Yet another grand canyon question

mjd190 said:

We recently stayed at Grand Canyon Camper Village in Tusayan.  It had easy access to the shuttle and we had no problems with the park.  It has been sold though, and I don't know how available it would be next year.  We were there 3 nights and for us it was probably 1 too many.  We did bike on the trail, and check out the viewpoints, but since I am afraid of heights, all the hiking trails were off limits to me.  We did Zion and Bryce after and I enjoyed both of them more than Grand Canyon. 
If you stay in Williams and take the train you will have limited time to explore the Grand Canyon

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yep if you aren't a hiker or photographer  you can only stare at a big hole in the ground so long.

beaverfever said:

yep if you aren't a hiker or photographer  you can only stare at a big hole in the ground so long.

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I am both a hiker and a photographer and I lived and worked that the canyon for about a month every year. I spent countless hours staring at the big hole in the ground and every single day I thought to myself that this is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I never got tired of looking at it and now that I am not there I miss it quite a bit. I have actually met a few people who told me they did not enjoy the canyon. It is just a hole in the ground. But they probably went home and loved watching soap operas. :

Everyone is different.  Some love beaches and some mountains, etc.  some like chocolate and some do not.  Just preferences.  To each their own.  No right or wrong in what beauty lies in the eyes of the beholders.

Peggyy,

You said you don't hike.  So other than a stroll along the nice paved pathway that follows the canyon wall near Grand Canyon Village (GCV)  there is not a lot to do or see at the South Rim that will take more than 2 days.  I am saying 2 full days viewing the South Rim.  That would be 3 nights at Trailer Village or Mather CG (no hookups, but much nicer than Trailer Village).

There are the overlooks to walk to when you get off the shuttle bus at the stops.  Then there are the overlooks as you drive east from GCV to Desert View.  At Desert View there is the tower to visit. 

Back at GCV there is the visitor center. 

Spending more than a couple of days there pretty much means going back to the places you visited before. 

IF you are inclined to go to the overlooks near sunrise/sunset or to walk the level paved walkways early or late in the day when the shadows really do a great job of highlighting the canyon and the colors in the cliffs, then this would be a reason to spend more than 2 full days there. 

Peggyy said:

Everyone is different.  Some love beaches and some mountains, etc.  some like chocolate and some do not.  Just preferences.  To each their own.  No right or wrong in what beauty lies in the eyes of the beholders.

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I know everyone is different and I did not say anyone was right or wrong. I am just shocked anyone can look at one of the seven wonders of the natural world and be so blase about it. ???

SeilerBird said:

I know everyone is different and I did not say anyone was right or wrong. I am just shocked anyone can look at one of the seven wonders of the natural world and be so blase about it. ???

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I know.  I agree with you.  I love it all! 

Interesting, everytime I go to the canyon I see different things. The more you look the more you see. I was there in March. I was in the second largest canyon in the US last week, Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas.
Bill

While I agree, the Grand Canyon is a fantastic natural wonder, there is a down side.  Unless you stay in the lodge or other motel facility at Grand Canyon Village, it is not easy to go to see the view of the wonderful canyon. 

On the other hand going to the southeastern Utah area you are able to park your RV in many, many spots where you can step out of your front door with coffee or evening beverage and watch the sunrise/sunset to your hearts content.  Additionally as you drive there are new and varied views around each bend. 

Bottom line, to me at least, there is far more to be seen and experienced in SE Utah than the south rim of the Grand Canyon. 

While everyone should visit the Grand Canyon, once you have been there, head to the Canyonlands for a more intimate experience. 

AStravelers said:

While I agree, the Grand Canyon is a fantastic natural wonder, there is a down side.  Unless you stay in the lodge or other motel facility at Grand Canyon Village, it is not easy to go to see the view of the wonderful canyon. 

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Huh? There are free shuttle buses that will take you to a dozen different places with spectacular views of the canyon. Or you can hike down in to the canyon on several trails.

AStravelers said:

While I agree, the Grand Canyon is a fantastic natural wonder, there is a down side.  Unless you stay in the lodge or other motel facility at Grand Canyon Village, it is not easy to go to see the view of the wonderful canyon. 

On the other hand going to the southeastern Utah area you are able to park your RV in many, many spots where you can step out of your front door with coffee or evening beverage and watch the sunrise/sunset to your hearts content.  Additionally as you drive there are new and varied views around each bend. 

Bottom line, to me at least, there is far more to be seen and experienced in SE Utah than the south rim of the Grand Canyon. 

While everyone should visit the Grand Canyon, once you have been there, head to the Canyonlands for a more intimate experience. 

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There are many places to view the various parts of the Grand Canyon that are easily accessible by car or shuttle bus. True, you can't view the canyon from your RV windows at your campsite, but I wouldn't want to see the rim lined with RV's anyway. It's a small price to pay to see the great beauty of this natural wonder.

AStravelers said:

While I agree, the Grand Canyon is a fantastic natural wonder, there is a down side.  Unless you stay in the lodge or other motel facility at Grand Canyon Village, it is not easy to go to see the view of the wonderful canyon. 

On the other hand going to the southeastern Utah area you are able to park your RV in many, many spots where you can step out of your front door with coffee or evening beverage and watch the sunrise/sunset to your hearts content.  Additionally as you drive there are new and varied views around each bend. 

