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Page 1: How to
Get There | Where to Stay |
Camping
For South Rim Attractions, Go
To Page 2
For New Canyon View Information Plaza, Go
To Page 3
Grand Canyon of the Colorado
Having seen the Grand Canyon
from three sides (South Rim, North Rim and at Lee's
Ferry, the start of the canyon) one can only marvel at
the strange geological occurrences that created this most
impressive of America's wonders.
We know that the huge Colorado Plateau
started to uplift a few million years ago, just as the
Colorado River began to cut a channel through the earth
on its way to the Sea of Cortez. The uplifting action
served to keep the river on its course as it continued to
grind through the rock, resulting in a gorge more than
200 miles long, with hundreds of side canyons and dozens
of buttes rising from the valley floor. Eighteen miles
wide in places, the canyon is America's most treasured
natural destination -- a mecca for travelers from around
the world.
More Recent History
Although Spanish explorers were the first
non-Americans to see the Grand Canyon, it was virtually
unknown until John Wesley Powell and his intrepid band of
geographers explored the canyon by boat in 1869. Miners
followed before the first tourists arrived, and the
remains of mines are found below the rim. Teddy Roosevelt
was instrumental in providing national monument status
for the canyon in 1908, and the area received national
park designation in 1919. Today, more than three million
visitors tour the park (most on the South Rim) and most
of those arrive during July and August.
Two thousand square miles of plateau and
canyon now lie in the park. The geological features are
of different ages -- inner gorges date back two billion
years while buttes closer to the rims are merely 200
million years old. The canyon itself is a youngster,
created only a few million years ago.
Doing both rims should take a week, with a
day's drive (210 miles) between the two national park
locations. This is -- for most -- a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity and it behooves one to spend enough time in
the park to truly catch the many wonders of the canyon,
particularly if there are children involved. There are
short and long hikes into the canyon available, as far as
the river and Phantom Ranch, or part-way down to a
mid-way shelf. Air tours of the canyon provide an easy
way to see the full glory of the region. Raft trips --
starting from Lee's Ferry just south of the Glen Canyon
Dam at Page, Arizona -- take as long as a week to float
down the full length of the canyon. Any way you do it,
this probably will be your most remembered vacation
experience.
How to Get There
The most popular driving route to the South
Rim leads to Grand Canyon Village via U.S. Highway 180.
It is accessible from either Williams or Flagstaff, by
driving north from Interstate 40. From Williams, drive
north on Arizona Route 64 and then continue on Hwy. 180
through the village of Tusayan to the south gate to the
park.
Our preferred route from Flagstaff is via
Sunset Crater and the Wupatki National Monument (Indian
ruins) to Cameron (via U.S. 89) and then west to the
Desert View gate on Arizona Route 64.
The shorter drive from Flagstaff to the
south gate is via U.S. Highway 180, which leads northwest
from Interstate 40. This is a scenic drive through the
San Francisco Mountains and the Kaibab National Forest.
It's also a thrill to take the scenic train
trip from Williams to Grand Canyon Village. The train
runs daily through the busy summer season and less
frequently during winter months. Call 800-THE TRAIN
(800-843-8724) for information on this revival of the
long-time steam-train journey that captivated visitors as
far back as the turn of the century. The train pulls into
the South Rim village close to the El Tovar Hotel. Taking
the train means that you don't have a car to drive along
the rim to the various overlook locations. However, the
park operates a bus shuttle along the South Rim and it's
possible to enjoy an even more relaxed vacation if you
don't feel compelled to dash all over the place in your
car. During summer months, the Rim Drive is closed to
cars.
And, once you have arrived at the South
Rim, head for the new Canyon
View Information Plaza, to orient yourself to the
park, and begin your visit.
Inside the park, visitors will find
several places to stay including campgrounds and
an RV park.
El Tovar Hotel
The El Tovar is the historic lodge, built in
1905 and, since then, the prime place to stay
within the park. Constructed of pine logs and
fieldstone, this wonderfully atmospheric hotel
offers rusticity with gentility, at prices in
the high to deluxe range.
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Nearby motel-type accommodations
include the Kachina Lodge, Thunderbird Lodge,
Yavapai Lodge (open seasonally), Bright Angel
Lodge, and Maswik Lodge. Moqui Lodge is closed
during January
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For information on all these park
accommodations, write to Grand Canyon National
Park Lodges, P.O. Box 699, Grand Canyon, AZ
86023. For advance reservations, call (303)
297-2757. For same-day reservations, call (520)
638-2631.
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Phantom Ranch, on the canyon
floor beyond the north side of the river, has
overnight dormitory and cabin space. Advance
reservations are necessary. Call (303) 297-2757,
7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (MST) or contact the Bright
Angel Lodge Transportation desk while in the
park. You should enquire about the availability
of mule trips into the canyon. The Park Service
has been considering ending the oong-time mule
trips for environmental reasons.
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There are motels in Tusayan, the
community outside the south entrance to the
national park. In addition, there are two
respectable motels in Cameron, located east of
the park at the junction of Highways 89 and 64.
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Camping
Mather Campground is open year-round (no hookups).
Trailer Village, with hookups, is located next to
Mather Campground( call 602-638-2401).
Desert View Campground (no hookups, self-reservation)
is closed during the winter months.
A commercial campground with hookups is located 7
miles south of the village, outside the park in the town
of Tusayan. A national forest campground is located just
outside the south gate in the Kaibab National Forest.
Call (602) 638-2443 for information.
For South Rim Attractions, Go
To Page 2
For New Canyon View Information Plaza, Go
To Page 3
Book Ahead!
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We can't emphasize enough the need to
plan your trip several months in advance to
secure accommodations in Grand Canyon Village
and Phantom Ranch. If you're contemplating a
vacation here, you'll need to make your bookings
about 6 months in advance for weekend and
holiday stays. Because the South Rim is so busy
during the summe, serious vacation planning
should begin a year before your visit.
For general park information, call
(925) 638- 7888.
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For South Rim Attractions, Go
To Page 2
For New Canyon View Information Plaza, Go
To Page 3
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