recommendations for kingman, Flagstaff, Sedona and the Grand Canyon

[Carl L]

Anyone who does not leave at least 24 hours at the Canyon to view the full cycle of the sun's affect on the perspective and shadows from the Rim should not bother with the Canyon at all.? ?

The poor soul who shows up at 11am and leaves at 2pm will be forever disappointed in the Canyon.? The shadows are attenuated, the sense of perspective is minimized, and a bluish haze, which is the color of 20 miles of oxygen, pervades views and photographs.
The Grand Canyon runs east-west thru the park.? ?It has its full glory in the rise of the sun at dawn and into the morning and in the setting after the descent in the late afternoon.

I am not guessing at the disappointment.? I have heard scores of disappointed folks forlornly staring at the noon hour Canyon and wondering what the fuss was all about.

 

[Wendy]

I am not guessing at the disappointment.? I have heard scores of disappointed folks forlorning staring at the noon hour Canyon and wondering what the fuss was all about.

Like the ranger said when asked by a visitor "I only have an hour to spend here, what should I do?" He replied "Go sit in your car and cry."

 

[Carl L]

Like the ranger said when asked by a visitor "I only have an hour to spend here, what should I do?" He replied "Go sit in your car and cry."

One wonders which is more important -- a train ride or one of the most glorious vistas on the face of the earth?    Spend a full day, dawn to dusk on the Rim.  And then go out and check it by moonlight.

 

[Wendy]

One wonders which is more important -- a train ride or one of the most glorious vistas on the face of the earth?? ? Spend a full day, dawn to dusk on the Rim.? ?And then go out and check it by moonlight.

And then go back at different times of the year. Grand Canyon is a completely different place in January than it is in August. She's a woman of many moods.

 

[artistrver]

Carl,  Your reply about the colors of the Grand Canyon sounds like you see things with an artist's eye.  Just like the best time to take photos is at both ends of the day and not anywhere near noon.

AKSnowbirds, We stayed at Black Bart's last November... I recommend it.  We had dinner at the caberet theatre too.  Food and the entertainment were both good. 

We also stayed in Sante Fe at the Santa Fe Skies Campground... Excellent! Gail

 

[Carl L]

And then go back at different times of the year. Grand Canyon is a completely different place in January than it is in August. She's a woman of many moods.

Been to the Canyon a load of times.  Been in the Canyon on four backpacks on the Tonto Rim.  Did one backpack on Thanksgiving where we went down the Grandview Trail and up the Kaibab.  Started out in 60? temps on the Tonto and arrived in the Kaibab parking lot in a driving blizzard and a foot of snow on the ground.  Hiked along the road till some kindly soul picked up up, being curious as to whatinthehell we four were doing out there.  Spent the night in a Greyhound  bus at the Village.  In the morning walked the overlook at the Bright Angel.  Snow about 1000 feet down into the Canyon.  Spectacular.

 

[Wendy]

We spent 3 days there last February. One day we went hiking along the rim, the canyon was in the clouds, and it started to snow. There were only 4 or 5 hearty souls out on the trails while the rest of the tourists huddled in their hotel rooms and RVs. They may have been warmer and drier than we were but they missed incredible views...glimpses of red rocks and canyon showing through the clouds, patches of snow, brief flashes of light when there would be a break in the clouds. Beat every other visit we'd had to Grand Canyon and we've been there pretty much every time of the year.

 

[colleenfl]

We are doing both a day for the train ride and a day of exploring the canyon ourselves. Why not both. Train ride will be quite an experince in itself we are doing the car that has the platform and the dome ceiling kids are looking forward to it my kids are 15 and 20



Colleen

 

[chas.watson]

We plan to do the same thing that Colleen is doing.  Train + RV visit, but first we are going to North Rim.  Any sage advice for that?

 

[Wendy]

We plan to do the same thing that Colleen is doing.? Train + RV visit, but first we are going to North Rim.? Any sage advice for that?

Have a reservation or get to the campground first thing in the morning and be prepared to wait for campers to leave. Or stay at Jacobs Lake (Forest Service) 45 miles away and drive into North Rim for the day.

Enjoy