The Arizona Republic
Jun. 21, 2006 09:52 AM
What is it? The Grand Canyon is a great chasm in Northern Arizona carved over millennia through the rocks of the Colorado Plateau.
Why go? The short answer is: Because it's there. The views from the South and North Rims are awe-inspiring and nothing like you've ever seen before. It's worth the trip for that reason alone. Here's how the National Park Service puts it: "This canyon is a gift that transcends what we experience. Its beauty and size humble us. Its timelessness provokes a comparison to our short existence. In its vast spaces we may find solace from our hectic lives. The Grand Canyon we visit today is a gift from past generations."
FYI: The South Rim is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Services and facilities are open year round. Services/facilities on the North Rim are only open from mid-May to mid-October.
Suggested South Rim attractions: Kolb Studio, located in the Village Historic District, exhibits Grand Canyon art and photography. A visit to the Tusayan Museum will provide a glimpse of Pueblo Indian Life at Grand Canyon some 800 years ago. The Yavapai Observation Station contains temporary exhibits about the fossil record at Grand Canyon. A panorama of the canyon is visible through the building's large windows.
Suggested North Rim views: The three developed viewpoints on the North Rim - Point Imperial, Cape Royal and Point Sublime - offer a sense of looking across the expanse of the canyon, rather than into its depths.
Photo tips: For viewing and photographing the canyon, the best light is early or late in the day. Mid-day sun tends to flatten the view and soften the colors.
Weather: The South Rim is 7,000 feet above sea level, which means snow in winter and cool nights even in summer. Inner canyon hiking (below the rim) is another story, however: summer temperatures along the Colorado River at the canyon bottom can reach 120º F. The North Rim is 8,000 feet above sea level and can receive snow throughout most of the year. Weather is particularly changeable in spring and fall.
Where is it? Grand Canyon Village (South Rim) is located 60 miles north of Interstate 40 at Williams via highway 64, and 80 miles northwest of Flagstaff via highway 180. The North Rim is 215 miles (about 4 1/2 hours) from the South Rim by car. The North Rim is 44 miles south of Jacob Lake, AZ, via highway 67.
Nearby attractions: Bryce Canyon National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Navajo National Monument, Pipe Spring National Monument.
Best time to go: Summer, spring and fall. TIP: Be prepared for larget crowds of happy tourists and traffic congestion if you opt to visit the canyon during the summer months.
Why go? The short answer is: Because it's there. The views from the South and North Rims are awe-inspiring and nothing like you've ever seen before. It's worth the trip for that reason alone. Here's how the National Park Service puts it: "This canyon is a gift that transcends what we experience. Its beauty and size humble us. Its timelessness provokes a comparison to our short existence. In its vast spaces we may find solace from our hectic lives. The Grand Canyon we visit today is a gift from past generations."
FYI: The South Rim is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Services and facilities are open year round. Services/facilities on the North Rim are only open from mid-May to mid-October.
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Suggested South Rim attractions: Kolb Studio, located in the Village Historic District, exhibits Grand Canyon art and photography. A visit to the Tusayan Museum will provide a glimpse of Pueblo Indian Life at Grand Canyon some 800 years ago. The Yavapai Observation Station contains temporary exhibits about the fossil record at Grand Canyon. A panorama of the canyon is visible through the building's large windows.
Suggested North Rim views: The three developed viewpoints on the North Rim - Point Imperial, Cape Royal and Point Sublime - offer a sense of looking across the expanse of the canyon, rather than into its depths.
Photo tips: For viewing and photographing the canyon, the best light is early or late in the day. Mid-day sun tends to flatten the view and soften the colors.
Weather: The South Rim is 7,000 feet above sea level, which means snow in winter and cool nights even in summer. Inner canyon hiking (below the rim) is another story, however: summer temperatures along the Colorado River at the canyon bottom can reach 120º F. The North Rim is 8,000 feet above sea level and can receive snow throughout most of the year. Weather is particularly changeable in spring and fall.
Where is it? Grand Canyon Village (South Rim) is located 60 miles north of Interstate 40 at Williams via highway 64, and 80 miles northwest of Flagstaff via highway 180. The North Rim is 215 miles (about 4 1/2 hours) from the South Rim by car. The North Rim is 44 miles south of Jacob Lake, AZ, via highway 67.
Nearby attractions: Bryce Canyon National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Navajo National Monument, Pipe Spring National Monument.
Best time to go: Summer, spring and fall. TIP: Be prepared for larget crowds of happy tourists and traffic congestion if you opt to visit the canyon during the summer months.
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