Grand Canyon Pictures
North Rim Photos

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The Grand Canyon [Arizona] seen from the North Rim's Bright Angel Point.

Well, it's certainly grand - the biggest canyon in the world of course - the view is awesome and the silence inspiring, but if it was a horse it would be a one-trick pony.
The initial reaction after the long drive is 'Jeez, look at the size of that!' followed by a rush to the short path along the [in our case north] rim. But after a wander around in the afternoon, followed by another look early the next morning, when the scene was fundamentally the same even though the sun was pointing a different way, it was impossible not to feel 'Is that it then?' 270 miles long, 11 miles wide and a mile deep and you get one shot? [as Eminem might say].

The Bugcrew feel that compared to the wild, colourful rocks and varied, fabulous hikes of nearby Zion or Bryce Canyons [see links below] the attractions of the Grand Canyon may be overrated. However it's true that:
a] a couple of alternative hiking trails were closed due to managed burns when the Bugcrew were there.
b] fit visitors with lots of time can hike - or mule - down to the canyon base and get all sorts of new angles.
c] the South Rim is a lot busier than the North [which we visited], offers a lot more activities and is easier to get to from most places.

The Grand Canyon Lodge and [public] overlook on the North Rim.

The South Rim is about 1,000 feet [320m] lower and 10F hotter than the North Rim, and considerably busier, with 90% of the canyon's visitors. It's also open all year, but the North only from mid-May to mid-October.

The best months to visit the Grand Canyon are May and September, not July/August when most trippers go, it gets very hot and rains a lot.

The Bugcrew visited the Grand Canyon's North Rim. We feel this was a mistake for although there were far fewer visitors than on the South Rim it was a long drive to get there and we believe the views and potential activities were more limited. We think that our suggested Grand Circle tour would be improved by visiting the Grand Canyon's South Rim as the last stop before returning to Las Vegas.

The view from the famed Grand Canyon Lodge lounge window.

The Lodge is the North Rim's only hotel, but beautifully situated and [apparently] well managed. This and nearby campgrounds are in much demand so, as usual, book ahead!

And by the way, don't consider driving to both North and South Rims unless you're ready for 215 miles of slow roads between the two.
Bottom line is, you've got to see the Grand Canyon but try to plan something other than just looking over the edge...

...such as walking the Hualapai Indian's Glass Skywalk that projects 70ft [20m] out from the Canyon Rim so you feel you are walking on 4,000 ft[1,220m] of air. Opened in March 2007 visitors have to pay to enter the Hualapai Indian National Park as well as $25 to walk on the scary glass along with a max of 119 others.
Location: the southwest rim at Grand Canyon West, 55 miles from Peach Springs on Route 66 or 47 miles from Pierce Ferry Road off Route 93.
From: Las Vegas NV, 121 miles; Flagstaff, AZ, 216 miles; Phoenix AZ, 253 miles; Scottsdale AZ 273 miles; Sedona AZ, 249 miles; LA via Hoover Dam, 375 miles

Part of the short path running along the North Rim.

The rim path is short but sweet and impressively - for a heavily litigious society - unfenced.
No nanny state here, Mr UK Prime Minister.

A short and less-than-inspiring trail running from Point Imperial on the North Rim.

Full-on forest fires are incredibly destructive and much of the North Rim's hinterland still looks like the Somme in 1917 even though the big fire was several years previously.

Of course you could take a white water ride through the canyon that would be wild, but you'd better book it way in advance. In fact the National Park Service permits only one private trip to leave Lee’s Ferry [the nearest launch point above the Grand Canyon] daily, and there is now a 13 year waiting list! Yes, you read it right, thirteen years!
Of course there are several pricey, mega tourist rafts a day that don't have the same frisson of thrills, spills and a turbulent death by drowning...

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