How to visit Grand Canyon south rim (advice from a local)

[Music] number one when is the best time to visit the best time to visit very much depends on what you're looking for if it's crowds you're concerned with the least visited times are between December and February save holidays know that if you come during late December crowds can be worse than in summer other than the holidays though visitation is low in winter due to cold and snow the Park Service will not use salt to melt road ice so surfaces can get slippery despite this the canyon can appear breathtaking after a winter snow in summertime many families will visit causing many people to believe that traveling and scream or fall to be ideal but autumn is just as busy as the summer though there certainly are less crying infants [Music] number two where is the glass skywalk the Skywalk is on Hualapai tribal land and 250 road miles from the national park where many people show up expecting to find it the Skywalk sets perched over a side Canyon of Grand Canyon proper and therefore offers completely different views than what visitors will encounter along the main south realm a rather high cost of admission has also soured the experience for some Grand Canyon West as the area is called typically sees tourists from Las Vegas due to its proximity to Nevada number three how many people fall off fatalities vary from year to year but on average around five or more will fall from the rim either accidentally or intentionally [Music] far greater accidents occur from other reasons such as dehydration from unprepared hikers in 2016 the park exceeded six million visitors for the year helping to put into perspective the relatively few fatalities that do actually occur as parks experience record visitor numbers an emerging problem involving accidents is actually traffic related a huge percentage of visitors and rental cars are foreign nationals who may not be familiar with US traffic laws or driving in general [Music] number four how do you get down there the Bright Angel Trail is typically categorized as the easiest way to and from the Colorado River this however does it mean that it is easy to hike to the bottom and back for unprepared hikers the Bright Angel like the South Kayaba is a maintained trail and because of its proximity to the main village is the most used the Oasis at Indian garden and Phantom Ranch provide amenities not available on many of the other non maintained trails there are also overnight mule rides to the bottom but you must make reservations for these more than a year in advance Grand Canyon officially begins at a place called Lee's ferry which is accessible by car it is here where rafters put in for the long journey down the 277 mile long Canyon however there are no roads to the bottom of the canyon within the park so don't listen to your car's GPS it could lead you astray five how long does it take to get to the bottom and do you need permission the amount of time it takes a hiker to reach the Colorado River and return safely to the rim depends entirely on the hiker and the trail he or she uses it typically takes an individual twice as long to climb out as it does to go down and therefore the recommendation is to spend two days although some people do this in one day spending two or more is safer and allows for more time to appreciate the incredible scenery the mule ride takes about six hours to reach the bottom for an overnight stay at Phantom Ranch camping overnight within the canyon requires a fee and backcountry permit that one can obtain at the backcountry office there is a limited number of permits available so during prime times of spring and fall it is best to reserve them in advance remember most hikers seen on the trails are not going all the way to the river but doing shorter day hikes the Rim Trail that stretches west of the village paralleling hermit road is great for day hikes as much of it is paved and level between March and November one can also use the free Red Line shuttle bus in conjunction with walking the rim path [Music] number six what about wildlife and dangerous animals visitors commonly see elk and deer in the village area that display little fear of people while the park does have some carnivorous predators like mountain lions and Toyotas the animal that most people have negative encounters with is the cute little rock squirrel it is illegal to feed wildlife despite many warnings and people are bitten while trying to feed or pet this animal the parks medical clinic reports that during the summer they can receive several visits per day from tourists regarding squirrel bites [Music] number seven where are the best places to see sunset and sunrise although this can depend on the time of year the best places to see sunset and sunrise and the canyon itself are away from the main village area lookouts on hermit Road will be the most convenient for those staying in the village without cars Powell and Hopi points are good for sunrise while Mojave and Pima are good for sunset these are all accessible on the red line shuttle March through November when cars are prohibited from permit road keep in mind that the free shuttles get very crowded during sunset so a good alternative is to get tickets for the in park sunset tour otherwise sunrise is a better time to use the free Red Line bus since few people are up so early in the morning if you have your own car you could also consider driving out highway 64 East to Ripon Point or desert view [Music] you number eight where's the best place to find souvenirs curio shops can be found throughout the village selling typical tourist gifts too expensive native made art shops usually identify which souvenirs are authentic handmade versus cheap replicas made in China having verifiable authenticity combined with fees that a concessionaire must pay the Park Service though means prices can be high for certain items park related educational gifts can be found in the nonprofit GCA stores like that at the maine visitor center the best deals on souvenirs will be found at roadside stands on tribal lands or during the park especially those found along 64 East on the Navajo Reservation number nine where is the best lodging and dining we all know that services like gas food and lodging can be expensive in resort areas and national parks are no exception within Grand Canyon National Park there are three restaurants the finest dining but potentially the most expensive for dinner is at El Tovar hotel if you want to experience dining there while saving some money consider going for breakfast instead oddly the price won't be much more than the poorly reviewed cafeteria food found at Nazca core Yavapai lodges don't expect amenities like swimming pools high-speed Wi-Fi or an extensive cellular network within the park a few miles to the south lies the town of to see on in park border community with many additional hotels services if you're staying in Tucson during the summer consider taking the free Purple Line shuttle into the park to avoid long lines of the entrance station if you want a park service sanctioned tour you can get these inside the park for much less than what to see on tour operators charge [Music] number ten where does the train go the grand canyon railway provides near daily service from Ann to Williams Arizona 60 miles south of the park the Train provides visitors and train buffs an alternative way to reach the park but don't expect to see the canyon during your journey the train arrives around noon and passengers then have about three hours to visit the rim the free Blue Line bus can be used to get around the village and the red and orange lines used to go out on to the rims where there are better views keep in mind that the shuttles provide free mass transit so do expect them to be popular to avoid having to do things on your own consider purchasing a guided bus tour when buying your train ticket ahead of time to enjoy more that the park has to offer some visitors make plans to stay overnight then take the train back to Williams the following afternoon [Music] number 11 what about air tours today most visitors to Grand Canyon will not have to witness Boise aircraft covering about the airspace above the most popular vistas remains restricted however there are areas where scenic flights are permitted popular helicopter tours originate from Grand Canyon Airport just a few miles south of the National Park [Music] number twelve what's best to see with a limited amount of time the average visitor at Grand Canyon stays only two or three hours this is a mistake as you will most likely only see the canyon from the most visited spots like Mather point at the crowded visitor center if possible stay longer to visit other museums and historic sites if you have limited time and are passing through the area consider driving in from the east and exiting from the south or vice versa you can avoid congestion this way and still see great views from Grand View Moran Lipan or Desert View this will work out well for many travelers planning on seeing other monuments and parks on the Colorado Plateau [Music] [Music]

Channel: Canyon Raven

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Keywords: Grand Canyon, how to visit, tips, advice, Arizona, visit, tourism, tours, how to, national park

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Length: 13min 19sec (799 seconds)

Published: Fri Mar 16 2018