If you know anything about me, you know I love the Grand Canyon, specifically the national park area. It is a joy for me to see others looking over the south rim marveling at such a beautiful sight. Or times when looking into the dark sky, curious about the sparkling stars and planets. Once again we were at the Grand Canyon National Park in winter, last month, with no snow! I was so ready for snow. With every warm bit of clothing: my boots, gaiters, poles, Yaktrax, alpaca hat … but still no snow! Don’t get me wrong, it was very cold! So much so, I was hoping the water in my backpack bladder did not get cold!

After seeing the rim exhibits and 2 films at the visitor center, we took a hike. We hiked down the South Kaibab Trail to Ooh Aah Point! The majority of my times on this trail have been in the snow. So when not in the snow, I am always surprised how deep some steps are. Of course along with hikers, there are also mules carrying freight on this trail. Hooves do dig in to the trail, like the rest of us. 

Ooh Aah Point is a .9 mile downhill hike. As they always say, going down is optional, whereas hiking back up is mandatory! How long will it take to hike back up? Double your time going down as the answer to how long it will take you to return to the rim. Remember, water and sun protection for your skin and eyes is important all year-round. It’s a great hike to take if you have a few hours to enjoy the canyon.

By the way, watch BOTH films at the visitor center!