North America’s vast interior is home to many beautiful sights, none more spectacular than the Grand Canyon itself. America’s very own natural wonder is over a mile deep, 18 miles wide and 277 miles long. The Grand Canyon is a destination for domestic and international travelers alike.
But before you go buying your plane tickets or gassing up the car, you need to ask some important questions about your visit. Those questions are, when to go, what to see and how to get there. Here’s our take.
Avoid Visiting in the High Summer
This is particularly true if you’re visiting the most popular South Rim section of the canyon. While the South Rim is the most popular, the North Rim and Canyon West sections of the park are also great spots to visit. The Summer months see the highest number of visitors to all three locations, however the South Rim is the most exposed and can experience temperatures in excess of 100 degrees for the better part of the day.
For outdoor activities like hiking and sightseeing, save yourself a sunburn and avoid the crowds by visiting in the shoulder season, or even Winter. The park looks stunning when it’s covered in snow.
What to See
The Canyon’s three main points of entry are a minimum of four hours apart by road, with the Grand Canyon West area upwards of a seven hour drive from the North Rim and four hours from the south. If you haven’t planned time to move between multiple locations, you’ll have to choose between the more tourist-friendly South Rim, where you can enjoy activities like guided rafting and mule tours along with 20 scenic viewpoints and the less spectacular but also less crowded North Rim.
The North Rim is a favorite location for photographers because of its more wooded setting, which affords better opportunities to capture local wildlife and can offer shelter for campers. Grand Canyon West, your third option, is located on Native American land and offers access to the famous 4000-foot high Skywalk viewing platform. The unofficial “East Rim” region can be explored if you’re feeling adventurous and features the little Colorado River Gorge, Horseshoe Bend and Marble Canyon, but is less of a proper destination than it’s sister regions.
How to Get There
Crossing multiple states, the Grand Canyon is most conveniently accessed by air using the Las Vegas, Nevada or Phoenix, Arizona airports. Those lucky to live in Arizona, Nevada, Utah or California can live the American dream and road trip it in reasonable time, adding to the nostalgia of one of our country’s grandest sights with some historical stops along the way.
Once you arrive at the Grand Canyon National Park, you may need to leave your commuter car and take a shuttle bus. Access is very limited for private vehicles, and the park has its own little transportation system which can be helpful and agonizing at the same time. You’d best plan around it.
Altogether, a visit to the Grand Canyon can be rewarding, quite affordable and extremely memorable. It’s a great opportunity to appreciate nature’s beauty in our own backyard and a sight very few places on Earth can compete with. So take our advice and plan your trip today!
