Located in Arizona and larger than the state of Rhode Island, the Grand Canyon is one of the most famous natural landmarks in the country, and for good reason. At its deepest points, the canyon is over a mile deep and is consistently among the top ten most visited national parks. All my previous posts have been about parks I have traveled to in the past, but this is the first one featuring a park I have not yet had the chance to visit. However, my family will be taking a trip to the Grand Canyon this December, and I have been absolutely ecstatic researching things to do. Here is what I look forward to seeing/doing the most during my trip:
Since the north rim is closed during the winter, I will only get to experience the south rim, but there is still plenty to do! The “Trail of Time” is an educational hike along the south rim of the canyon. The trail is 2.83 miles long, and each meter of the path represents 1 million years of the canyon’s history. Along the path, there are rocks and information signs explaining what the geologic development of the canyon was at that point in time. In all, the Trail of Time covers 2 billion years of the canyon’s history. Between the beautiful scenery and the educational markers, this is the perfect trail for any nature nerd!
The South Kaibab trail is up to a 6 mile round trip day hike on the south rim of the canyon. It has a staggering elevation change of 7,260 feet. There are three main destinations along the trail that determine the length of the hike: Ooh Ah Point with a 1.8-mile round trip, Cedar Ridge with a 3-mile round trip, and Skeleton Point with 6 miles. Considering the relatively short distances of this trail, hikers get to see some truly spectacular views. This trail will be a perfect one to hike in the winter when I’m visiting since it offers no shade. The cooler winter temperatures will make this trail a lot less exhausting than it would be during the prime visitation months, May through September.
Since the Grand Canyon has about half the number of visitors in December than it does during its most popular months, I am so excited to visit this iconic destination and all its beautiful sights without having to navigate through large amounts of tourists. This park has so much to offer, no matter what time of year you visit, so if you ever find yourself itching for an escape to nature, the Grand Canyon should be at the top of your list!
Images and references:
The Trail of Time – Grand Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
How to Get from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon (tripsavvy.com)
Maria,
I sincerely enjoyed reading about the Grand Canyon National Park 🙂 I hope you and your family have a blast when you go visit (side-note: hiking 6 miles seems like no feat, especially looking at that crazy elevation gain– you’ll have to keep us posted on how it goes)!! Overall, wonderfully written Maria!