Yes. We went there. It was brutally brief, but we visited. Then again, it only took me one look to fall head over heels for Grand Canyon National Park.
The day after Antelope Canyon Ultra in early March 2020, we hit the road early. We had a long morning of driving ahead before our next afternoon of working over wifi. Luckily, it wasn’t all work and no play – we planned our route around one very special stop!
So we roused ourselves from slumber, a bit stiff and disoriented after our 50 miler, and packed up the car. We bid goodbye to Page as the sun was rising. Then we drove out into the desert, where everything was orange under an endless blue sky.
After reaching the turnoff for this UNESCO world heritage site, I grew more and more excited. By the first official Grand Canyon National Park sign, I was positively giddy!
I have to say, this national park surprised me! We took a turn away from the flat stretch of desert that characterized the area around Page. In fact, we were driving into a forest! It didn’t seem like the kind of place where you’d find a Grand Canyon.
But this was our first visit, so we had a lot to learn about Grand Canyon National Park! First, the rim is at a significant altitude! At just over 2000m (or around 7000 feet), the air was crisp and there was still snow on the ground in shady patches!
When we entered the park, a ranger advised us to stop at Desert View Watchtower. ‘It’s great for your first glimpse,’ she informed us with a knowing smile, responding the the palpable anticipation emanating from inside the rental car!
We eagerly heeded her advice, and made a beeline for the lookout. I got out of the car before it came to a complete stop and skipped my way down the path to the lookout. Then, there it was: Grand Canyon National Park spread out before me. The view took my breath away!
It was the scale: it is a long, long way down to the bottom of the canyon, and the North Rim is far, far away from the South! It was also the colors: re-emerging from the forest, all the reds and oranges colored the canyon in perpetual sunrise. Last but definitely not least: to think of it as a single canyon is kind of a mistake. Yes, the North and South Rims bracket a massive cleft in the earth. But in between are so many mini mesas and canyons that only seem small from so far above. Yes, the Grand Canyon National Park is truly something special – and I think you have to see it in person to really understand it.
Instead of going up in the crowded tower, we simply stood at one edge of the observation deck and stared out over the abyss. After a few minutes spent marveling over my current perspective, I started to dream a new dream. ‘What would it be like to be down there, looking up?’ I wondered from my perch.
I can’t explain why I hadn’t dreamed of this adventure before. How had I not considered exploring this natural wonder? Lack of knowledge of how wonderful an inverted mountain could be? Part of my general neglect of North America this past decade? Whatever the reason, it’s now firmly in the past. Now, I can’t stop thinking about exploring Grand Canyon National Park!
Eventually we opted to move on. Time was rapidly counting down on our hour in the park. We got back in the car – but only made it a few kilometers down the road before the next viewpoint beckoned.
We took our time at Grandview Point – and it ended up being our favorite spot. It is, after all, aptly named! But my favorite part about it was venturing just slightly downhill. Not only did we escape the tourist swarm, we had spectacular, unique views from rocky outcrops! Plus, we met a backpacking duo on their way up! I peppered them with questions and they seemed delighted to tell me about their adventures on the canyon floor.
Finally, for our last little stop, we opted to take in a section of the Rim Trail. The trail to Mather Point, close to the Visitor Center, was chaotic and crowded. It was everything I don’t like about sharing nature with others.
The noise and the jostling, combined with the time pressure, threatened to cloud our enjoyment. But then we reached the viewpoint, and were astonished all over again. I smiled and nodded at our neighbors on the railing. Of course everyone ought to be out enjoying this, I realized. It would be a shame if this vista went unappreciated on a beautiful sunny day like today.
Alas, our time had run out and we had to hustle back to the car in order to make it to work on time. It was looking like we were going to be late, as usual, so we promised to drive directly to Williams and get straight to work.
Of course, right as I agreed to this plan, we drove past the Grand Canyon National Park entrance. You all know how much I love a good sign, right?
We stopped. Again. We were slightly late for work, but it didn’t matter: we’d seen the Grand Canyon!
Although we spent two more nights on the road, this was the end of the scenic part of our third Great American Road Trip. Aside from an accidental stop at the Hoover Dam in Nevada (!), the rest was just work and the driving in between. But if you missed out, earlier we visited Zion National Park and Grand Staircase-Escalante on this adventure – and ran a 50 mile race in and around Antelope Canyon!
Probably a visit to Grand Canyon National Park is already on your bucket list. Now it is firmly at the top of mine! I’m aspiring to an epic overnight trek – or perhaps a huge Rim to Rim to Rim run! See you there? Find your fun at the park’s online trail HQ here. Happy hiking!