The Grand Canyon

Every year millions of people travel from all over the world just to stand at the rim of the Grand Canyon. Its monumental landscape spans 277 miles with a depth of over 6,000 feet. Typically when David and I visit a national park, we cram in as many hikes as we can; but here our focus was little different. We looked forward to learning about its history and culture, which plays as big of a roll as the canyon itself. 


As the name implies, Horseshoe Bend is a horseshoe-shaped canyon sculpted by the Colorado River. We unfortunately arrived at the worst time of day; lines of tour buses were unloading simultaneously, the midday sun was unforgiving as we trekked along the sandy trail, and we were constantly dodging selfie sticks at the viewpoint. Honestly, I still get chills thinking about how close we were to the edge, with nothing between us and the 1,000-foot drop below our feet. 

Upon entering the national park, the suspense of seeing the Grand Canyon grew as we caught tiny glimpses along the road. David and I weren’t expecting our first panorama to be from our hotel window! Just outside was a gorgeous view of the canyon and its infinite layers illuminated by the setting sun.

The following morning we were lucky enough to witness a partial cloud inversion, where thick fog and clouds completely permeate the inside of the canyon. We watched the sunrise paint the sky pink as the fog slowly dissipated.

After breakfast at Bright Angel Lodge, we jumped on a shuttle heading out to Hermit Road. This 7-mile stretch had nine viewpoints overlooking different sections of the canyon, and ended at the historic Hermit’s Rest. However, unbeknownst to us (and apparently several park employees), the North Rim had scheduled controlled burns that day, which unfortunately obstructed nearly every overlook.

Hermit’s Rest was built in 1914 as a rest area for tourists going in and out of the canyon. Inside was a very large, and very impressive stone fireplace; a perfect spot to relax and put up your feet after a long canyon expedition.

The building was designed by Mary Colter; one of the few female architects in the 1900’s. She actually designed several other landmarks throughout the park, including the lodge where we enjoyed breakfast earlier that morning. 

The Grand Canyon Village was like an exposition of unique architecture and fascinating stories, all of which transported visitors back in time. The structures of the Hopi House and Lookout Studio (both designed by Colter) mimicked traditional Native American dwellings. The beautiful train depot still had its 1900’s charm. And the Kolb Studio showcased one of the cameras that was lugged in and out of the canyon taking souvenir photos for tourists. 

That evening the smoke from the controlled burns had reached the South Rim. As the sun began to set, a fiery orange and red glow surrounded the village.

David and I had dinner reservations at the historic El Tovar. Since it opened its doors in 1905, the hotel has hosted notable guests such as Theodore Roosevelt and Albert Einstein. Over 100 years later, it has managed to maintain its rustic elegance. And the dessert alone is reason enough to pay it a visit.

It was our last day in the Grand Canyon. As we walked to breakfast along the Rim Trail, we saw three California Condors soaring through the air! One in particular was being pestered by a flock of crows likely protecting their nest. 

We took the scenic Desert View Drive out of the park. Several vistas were still shrouded by lingering smoke from the day before. 

Our last stop before exiting the park was the Desert View Watchtower. The 70-foot stone structure was also designed by Mary Colter, and was built to resemble an ancient Puebloan watchtower. Inside, the walls were decorated with colorful murals and ornate petroglyphs. We climbed the winding staircase to the top floor, where we were greeted with a perfect panorama of the canyon.

In the end, Grand Canyon National Park surprised us. We not only enjoyed its extraordinary scenery, but the park’s well-preserved history made us truly appreciate where we were. David and I definitely plan on returning, but next time our itinerary will revolve around hiking and exploring inside the canyon.

Our desert road trip was slowly winding down. After hiking over 35 miles in the past 10 days, it was time for some R&R in Sedona.