Adobe pueblo-style architecture of Hopi House, Grand Canyon Village Bell near
Hermits Rest
is not only the starting point for most of the mule trips through the canyon, but also the terminus for the Grand Canyon Railway.
The interior of the Hermits Rest gift store with crafts for sale lining the walls
C
ALIFORNIAC
ONDORSAmerica’s largest bird, the California condor, has a wingspan of over 9 ft (2.7 m). Nearly extinct in the 1980s, the last 22 condors were captured for breeding in captivity. In 1996, the first captive-bred birds were released in Northern Arizona.
Today, about 50 condors fly the skies over Northern Arizona.
They are frequent visitors to the South Rim, though visitors should not approach or attempt to feed them.
G R A N D C A N Y O N 5 5
About 10 miles (16 km) farther on lie the pueblo remains of Tusayan Ruin, where there is a small museum with exhibits on Ancestral Puebloan life. The road continues on to the stunning overlook of Desert View.
The watchtower here was Colter’s most fanciful creation, its upper floor decorated with early 20th-century Hopi murals.
Just east of Grand Canyon Village is Yavapai Point from where it is possible to see Phantom Ranch (see p125). This is the only roofed accommodation available on the canyon floor, across the Colorado River.
North Rim
Standing at about 8,000 ft (2,400 m), the North Rim is higher, cooler, and greener than the South Rim, with dense forests of ponderosa pine, aspen, and Douglas fir.
Visitors are most likely to spot wildlife such as the mule deer, Kaibab squirrel, and wild turkey on the North Rim.
The Rim can be reached via Highway 67, off Highway 89A, ending at Grand Canyon Lodge (see p125
& p134), where there are visitor services, a camp-ground, a gas station, restaurant, and a general store. Nearby, there is a National Park information center, which offers maps of the area. The North Rim and all its facilities are closed mid-October to mid-May,
when it is often snowed in.
The North Rim is twice as far from the river as the South Rim, and the canyon really stretches out from the over-looks giving a sense of its 10-mile (16-km) width. There are about 30 miles (45 km) of scenic roads along the North Rim, as well as hiking trails to high viewpoints or down to the canyon floor, particularly the North Kaibab Trail that links to the South Rim’s Bright Angel Trail. The picturesque Cape Royal Drive starts north of Grand Canyon Lodge and travels 23 miles (37 km) to Cape Royal on the Walhalla Plateau.
From here, several famous buttes and peaks can be seen, including Wotans Throne and Vishnu Temple.
There are also several short walking trails around Cape Royal. A 3-mile (5-km) detour leads to Point Imperial, the highest point on the canyon rim, while along the way the Vista Encantada has delight-ful views and picnic tables overlooking the gorge.
Bright Angel Trail This is the most popular of all Grand Canyon hiking trails. The Bright Angel trailhead is at Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim.
The trail begins near the Kolb Studioat the western end of the village. It then switches dramatically down the side of the canyon for 9 miles (14 km). The trail crosses the river over a suspension bridge, ending a little further on at Phantom
Ranch. There are two resthouses and a
fully equipped campground along the way. It is not advisable to attempt the whole trip in one day.
Many walk from the South Rim to one of the rest stops and then return up to the Rim.
Temperatures at the bottom of the canyon can reach 110°F (43°C) or higher during the summer. Day hikers should, therefore, carry a quart (just over a liter) of water per person per hour for summer hiking. Carrying a first-aid kit is also recommended.
Hikers taking a break on the South Rim’s Bright Angel Trail Desert View’s stone watchtower,
on Desert View Drive
A pair of California condors
Breathtaking view of Grand Canyon at dusk Mule deer on the
canyon’s North Rim
A R I Z O N A & T H E F O U R C O R N E R S A R E A B Y A R E A 5 8
HIKING
T
HE MOST POPULARday hikes in the park involve a descent into the canyon on well-maintained trails, such as Bright Angel and Hermits Rest (see pp48 –55). Once below the Rim, these trails offer ever changing views of the canyon on the way down, sometimes passing by steep overlooks and a few shaded rest areas. Visitors are strongly advised to carry water on these hikes.For those wanting an easier stroll, there are relatively level trails that follow the edge of the canyon. At the South Rim, the 13-mile (21-km) long Rim Trail can be crowded where it passes through the Grand Canyon Village, but provides wonderful solitude and
stunning vistas just a mile away. At the North Rim, the Transept Trail is an easy 1-mile (1.6-km) hike that winds through thick woods to come out at various points along the canyon’s edge.
Many hikers consider a Rim-to-Rim hike (descending from one Rim and hiking up to the other Rim) to be the ultimate canyon hiking experience, but it is also extremely demanding, with more than 10,000 ft (3,048 m) of a vertical descent and ascent over 22 miles (35 km).
Bright Angel to North Kaibab, or the reverse, is the most popular Rim-to-Rim route, as it offers the only accessible river crossing. Most Rim-to-Rim hikers spend one or two nights at the Bright Angel campground (advance reservations required).
T
HE GRAND CANYON’Sbeauty and grandeur, the diversity of activities it offers, and the availability of top-notch tours and outfitters, have made it one of the most popular outdoor adventure sites in the world.Many of the classic Grand Canyon experiences, such as mule and helicopters tours, Rim-to-Rim hikes and whitewater raft trips, rate as once-in-a-lifetime adven-tures for many people. But not all Grand Canyon adventures involve white-knuckle thrills. There are activities geared for every interest and physical ability, from birdwatching to ranger-led interpretive walks along the North and South Rims, to a host of educa-tional programs lasting an hour or a week. If there is anything to stymie the would-be adventurer, it is only the sheer number of experiences to choose from.
CANYONHIKINGTIPS
Over 400 people require medical evacuations from the canyon each year. Most are healthy people under 40 who are dehydrated or exhausted.
• Drink plenty of water and/or electrolyte liquids as you hike, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
• Eat often, even while you are hiking. High-carb and salty foods are good.
• Hats, sun protective clothing, and sunscreen are essential.
• Do not attempt to hike to the bottom of the canyon and back in a single day.
Hikers studying a map of the Grand Canyon
Camping out in Grand Canyon National Park