Trip report, continued - The Grand Canyon
We arrived at the Grand Canyon through the south entrance in the early afternoon. Before checking into Yavapai Lodge East (which would turn out to be an almost ideal home base for us), we turned onto Desert View Drive. We pulled over at the first lookout point and marveled. Nothing really prepares you for your first look at the Grand Canyon. It is not so much what is there, but what ISN'T there. The canyon is a wonder of negative space.
After we caught our breath, we checked into Yavapai Lodge East. We chose it because it was NOT in Grand Canyon Village (we hate crowds) and because the lodge rooms had recently been remodeled. We weren't disappointed. Our bed was large, our pillows were fluffly, and we had a big-screen television. (The latter was particularly important to my traveling companion.)
That evening, we headed to the Yavapai Observation Point for sunset. We watched the sunset with maybe about five other tourists, so there was plenty of room to spread out and enjoy the evening show in privacy. Although the observation building was closed, great weather and comfortable outdoor benches encouraged a snuggle. We even saw a condor soar overhead. It was truly a picture-perfect moment.
After the sunset, we decided to walk the two miles on the Rim Trail to Grand Canyon Village. As we walked, the sky darkened and the stars came out. (Luckily, we'd remembered to bring our flashlights.) We were about halfway to the village when six ram appeared on the trail ahead of us: one adult male, three adult females, and two younglings! We moved to one side of the trail and pretended to be otherwise occupied. They slowly, hesitantly clopped past us. It was magical!
When we arrived in Grand Canyon Village, we headed to the cocktail lounge at El Tovar. I enjoyed a prickly pear margarita, and we split an appetizer. Feeling totally gratified, we caught the shuttle back to Yavapai and slept like babies.
The following day, I awoke early and took the shuttle to Mojave Point. I proceeded to walk the four miles back to Grand Canyon Village on the Rim Trail. It was an easy but fun hike, and I saw very few other hikers along the trail. (There were lots of people at each of the lookout points, but almost no one in between. I deduced that most tourists took the shuttle to each lookout point, got out to snap pictures, and got right back on the shuttle. Almost no one was actually hiking the Rim Trail.) It was a great hike - not very taxing, lots of great views, and plenty of privacy to commune with nature.
I finished up with an early dinner at the Arizona Room. We didn't have to wait for a table, and service was friendly and fast. I had the fish - YUM! I found that the people-watching from the restaurant's picture windows was almost as entertaining as the view of the canyon!
The following day, we enjoyed an air tour of the canyon. We chose to book a 40-50 minute plane tour with Air Grand Canyon, and I am so glad that we did! When I saw the plane, I had my doubts. It was a seven-seater, and I'd never flown in anything that small before. However, I summoned my courage and boarded. I didn't understand how vast the canyon was until I saw it from above. It is very long, very wide, and it has many smaller canyons on all sides of it. The flight was such an exhilirating experience. I'm so glad that I didn't chicken out!
We spent a little time shopping at Hopi House, exploring Kolb's Studio and Lookout Studio, and seeing what there was to see in Grand Canyon Village (mostly other tourists). On our way out of the canyon, we decided to take Desert View Drive, which was a wonderful idea. We got new views of the canyon, and we were also able to check out Desert View Watchtower, which was a fun stop for us.
On the way back to Phoenix, we stopped at the Wuptaki National Monument, a Pueblo-style Indian ruin. This was a fabulous stop. You can get up-close and personal with an ancient Indian dwelling. Features include ball courts and a natural blowhole. (Cool air shoots directly out of the ground, with a good bit of force!) There is even one room in the pueblo that you can enter. We really enjoyed this stop.
We stayed our final night in Phoenix at the Fiesta Inn Resort, which had great room service prices! After paying our sizable car rental bill (taxes on rental cars in Arizona, particularly those rented at the airport, are mind-boggling), we flew out the next day! What a great trip!
After we caught our breath, we checked into Yavapai Lodge East. We chose it because it was NOT in Grand Canyon Village (we hate crowds) and because the lodge rooms had recently been remodeled. We weren't disappointed. Our bed was large, our pillows were fluffly, and we had a big-screen television. (The latter was particularly important to my traveling companion.)
That evening, we headed to the Yavapai Observation Point for sunset. We watched the sunset with maybe about five other tourists, so there was plenty of room to spread out and enjoy the evening show in privacy. Although the observation building was closed, great weather and comfortable outdoor benches encouraged a snuggle. We even saw a condor soar overhead. It was truly a picture-perfect moment.
After the sunset, we decided to walk the two miles on the Rim Trail to Grand Canyon Village. As we walked, the sky darkened and the stars came out. (Luckily, we'd remembered to bring our flashlights.) We were about halfway to the village when six ram appeared on the trail ahead of us: one adult male, three adult females, and two younglings! We moved to one side of the trail and pretended to be otherwise occupied. They slowly, hesitantly clopped past us. It was magical!
When we arrived in Grand Canyon Village, we headed to the cocktail lounge at El Tovar. I enjoyed a prickly pear margarita, and we split an appetizer. Feeling totally gratified, we caught the shuttle back to Yavapai and slept like babies.
The following day, I awoke early and took the shuttle to Mojave Point. I proceeded to walk the four miles back to Grand Canyon Village on the Rim Trail. It was an easy but fun hike, and I saw very few other hikers along the trail. (There were lots of people at each of the lookout points, but almost no one in between. I deduced that most tourists took the shuttle to each lookout point, got out to snap pictures, and got right back on the shuttle. Almost no one was actually hiking the Rim Trail.) It was a great hike - not very taxing, lots of great views, and plenty of privacy to commune with nature.
I finished up with an early dinner at the Arizona Room. We didn't have to wait for a table, and service was friendly and fast. I had the fish - YUM! I found that the people-watching from the restaurant's picture windows was almost as entertaining as the view of the canyon!
The following day, we enjoyed an air tour of the canyon. We chose to book a 40-50 minute plane tour with Air Grand Canyon, and I am so glad that we did! When I saw the plane, I had my doubts. It was a seven-seater, and I'd never flown in anything that small before. However, I summoned my courage and boarded. I didn't understand how vast the canyon was until I saw it from above. It is very long, very wide, and it has many smaller canyons on all sides of it. The flight was such an exhilirating experience. I'm so glad that I didn't chicken out!
We spent a little time shopping at Hopi House, exploring Kolb's Studio and Lookout Studio, and seeing what there was to see in Grand Canyon Village (mostly other tourists). On our way out of the canyon, we decided to take Desert View Drive, which was a wonderful idea. We got new views of the canyon, and we were also able to check out Desert View Watchtower, which was a fun stop for us.
On the way back to Phoenix, we stopped at the Wuptaki National Monument, a Pueblo-style Indian ruin. This was a fabulous stop. You can get up-close and personal with an ancient Indian dwelling. Features include ball courts and a natural blowhole. (Cool air shoots directly out of the ground, with a good bit of force!) There is even one room in the pueblo that you can enter. We really enjoyed this stop.
We stayed our final night in Phoenix at the Fiesta Inn Resort, which had great room service prices! After paying our sizable car rental bill (taxes on rental cars in Arizona, particularly those rented at the airport, are mind-boggling), we flew out the next day! What a great trip!
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