Get to the Grand Canyon
I’ll never understand the people that call the Grand Canyon “just a really big hole.” I’m always captivated by its massive scale, how tiny and insignificant it makes me feel, and it never quite sinks in that all of that barren landscape used to be under an ocean. It also serves as a great reminder of all the work we have to do to protect the oceans that make our planet habitable, because we aren’t in good shape if the less outdoorsy of us have to live in those inhospitable conditions. I’ve been to the Grand Canyon a couple times, once on that cross country road trip with my dad, once on a really cool Maverick Helicopter tour on a business trip to Vegas, the Horseshoe Bend visit on my trip to Page, but what I really wanted this trip was to see the sunrise over the canyon.
Full disclosure, we got comped this excursion several years ago, but it was without question worth the price tag of the experience. We flew over the vegas strip, the Hoover Dam, landed in the Grand Canyon for a champagne brunch, and our incredible pilot, Matt, had curated hands down the best paired playlist in existence. I honestly didn’t think it could be topped, so I didn’t plan for a big Grand Canyon adventure this trip.
Sabrina, the sweet neighbor that helps with occasional puppy let outs, said I wasn’t allowed to leave without experiencing sunrise over the natural wonder. The Grand Canyon is like a choose your own adventure. The South Rim is technically more popular because it is more accessible to Vegas and Phoenix. The North Rim is the side of the canyon that people doing the Utah parks usually hit. The North Rim has a short season and is only open mid-May to mid-October, so that helped narrow down my search for sunrise locations. Like any true Millennial, I had to google the best places to catch the sunrise in the South Rim. I wasn’t about to set an alarm for 3:30AM, drive 2 hours and catch a dud sunrise… or worse, sleep stumble into the abyss. This video was a huge help and I felt prepared for my dark:30 adventure. While the North Rim closes in off-peak season, the South Rim closes the main road through the park during peak season and you’ll have to take the shuttles around. I narrowed it down to Yavapai Point and Mather Point because I wasn’t about to mess with catching a park bus in the dark and the extra time to allot for that.
I woke up naturally at 3:15, took care of the pets, and hopped in the car. I arrived at 5:35 with a 6:15 sunrise time, and dawn was already breaking. There was a considerable amount of light by the time I got to Yavapai Point. I decided I didn’t want to deal with the crowds at Mather and that being less than 5 minutes away, I could go there second and miss the masses. I knew it was going to be cold and not particularly comfortable, but even in fleece lined pants, layered shirt/sweater/northface/scarf, I was still shivering out there. Bring a blanket or a parka, pack a picnic, get gas somewhere else because options were OBSCENE and severely limited near the entrance.
It wasn’t just the cold that kept me moving. I wandered around the viewing area and found a couple different vantage points that I enjoyed for different reasons. Most people seemed to claim a spot and stay put, I think those of us that explored had more fun. We were certainly warmer.
Once the sun rose, I moseyed over to Mather Point and it was about 30x more crowded than Yavapai, but nothing like the photos that I had seen of masses of people on all of the railings. The views were a bit more varied and expansive, but not necessarily “better.” I explored a bit, but I was pretty ready to head back and nap with my four legged friends.
You might someday be able to convince me to try white water rafting the canyon. I really don’t enjoy boats, and the idea of riding one that is gunning for rough water seems insane to me. I’m scared of it, but it’s something I’m working up the nerve to do. I was really tempted in Taos, it was just too cold this time. Despite the promised pretty scenery, seeing that two rafters have died in recent weeks in the canyon… I’m still holding off. I’m never going to be one of those people that shleps a backpack down there for days of roughing it. I was honestly a little horrified reading the trail boards at the Visitor’s center. Water shut off, bathrooms closed, ice on trails, dangerous wildlife spotted… pass. I’ll gladly stick to scenic overlooks and meander along the edge, I don’t feel any inclination to enter the belly of the beast on my own. I’m accident prone, and really navigationally challenged. But if that’s your thing, more power to you. This trip was short, sweet, and sunrise was exactly what I wanted.
I was heading back to Flagstaff and had to whip into the parking lot for Raptor Ranch/Bedrock City. I had completely forgotten that my dad and I had stayed here on our road trip many (many) moons ago. Even a prehistoric park can look a little shabby 30 years later, so it was a little bittersweet to see. If you have any Flinstones nostalgia, it’s probably worth the $8 for you to go take a look. I absolutely loved it as a kid, and it made me smile to see it again.
It’s kind of a pain in the ass to purchase a National Park pass online, and you won’t be able to buy one from the after-hours kiosk when you enter the park for sun rise. Its $30 each day, and if you plan on visiting more than one day, or checking out another park (I highly recommend the Petrified Forest), it’s worth investing the $80 for the year. Save your receipt and you can upgrade your ticket at the gift shops or when the gates are manned. I upgraded mine at Petrified Forest knowing that between these two Arizona parks and my trip to Joshua Tree next week, the pass would pay for itself. Added bonus is that the ranger told me you can share your pass with family and friends. Score!
There are a lot of really great resources out there for the outdoor enthusiasts, wildlife peepers, and die hard park people. If you can afford, I’d give the Maverick helicopter tours a 5 star review. If you are a thrill seeker, even I find the rafting trips tempting. If you are crushed for time, pop into a few view points. I loathe mornings, but bound out of bed for an adventure. This one was well worth it, even with a dark:30 wakeup call.
