reserve meals before you attempt the trip.) We did not attempt this long hike, which we understood could only be accessed by mule, hiking or river rafting.

Grand Canyon at nightfall

We recommend that you allow a day to hike around the various vantage points, take zillions of photos, and visit the various historic hotels for rest stops, food and souvenirs.

While in the Area…

We were impressed with the Grand Canyon, but if you are in the Southwest, we also highly recommend a side trip to Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park in Southern Utah.  Canyonlands is also vast and amazing, as well as Arches National Park. (See our other blogs on these national parks.  Just enter the name in the “search” box.)

Our favorite? – I’ve been twice – is Bryce Canyon.

http://www.nps.gov/grca/

 
During the daytime, you can typically walk around in shirtsleeves, soak in the sunshine and enjoy the wide-open spaces. The epitome of the southwest, there is still evidence of Phoenix’s territorial attitude, mixed in with some spectacular scenery.

 
And, if you decide to move beyond the Phoenix area, there are some quirky and distinctive cities to visit. There’s Prescott, Flagstaff, Tombstone, Sedona, Tuscon, and other cities, each with its own vibe and ambiance.

 
Nature was very generous to the state of Arizona because, in addition to the Grand Canyon, Arizona’s most known scenic asset, there are amazing sights almost around every corner. Some spring times (this varies by how much rain the “winter” months bring), there are profuse displays of roadside color with purples, golds and oranges so stunning that a visitor was shocked to see it in the desert.

Blooming in the desert

We do have cacti – lots of them. The picturesque saguaro with arms extending at strange angles skyward, as well as other prickly desert plants, are a revelation. You don’t want to cuddle, but you do want to stare for hours at the scenery.

Saguaro - like sentinels guarding the desert

While the sandstone and earth colors of Arizona can be breathtaking in themselves – see Sedona, for instance  – other colors and scenery can be quite memorable.

For a person who grew up on the east coast of the US, Phoenix and the other cities of Arizona were quite a revelation. Outside of the urban areas, there is openness – wide-open spaces. There is a sense of space that a suburban person is not used to seeing. Traveling less than three hours in any direction, a new environment opens up.

 
For the next few weeks, we’ll offer a flavor of sights and scenes in Arizona. On Wednesdays, we’ll take you to  casinos (see our background on casinos this week) and visit sights that we ourselves recommend. We promise to share the good, the bad and – well, there isn’t a lot of ugly – of what we know of Arizona.

 
Reactions appreciated! If you have a legitimate experience of Arizona you’d like to share, we’ll consider posting it.

 
Happy sunshine!

Come back tomorrow to arrive at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor Airport

 
Billed as the “Gateway to the Grand Canyon,” Williams is about 55 miles from the major attraction. They are small, but their marketing is powerful.

Williams is the starting point for the Grand Canyon Railway that provides a ride to the Grand Canyon, complete with staged train robberies and other entertainment.

 
Walking around town, all of the whimsical shops and restaurants, visitors center and municipal buildings are located within a three-block area. Driving in from Route 40 on old Route 66 from the east, the road is one way in the westerly direction; one way back going east.

Iconic Route 66

 
It is apparent that all of the shops find the Route 66 connection irresistible, since almost every one has signage connecting them to the picturesque old US Route 66.

 
Since the economy is dependent on tourism, we were glad to find the service uniformly courteous – refreshing these days!

When we stopped at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, the desk clerks were extremely helpful and let us take a look at a room, which was nicely remodeled. They have an old-fashioned pub that was transported from England on the premises.

 
The shop owners have a sense of humor, as evidenced by decorations on the exterior of the Red Garter Bed and Bakery Expresso.

Red Garter Bed and Bakery

A tour of the shops of Williams might take an hour or two, but the visit is terrific as a prelude to the Grand Canyon.

Williams Arizona shop

Let’s Eat!

Cruiser's Rt 66 Cafe

Although we were planning to try out Cruisers Rt. 66 Café, since they had retro décor and a car above their parking lot, we wound up eating lunch at Pine Country Restaurant. We had heard great buzz that they had the best pie. And, we just love pie!
We devoured their robust sandwiches with homemade fries and saved room for dessert. But, we still didn’t have room for the pie!

 
So, we took home pieces of the combination blueberry, apple, peach pie. We like cream-based pies, but didn’t trust our cooler to get them home safely after our three-hour drive.

 
When we finally got home – ooh, the pie was luscious! Big slices and pieces of fruit, not cloyingly sweet syrup and giant, homemade crusts.

 
If you go… Williams has national brand motels (Motel 6, Super 8, Best Western, Holiday Inn, etc.), the Grand Canyon Railway hotel and other local accommodations. The Willliams Chamber of Commerce is a good resource for all things Williams, Arizona.

 
There are many restaurants since those heading to the Grand Canyon need choices. There is a Denny’s, but we recommend trying one of the local eateries.