Bottom line, to me at least, there is far more to be seen and experienced in SE Utah than the south rim of the Grand Canyon. 

While everyone should visit the Grand Canyon, once you have been there, head to the Canyonlands for a more intimate experience.

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Where did you camp in se utah?  Anywhere specific you recommend?

NY_Dutch said:

There are many places to view the various parts of the Grand Canyon that are easily accessible by car or shuttle bus. True, you can't view the canyon from your RV windows at your campsite, but I wouldn't want to see the rim lined with RV's anyway. It's a small price to pay to see the great beauty of this natural wonder.

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I agree totally, I wouldn't want the rim of the canyon lined with RV's either. 

The point is, that while the GC is a fantastic view, you have to spend several minutes to a half hour or more to go to the view or views you have selected.  Once there you can stand (or maybe sit) and admire the view, which is fantastic.  Once you finish your viewing you have the travel back to your RV.  If you are in Trailer Village you now have the view of the RV next to you.  Not wonderful!  Better if you are in Mather CG now you have nice trees and hopefully birds to view. 

Once you have seen the GC, head over to SE Utah.  Find a nice boondocking spot.  Sit outside your RV and watch the shadows and color light up the country side for an hour or two in morning and again in evening from the comfort of your recliner.  Or go take a walk near your RV if you like.  Or drive your car/truck down a different road for different views every day for several days to a week or more. 

Of course different people want different things. 

Peggyy said:

Where did you camp in se utah?  Anywhere specific you recommend?

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We used OK RV Park outside of Moab as base camp for Canyonlands and Arches.
OK RV Park, 3310 Spanish Valley Dr, Moab, UT 84532, okrvpark.com, (435) 259-1400.
When in Moab try Pasta Jay's on the main drag. it was good enough we are there a couple of times.
Pasta Jay's, 4 S Main St, Moab, UT 84532, pastajay.com, (435) 259-2900
Don't miss seeing all 4 sections of Canyonlands.
https://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/placestogo.htm
Bill

AStravelers said:

While I agree, the Grand Canyon is a fantastic natural wonder, there is a down side.  Unless you stay in the lodge or other motel facility at Grand Canyon Village, it is not easy to go to see the view of the wonderful canyon. 

On the other hand going to the southeastern Utah area you are able to park your RV in many, many spots where you can step out of your front door with coffee or evening beverage and watch the sunrise/sunset to your hearts content.  Additionally as you drive there are new and varied views around each bend. 

Bottom line, to me at least, there is far more to be seen and experienced in SE Utah than the south rim of the Grand Canyon. 

While everyone should visit the Grand Canyon, once you have been there, head to the Canyonlands for a more intimate experience.

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I see your toad is a 4x4.  First thing, ditch the south rim and go instead to the north rim of the canyon.  There are probably 1000 miles of forest roads to cruise and many places where you can get to the rim in your toad and park right on the edge if you so desire.  There are also many dispersed camping sites right on the rim.
Also only a couple hour drive from Zion and Bryce.
My own two personal favorite view points are both about 35-40 miles off the pavement.  Both are actually about that distance from our campground, but they're over 100 "river miles" apart. 
Nothing like looking out over the canyon at sunrise or sunset with no other companion save the sounds of nature.

Old_Crow said:

I see your toad is a 4x4.  First thing, ditch the south rim and go instead to the north rim of the canyon.  There are probably 1000 miles of forest roads to cruise and many places where you can get to the rim in your toad and park right on the edge if you so desire.  There are also many dispersed camping sites right on the rim.
Also only a couple hour drive from Zion and Bryce.
My own two personal favorite view points are both about 35-40 miles off the pavement.  Both are actually about that distance from our campground, but they're over 100 "river miles" apart. 
Nothing like looking out over the canyon at sunrise or sunset with no other companion save the sounds of nature.

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Any places like that you can get to in the RV?

Depends on how crazy you are. 
I know several spots where I've seen 5er's parked that were walking distance to the rim(say basically across the road). 
There's plenty of spots out in the woods you could put a good sized coach or trailer and not see anyone for a week or more.  Was talking to one guy and we were the first people he'd seen in 4 days.  He was tent camping right on the rim at a spot probably 20 miles off the pavement.

muskoka guy said:

Sedona is a short drive to the south from Flagstaff. Very scenic area. Take the toad, the road is not rv friendly. To the north of the Grand Canyon is Page Arizona. I think its about a two hour drive. It has the slot canyons, horseshoe bend in the Colorado River, as well as the Glen Canyon Dam. The dam is within a few feet of being as big as Hoover Dam. Not far from Page, you are into Utah which has Monument Valley, and lots of National Parks like Zion and Bryce canyon. When we went to the Grand Canyon, we had three days scheduled. Next time I go back, Im going to make it at least a week. Of our 6000 mile tour last year, the Flagstaff-Grand Canyon area was the most scenic.

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this is what i did last year.  i don't have a camper yet though.  I loved Flagstaff! but Sedona is a must see.  i drove up very early from Sedona area to the GC and saw the South Rim in one day.  it really depends on the type of person you are. do you like to take your time?  are you going to go to the North Rim too?  i did another one day drive up to Page, AZ and did the River boat tour and Antelope Canyon. So cool.  i will also go back and do the north side and check out Utah parks more.