There are some places, destinations, in the world that take your breath away.
The Grand Canyon is one of them – rightly making it one of the seven natural wonders of the world.
I remember it well – standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon, seeing the massive, colourful, landscape in front of me.
It took my breath away, marvelling at this dramatic vista before me, and saying to myself – Oh My God.
And here is the most confounding thing – the Grand Canyon really consists of nothing but rocks that are millions of years old.
So what makes it so attractive that millions of people flock to it from all over the world?
Rather than my answering it – see the video below that does a much better job than I ever could.
See the grandeur and splendour of the Grand Canyon.
The Grand Canyon National Park is vast – spanning 277 miles from end-to-end.
It’s a popular tourist destination – last year 4.53 million people visited the park.
You can hike a vast network of trails, see different vistas of different landscapes at various locations throughout the park, explore historical monuments.
Getting around the park is easy – you can drive, walk, hike or use the park’s regular scheduled bus service.
Here are some areas of the park that offer a spectacular vista – a vista that changes in colour and intensity depending on whether it’s, raining, sunny, cloudy or normal.
The South Rim Viewpoint
South Rim – Grand Canyon
It’s home to the Visitor Center – where you can get all the information you need to make your park adventure memorable and exciting.
Nearby is Grand Canyon Village home to many old buildings from the turn of the century and old-fashioned log style places where you can stay overnight
Grand Canyon Depot, also known as Grand Canyon Railroad Station, constructed in 1909-10 for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, in what is now Grand Canyon National Park. It is one of three remaining railroad depots in the United States built with logs as the primary structure material. The station stands 330 feet from of the south rim of the canyon, opposite the El Tovar Hotel, also built by the railroad. The depot is now the northern terminus of the excursion Grand Canyon Railway, which brings tourists to the gorge from the town of Williams, 60 miles to the south.
Phantom Ranch, at the bottom of the Grand Canyon is 2,550 feet above sea level; making it about 4,600 feet lower than the South Rim about 5,800 feet lower than the North Rim. The average daily high and low temperatures in Fahrenheit are 106/78 during July, and 56/36 in January. Phantom Ranch is located beside Bright Angel Creek on the north side of the Colorado River. It is the only lodging facility below the rim of the Grand Canyon. The Ranch can only be reached by mule, by foot, or by rafting the Colorado River and is a popular stop-over point for hikers and mule riders traveling to the bottom of the Canyon via the Bright Angel or Kaibab trails. It is Open year-round..
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The ranch was designed by architect Mary Colter and completed in 1922. The rustic cabins and main lodge are built of wood and native stone and fit in with the natural beauty and solitude of the setting. Overnight accommodations at Phantom Ranch consist of dormitory spaces and cabins. Cabins and dormitories are heated and utilize evaporative cooling during the summer months. Dormitories are separate for women and men — each has ten bunk beds, a shower, and restroom. Phantom Ranch offers eleven unique, rustic cabins. Each is furnished with a set of bunk beds, all bedding, cold water sink, toilet, liquid soap, and towels. Showers are provided at a central location. NPS photo by Michael Quinn.
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Learn more about Phantom Ranch here: http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/lodging-704.html
Nearby is an old miner’s cabin built in 1914, built by one of the parks most famous architects, Mary Colter.
Hermits Rest
Pima Point
Pima Point View
Pima Point is one of the best places on the rim to see and sometimes hear the river. The splash and grind of Granite Rapids below can be heard echoing up the canyon walls on quiet days.
Granite Rapids and the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona.