The Grand Canyon (Have you guys heard about this giant hole?)

There are few naturally occurring sites in the world the draw the same number of tourists each year as a Disney World, but the Grand Canyon is on that short list.  The National Park Service estimates that more than 5 million people visited the Grand Canyon last year, and numbers like that have served to keep away millions more from visiting for fear of getting caught in long lines for something they are not even sure if they really want to see.  Well let me be the first to tell you, it is worth every second.  Few sites in the world are as awe inspiring as the first time you view the immensity of the canyon. The Grand Canyon National Park may be a natural wonder, but it is also a well-run park that flows well, and provides space for the millions of people who come to check out it's natural beauty each year. 

Getting to the Grand Canyon is a matter of where you want to go.  I can't express to you enough, especially for those who have never been, the Grand Canyon is a geological formation of astronomic proportions.  The park itself covers more than 1.2 million acres, the canyon is more than 277 miles long, and over 1 mile deep.  That being said, you have two real options for those who want to go visit, the North Rim, located about 30 miles from Jack Lake, Arizona, and the South Rim, located about 80 miles from Flagstaff, Arizona.  Most people are going to visit the South Rim, and for good reason, it is open year round.  The South Rim is a much larger facility as well that can handle larger number of tourists.  The North Rim is only open from May through October of each year for weather reasons, but is much less visited than the South Rim, so many choose to go there to avoid the crowds.  Getting to the South Rim depends on where you are coming from, but for us we were coming from Flagstaff, so we took U.S. 180 until we came to Arizona 64.  No matter where you are coming from to the South Rim, get to Highway 64, and it will take you to the Grand Canyon. Others choose to get to the canyon in style by riding the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams to the gates of the park.  The two hour train ride can go for as little as $65 round trip for a basic seat to north of $200 for a first-class luxury car.  Getting to the North Rim is done by leaving Jacob Lake, and taking Arizona 67 all the way until it runs out.  Getting to the South Rim brings you to the Grand Canyon Village, a massive collection of hotels, rental cabins, restaurants, and other tourist related sites meant to handle the throngs of humanity that make there way to the site each year.

When you arrive realize there is a significant fee to enter, about $15 per person.  There are certain free days the park has each year, but I imagine those are quite crowded.  There are free shuttle buses that will bring you to the front of the park from the parking lots from well marked drop off points throughout the park.  After stepping out of the visitors center you will come to the first of several viewing platforms that overlook the canyon.  These will be packed with tourists from around the world speaking in languages you probably don't understand trying to get a picture of the canyon with their selfie stick, and that is okay.  The beauty of the canyon is the miles of trails that line the top.  Just take a walk with your family down the path and find a less crowded vantage point for your pictures.  The Rim Trail is your best option for viewing the canyon from up top.  The 13 mile paved path gives you great vantage points for photos. If you want a real remote experience, take the shuttle bus to the last stop, then continue on the Rim Trail to get away from the large crowds centered around the visitors center.  The adventurous can decide to take a mule ride down to the Colorado River some mile deep in the canyon, but be aware the park does not operate these rides, so you will need to arrange for your trip through an outside vendor.  The super adventurous may decide to do something that Wendy and I have never done, but I hope we have a chance to one day, which is trek so deep into the canyon lands that you come to Havasupai Falls.  Havasupai Falls are a series beautiful waterfalls that lie ten miles deep in the canyon on the Havasupai reservation that is actually contained within canyon.  This trip must be arranged through outside tour groups, and the cost to get into the reservation is not included in your park entrance, so plan on taking some money.

This post is different than most because the park is so vast that to list things to do would be an effort in futility.  The Grand Canyon is what you make of it, and the trip there can vary based on how much energy you want to expend, or how much of a daredevil you are.  Again, don't let your experience with another park where you saw one ranger and a small visitors center cloud your imagination, this park has everything running like clockwork, and that is great news for all of us.  There is a reason the Grand Canyon is considered one of the wonders of the world, and you should all visit it to understand why.

P.S. - From the never do this file, and we at The World to Wander, most importantly my wonderful wife Wendy, recommend never doing anything this stupid, I present you with a picture from Brandon as a foolish young man.  When I was in my twenties, a friend and I traveled out to California and made a brief stop over at the Grand Canyon.  Being 25 and apparently an idiot, I made the decision to take a picture that has been a great conversation piece for the last decade plus, but to this day still makes my wife nervous as I may go back in time and fall to my death.  Again, don't do this, just enjoy me doing something stupid.