Our Grand Canyon Day is sure to be a day of pure amazement, and a bunch of driving!
The Grand Canyon is a park that was on my list of places to visit well before I was conscious of what National Parks were (and definitely before I had knowledge of my desire to experience them all)!
The Average Grand Canyon Visit
I read that on average, people spend about 17 minutes looking at the Grand Canyon on their visit. This is somewhat surprising to me because I have probably spent more than 17 hours over the course of many years viewing photos, documentaries, and reading about this spectacular site! (Maybe there’s a little exaggeration in my number, but please believe that it’s closer to 17 hours than 17 minutes.)
In a sense though, I am also not completely surprised by the 17 minutes figure. Everyone explores new places differently. Some will go to a place, look at an overlook, and call it a day. I suppose that there is nothing wrong with that. Afterall, at least you get to have the experience of seeing it.
Additionally, a lot of folks will (like us) work a visit to the Grand Canyon in as a part of an excursion from Las Vegas, or as passersby on a longer road trip. Whatever the reason though, taking advantage of the privilege of being able to see such spectacular sights is what makes our National Park system such a beloved model that other countries attempt to mimic.
There is magic in being able to take just a few more minutes to digest the magnificence of an experience, to walk among the trees, the rocks and natural world. They have such great stories to tell!
How We are Planning Our Half Day Grand Canyon Visit
There seem to be a million and one experiences that you can have from booking a bus or helicopter tour to walking out on a clear bottomless platform over the canyon (yikes!)… and let’s not forget the iconic image of mules taking tourists down into the canyon. Because of the abundance of information and experiences out there, and because I know that we will be in for a treat, I have had a hard time actually planning this day.
And to be real with you, sometimes I find that I appreciate the days of flexibility in the trips that we take. On road trips like this one where we pack in a lot of sites in rapid succession, I find that it is wise to plan carefully for the logistics of the trip because without a schedule, you will most likely not get to partake of the experiences that you desire due to lack of time and intentional pacing.
When you find lengths of time in your schedule where you will be at one place, it is sometimes nice to feel that you can just ‘go with the flow’ and see what you see. That’s how I am feeling right now about the time that we will spend at the Grand Canyon.
Nevertheless, this is how we are thinking that this leg of the trip might go.
Getting to the Grand Canyon National Park
We will wake up in Page, AZ where we stayed after exploring Glen Canyon and Rainbow Bridge the day before. Then we will set out on our approximately 2.5 hour drive to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center by way of the South Rim. Google Maps has told me that there are tolls on the fastest route to the Grand Canyon from Page, but I’m not sure how much those are yet.
Scenic Ride Into the Grand Canyon
Our drive from Page to the Visitor Center will take us along the portion of Desert View Road within the Park’s boundaries. We plan to do a bit of sightseeing and stopping in route to the Visitor Center. Some points that we have heard that we should stop at include: Desert View Watchtower, and Grand View Point.
Yavapai Museum of Geology Visitor Center
We hope to reach the Yavapai Museum of Geology Visitor Center toward the midday in order to get our National Park Passport Book stamped (stamp cramp). This Visitor Center looks AMAZING! If features grand panoramic views of the Grand Canyon from walls of picture windows.
This Visitor Center is also located by the Grand Canyon Village which features restaurants and accommodations for folks visiting and staying at the Grand Canyon. We decided to not stay here so that we could get a little more rest after a long day in Glen Canyon.
Hiking Along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon
After that, we will likely do a little walking along the rim. We will be on the south rim, and there is a 12-mile trail along the rim with a shuttle bus that will stop and pick you up between stops. So basically, you can walk some, and when tired, hitch a ride.
Hopefully the weather will be lovely, but if we need a break from the natural elements, we will probably check out the Grand Canyon IMAX movie in the Visitor Center. I would prefer to see everything up close and personal though.
The end of the day will conclude with a 4-hour drive to Boulder City where we will stay the night.
Additional Resources
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Grand Canyon Guide Book
Lonely Planet Grand Canyon National Park (Travel Guide)
Pinterest Boards
Podcasts
Conclusion
All said, we will only be able to spend a few short hours at the Grand Canyon. Though we’d love to be able to spend more time, I guarantee that we’ll be enjoying the Canyon more than the average 17 minutes! We look forward to sharing when we get back. 🙂
Let us know what you think! Until next time, happy exploring!
