Kanab, Utah to Grand Canyon’s North Rim is a short drive. No campsite reservation was available at the north rim, but I secured one night in the Jacob Lake area. Before driving to the rim, I walked the mile from my campsite to the store at Jacob Lake. There I purchased my favorite snickerdoodle cookies. More about cookies later. On my walk, I saw some birds and a Kaibab squirrel which is only found in this area.
After an hour’s drive from the campsite, I arrived at Point Imperial; perfect. I spent time walking at the highest point of the Grand Canyon, 8,800 feet. I decided not to drive the additional 19 miles to Cape Royal. At the north rim, the Bright Angel Point Trail was closed for the season due to repairs. Looking across the canyon is grand! Unfortunately though, there was a wildfire just west of the Hermit’s Trail on the south rim. It was actively burning while the one on the north rim by Widforss Trail had been extinguished. Lightning caused the fires and both were a distance from where any hikers would be on a trail.
While standing at the north rim, I am thinking how I have seen the canyon from many angles the last 20 years. I have hiked the South Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch, stayed overnight at the lodges, dorms, and camping near Phantom Ranch with a return hike on the Bright Angel Trail often. Time at the canyon’s bottom has been enjoyed with friends and first-time visitors on our tours. Short sections of the Grandview and Hermit’s Trail have also been hiked. Even some trails on the north side of the Colorado River from Phantom Ranch. There are so many more trails for me to discover. For now I will enjoy the north rim view of the canyon.
The south rim of the Grand Canyon has more visitors due to it close proximity to larger cities with airports: Phoenix and Las Vegas. A different vibe exists at the south rim compared to the north rim. I always encourage people to visit both rims, if possible. It is at least a 4 hour drive between the two areas. There is less lodging at the north rim and it is not open year-round; therefore, plan their visit.
In the past, I camped at the Desert View Campground on the eastern side of the canyon. This time, Mather Campground. It is central to all at the south rim of the canyon. Hop the shuttle bus and be transported in short time to many points of interest. I like this campground.
Today, while 75 degrees at the start, I hopped on my bicycle for a ride to the town of Tusayan, located outside the park. It was a 5 mile ride on a well-maintained bike path through Grand Canyon landscape … saw an elk relaxing … then national forest land, and finally into the town. I loved the downhills! Some of the uphills in combination with the altitude, about 8,000 feet, were not as enjoyable. I dug deep to complete the ride! It was fun and done before it was too hot, 90 degrees.
Despite drinking water with electrolytes, I needed to drink more. So at my campsite I read a book, ate a snack and hydrated. Even though it was an eleven mile bike ride, my body needed it all. Took time then for lunch and organized for attending afternoon ranger talks. As I write this, I hear thunder. I am wondering if we’ll have the same weather pattern as yesterday. Last night it rained; so I guessed no sky astonomer-in-residence program. Tonight hopefully a clear sky … time will tell.
I attended the sky program along with about 75 other people! The astronomer-in-residence is only here for a month so Ranger Rick was our astronomer guide this night. He herded all of us a short distance in the dark with red light on the headlamps to an empty parking lot. There people spread out, laid on the ground, and listened to him. He pointed with his green laser light at and named specific constellations. He was often interrupted as people oohed and aahed when meteorites entered the atmosphere and streaked across the sky. Wow, what a dark sky!
I appreciated all the info about the big and little dippers, Polaris and other constellations. Ranger Rick pointed out the Milky Way. I had not ever thought about it being around the entire planet. Grand Canyon International Dark Sky Park meets requirements and every 5 years needs to apply again for the designation. I will not go into the details here, but work is done to make the national park darker. The majority of the light affecting the park is city glow from Las Vegas … 150 miles away! For more info, check the dark sky website.
The monsoon rains arrived each afternoon and by dinnertime we had cool, fresh air. Many of us enjoyed a late afternoon walk in Grand Canyon Village, along the rim, or in the campground. The majority of the people visiting the Grand Canyon lately are non-English-speaking people. I met a family from South Africa who lived in Texas and now live in Alberta, Canada. Many visitors are on tours and staying in the lodges at the rim while others have rented camper vans or camping in tents. Another couple, travelled across the USA to Flagstaff on Amtrak and then the train from Williams to the Grand Canyon. Often I find myself talking with people as I offer to take a group photo for them. The rim trail was busy with people which was why I chose not to ride my bicycle on the section bicycling is allowed. A few walkers made me nervous as they would step off the trail, close to the edge of the rim. Obviously they have not read the book, Over The Edge: Death in Grand Canyon by Michael P. Ghiglieri and Thomas M. Myers about how accidents can even happen at the rim’s edge!
If you are a reader and love the Grand Canyon, a more fun book to read, or listen to the author read, is A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon by Kevin Fedarko. I just finished listening to it while I was at the canyon and learned new things about the history of the canyon.
If you have never been to Grand Canyon National Park, add it to your travel list. You will not be disappointed seeing this amazing landscape … it’ll be the biggest and most beautiful hole in the ground you’’ll ever see in the world!!
