Grand Canyon

Flagstaff was our gateway to one of the most scenic US attraction. After some less known national and state parks it was finally time to see the most famous one: Grand Canyon. From Flagstaff it’s worth to take scenic highway 180. Even with Eddie behind our back we enjoyed it. Cars lining behind us probably enjoyed it less, but we didn’t really care: we were going exactly as the limit said and we really couldn’t let them through on this winding, mountain road. They would pass us in the valleys.

In the beginning we found out that visitors center in Tusayan is really an IMAX, and the shuttle buses that were supposed to stop there don’t go this way. Oh, well, few more miles with Eddie. Our annual pass America the Beautiful again lets us in for free, this was a really good deal, as the fee is over 20 USD per family/car. We left the car and Eddie at the parking that reminded us a little of the one by DisneyWorld (at least this one was for free) and we went to see the canyon.

Those who had this romantic idea of Grand Canyon as a peaceful and quiet place far from civilized world, where you drive (or get after a long and exhausting hike) to the rim going on stones and dirt roads, might be a little surprised. Grand Canyon is a huge touristic factory. Along the South Rim (North was in late March still closed for the winter) there is a paved road and a free shuttle bus running from one view point to another.

On the first view points it was difficult to get through the crowds of Koreans. And we are there on Sunday, which probably doesn’t help. Luckily the further we go the better it gets. There are less people and the views are breathtaking. Still, sometimes you have to let one bus go because there is just too many people. Besides the crowds it's absolutely amazing, like straight from Photoshop. It’s hard to believe it’s not a huge wall paper.

  

It must be a real fun for geologists. We won’t write too much about the history of the canyon (even though we learned about it taking a History Path showing and describing all the geologic layers of the canyon), just to give you an idea, it was carved by Colorado river in Colorado Plateau raised when North American Plate overrode the Pacific Plate. There are many layers of rocks and they are really well visible. There is no vegetation covering them and on our trail there were stops dedicated to each layer with scopes or just small pipes pointed at them.

We walked along the canyon for quite a few miles. Maciek had his ups and downs, for some time he really enjoyed it jumping from one rock to another and asking millions of questions, but after a while he got bored and tired. So we had to make up games, search for animal traces (and inspired by a book we saw in the giftshop, their poops, eee, excrements) or different shapes of rocks. There were more people only when we got closer to bust stops. Yes, most of people take a bus from one view point to another. Stops are every mile or so, and the bus runs every 15 minutes. On the first day we were tough and we walked all day.

Finally Maciek was too tired to walk and so were we. It was just when we got to the hotel with a restaurant. Of course there are places like this over there. Actually the touristic flood started over 100 years ago. That’s when the first buildings were built in Gran Canyon Village as well as the railroad from Williams. Frank Harvey was the first to organize trips (he did it in Petrified Forest too) and that’s how it all started. The oldest buildings by the canyon are charming, but the newer ones are just the typical plaza with shops, post office and other services for tourists.

We sticked to the old part. After a long walk it was already getting dark, and once the sun goes down it’s just too cold to stay outside. So we stayed for something to eat and we were surprised by the prices. Maybe it wasn’t the best meal ever but it was affordable. Disney virus didn’t get yet to local restaurants. After dinner we caught a bus and we went back to the parking.

It was already dark, but there was still one more rv besides ours at the parking, looking as if they were going to stay there overnight. We don’t think it’s legal though, especially that park has its own campground for 20 USD without any hookups. Besides we already had a place to stay. We slept at a free campground, 5 minutes drive from the park entrance. We got there after 9 pm and we camedp next to the sign “you can camp here”. There is enough space if someone wanted to pass us by. After walking all day we were exhausted. And as a bonus Kalina got her first tooth this day. Small tooth in Grand Canyon.

In the morning we went through what was written about this place on freecampsites.net. This BLM campsite is just below flight path to an airport nearby. It was quiet at night but starting at 6 am every few minutes there was a small plane or a helicopter just over our heads. And it was Monday, low season!

Grand Canyon is worth at least two-day-visit. On the next day we start where we finished last night. In general, the further from parking, the more empty paths and view points, so if you have only one day, take a bus to the end of the route and walk back. For a moment we considered to go further or even take one of easier trails down, unfortunately it was the first day of getting sick, and Maciek was a first victim. On the second day in a canyon Maciek had a fever so we took it easy.

One of the last view points is called Hopi Point - the view is ubelieveble, plus it’s a first place on the route where you can see the bottom of the canyon and Colorado river. It looks like brown creek, but it really is about 100 meters/300 feet wide and over 10 meter/30 feet deep. A bus driver joked that it’s an almost perfect place – what’s missing is just a hot-dog and coke stand. We might have a different taste when it comes to what’s perfect …

To those that want to see a more wild Grand Canyon we can recommend a North Rim. Our new friends from Las Vegas said that there is a free BLM campsite just by the rim, so you can have breakfast with the best view in Arizona. Who knows, maybe we'll get there on our way back from the west coast...

In the afternoon we headed west.

On our way to Las Vegas we stop in Williams. Typical Route 66 town with main street and railroad passing throught the middle of it. It’s also a first station of Grand Canyon Railway and a huge RV Park just next to it. They say that Williams was an inspiration for Radiator Springs from "Cars". When you’re standing on the Main Street/Route 66 you do feel almost like in Radiator Springs. It’s even more similar as Williams is much smaller than you can think looking at the maps of brochures. There are two streets, railroad, it ends just as suddenly as it started. And for those who are not really sure, in local visitors center they play "Cars" dvd all day long.

We got to Vegas late in the evening. We parked on the street in front of Brian and Joy’s house - our new boondocking hosts, and we fall asleep right away. Next day we were going to see Hoover Dam. Whoever played Sid Meier's Civilization must know how important this day will be...