Absolutely breathtaking!! It was our first time there, and if you haven't visited (or you haven't added it to your bucket list), here are 10 reasons you should:
1. The scenery. The sky is so big, and the colors are stunning! Just check out this snapshot from my camera. Hello!
2. There's something so sacred about being in a place that is virtually untouched by mankind. These pictures are all from the South Rim which is an easy drive from Vegas, Phoenix, Sedona and Flagstaff. The Canyon is 10 miles across, but a 250+ mile drive around to get to the North Rim.
3. The Grand Canyon is part of the U.S. National Park Service. My kids love collecting stamps in their National Park passports. There are 7 places to get stamps on the rims of the Grand Canyon, and another (more adventurous) stamp to be had at the Phantom Ranch on the bottom.
4. There are lots of hiking trails. We ventured onto the Bright Angel Trail, which is a fairly easy walk at the beginning. It's about 9 windy miles all the way to the bottom, though. We only went a mile or so!
5. We stayed a couple of nights on the rim at the Maswik Lodge. Lots of people just came for the day to see it and then left. The most adventurous visitors go all the way to the bottom of the canyon. They either ride mules, backpack, or hike and have mules carry their gear. The mules have the right of way on the trails!
6. The mules are so cool! I became a collector of fascinating mule trivia. Mules are hybrids of horse moms and donkey dads. It's also possible, but less likely, to have "hinneys" - the offspring of a donkey mom and a horse dad. It is very rare for a female mule to breed, but one time a mule gave birth to an offspring that had absolutely no donkey features--it was 100% horse. I could go on and on!
7. We must have heard 100 people ask the park rangers where to find the Skywalk. (I think I saw one ranger actually roll his eyes at the question.) The Skywalk is not on the South Rim. It's much farther west and not a part of the park service. It is run by the Hualapai Tribe, and tickets start at $80 per person for a 15 minute walk-- no photography allowed! So, no Skywalk for us, but here's our best try at an overlook picture!
8. In the early 1900's the Grand Canyon attracted some of the country's most discriminating travelers. This beautiful hotel (El Tovar) features beautiful architecture is is located just a few steps from the rim. We ate lunch (and dessert!) there and it was delish!
9. There are lots of ways to travel the rim of the canyon. The park service offers free shuttle bus stops all along the rim. Many people walk the trails, and we chose to take a bike tour. Amazing!
10. The view. Did I already mention the view?? It's unlike anything I have ever seen before.
That's the end of our vacation photos-- I promise! As soon as August starts back up, my brain goes into school mode. But, wow, it sure is nice to take a break and recharge. Thanks for humoring me!!
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