Day 9: Grand Canyon National Park South Rim

Sunrise over the Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon
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Since the sunset I saw the night before was so spectacular I decided to get up super early to watch the sunrise over the Grand Canyon. Anyone who knows me will find this shocking since I am not a morning person. I got up at 6:15 a.m. to get ready and needed to be at the Rim shortly before 7 a.m.

I had made plans to meet Donna and Lindsay at 8:30 a.m. near the Rim so I had some time to myself. I went to the Bright Angel Trail and hiked down some and watched the sun rise over the canyon. It really is an amazing thing to watch! As the sun comes up little bits of muted reds, yellows and oranges spread their way over the rock formation in the canyon. Its almost as if God is painting. I took alot of pictures and only saw a few people wandering around.

reds, yellows & oranges spread their way over the rocks in the canyon. Its almost as if God is painting

The view from Mather Point on the Desert View Drive
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Next I went into the Kolb Studio and took a look around at the books and photography there. I got my passport stamped at the cancellation station in the studio. On my way out Donna called and said that she and Lindsay decided to start their return drive home to PA. They were going to hit a few of the viewpoints on their way out and wouldn't be meeting me for the day. I was a little surprised that they weren't going to explore the Grand Canyon but it just meant that I could do what I wanted on my own schedule.

Me at Moran Point on the Desert View Drive
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Walking away from the Kolb Studio I saw the guides bringing out the famous mules who take visitor's down the Bright Angel Trail. The mules were in their corral at the top of the trail and the guides were giving a lecture to the people who were going down the trail for the day.

I walked back to my hotel room and got my rental car. I decided to start the Desert View Drive which is the longest drive in the park. If you have only a day in the Grand Canyon National Park doing a drive like the Desert View Drive is a great way to see as much of the canyon as you can. The Desert View Drive is 25 miles one way and has scenic view point at Yavapi Point, Mather Point, Pipe Creek Point, Grand View Point, Moran Point, Lipan Point, Navajo Point and Desert View Point.

Hance Rapid seen from Lipan Point
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The Grand Canyon does offer a Guided Bus Tour of the scenic points on the South Rim but the cost was more than I wanted to spend so I opted to drive myself. I started with the view points in the Grand Canyon Village and worked my way out. There are spaces at the scenic viewpoint where you can park you car and get out and take pictures. Parking is very limited. Fortunately I was there in the off-season and even then parking was limited. I imagine during the summer months that the shuttle bus must be mandatory.

Me at Desert View Point
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I got my first real glimpse of the Colorado River at Yavapi Observation Point. You can go inside and look through binoculars to see Phantom Ranch. I got my passport stamped at the cancellation station inside the viewpoint.

Next I went to the Visitor's Center where I got my passport stamped. I took a look through the gift shop and ended up buying two books about river guides on the Colorado River and some post cards. I continued onto Grandview Point, which does have a great view of the canyon as well as a trail that you can hike.

Mohave Point on the Hermit's Rest Road
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At Moran Point some other tourists took pictures of me standing by the canyon before I went to the Tusayan Ruin and Museum. I walked around the ruins and read the information and then I went in and looked at the information and displays inside the museum and I even "adopted a lion". The Grand Canyon has an Adopt A Lion Program that for $25.00 you get a cute stuffed mountain lion and your money goes to research, education and protection of the mountain lions in the Grand Canyon. Before leaving I got my passport stamped at the cancellation station in the museum gift shop.

Hermit's Rest
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Next I stopped at Lipan Point, which was my favorite. From here you can see spectacular views of the canyon and Hance Rapid. Its amazing that you can actually see whitewater from that far away, you can actually hear the rumble of the rapid if its quiet at the viewpoint.

I went onto Desert View and went into the Watchtower, which has some great views from the top and the outside deck. Some other tourists took some pictures of me here. I went into the Bookstore and got my passport stamped and also stopped into the snack bar to get something to eat.

The Desert View drive took a few hours to do but I still had day light left so I decided to also do the drive on Hermit's Road. I drove the 25 miles back toward the Grand Canyon Village and along the way a family of mule deer walked out across the road which stopped traffic for quite awhile as everyone was trying to get pictures.

During this time the Hermit Road was open to private vehicles, which is not normally the case. The viewpoints on Hermit's Road are Trail Overlook Point, Marciopa Point, Powell Point, Hopi Point, Mohave Point, and Hermit's Rest. This is a much shorter drive and great if you only have a limited amount of time in Grand Canyon National Park. The views at all the view points are spectacular. The view from Hermit's Rest at the end was my favorite. I stayed until the sun was setting and the vibrant colors returned to the canyon. I stopped in at the store and took a look around before returning to my car and heading back to the village.

I went to my room and dropped off my purchases from the day and went to the dining court in my hotel and got a taco salad. I sat and ate and took in the atmosphere of the Grand Canyon before returning to my room for the night. When I got to my room I finished packing, got a shower and watched tv before going to bed early since I needed to leave early the next day.

Things learned on Day 9 out west:

1. Grand Canyon National Park website http://www.nps.gov/grca/

2. If you have only a day in the Grand Canyon National Park doing a drive like the Desert View Drive is a great way to see as much of the canyon as you can.

3. Most of Arizona, including Grand Canyon National Park, remains on Mountain Standard Time year-round until Nov. 1, Arizona is on the same time as California and Nevada. Beginning Nov. 2, Arizona is on the same time as Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.

4. Grand Canyon Adopt A Lion website http://www.grandcanyon.org/lion.asp