If you guys follow me on Instagram you probably noticed that we went on vacation a few weeks ago! My husband gets 2 weeks off a year (at predetermined times) and October was one of his vacation months. We really struggled picking a place and then decided we would do a National Parks vacation – and picked the Grand Canyon and Zion! Today I’m going to share what we did in the canyon, some tips and tricks, and our overall thoughts on it. Next week I’ll share my thoughts on Zion so be sure to check back!
Getting There
The Grand Canyon is not super close to big cities – which is pretty dang obvious. You’re going to have to have a car to get there on your own. We went to the South Rim which is the main hub of activities and easier to get to. You can take some buses or go with a tour group, but you’ll still have to come from Flagstaff or Las Vegas.
We drove from Phoenix and it was about a 3 hour drive (without stops). We stopped for lunch in Flagstaff and then drove to the South Rim entrance. You pay the entrance fee to get in and then are free to drive wherever you want! Since we went in October the lines weren’t very long to enter, but I can’t even imagine what it’s like on summer weekends.
One side note – the drive to the canyon can be super desolate. Don’t let your gas tank get near empty because you could go 50+ miles without a gas station. This is a foreign concept to people who grew up on the East Coast or in Cali (I know someone from Cali who ran out of gas in rural Wisconsin because she assumed there would be a stop every few miles! Not so!) so just be smart about it. We never let our gas get below a half tank.
See more information about getting to the South Rim here.
Where to Stay
Originally we reserved a room outside the Grand Canyon because everything on the South Rim was sold out. I kept watching for cancellations and jumped when there when a room opened up at the Kachina Lodge! It is RIGHT on the south rim and half the rooms look out over it – like ours! It was the best location and I’m so happy we stayed there. The rooms has been updated but it’s still cement block/60s design – but honestly, you’re not there to sit in your hotel. So I 100% recommend staying in the park! You can park your car, walk around, and not worry about entering and exiting (and those lines).
There are multiple lodges within the park that you can stay in – I recommend reserving pretty far in advance or being flexible with last-minute cancelations. You do pay a premium to be in the park but it’s pretty comparable prices to everything outside (the closest hotels are right outside the South Rim entrance).
What to Do
Get up for Sunrise
It was easy to get up for sunrise since we were staying in the park, and it was so magical to see the sun come over the canyon. The rocks lit up as the sun rose and it was great to watch. Plus it was quiet, we had coffee, and there weren’t many people.
Hike!
Of course you have to hike when you come to the Grand Canyon! The only way to really experience the size of the Grand Canyon is to start hiking down. Those areas that looked “so close” are suddenly miles and miles away when you start hiking. We hiked three miles into the canyon and didn’t even make it to a flat area – it was pure downhill! Whether you just walk the Rim Trail or you go Rim to Rim, there’s a hike for everyone. We went down 6 miles on the Bright Angel trail and it was amazing – we left around 7:30 am and had few crowds and were in the shade. I sounded like a broken record the whole time because I kept saying “this is so amazing!”
The hike down definitely tricks you into thinking it will be easy – and the hike back up is brutal. Some important things to remember for hiking:
- It is hotter in the canyon than on the rim! Temps can be 20 degrees different, so be prepared
- If you’re hiking in the summer DON’T hike in midday.
- Bring water! You will need it! People die of dehydration on day hikes almost every year (someone died August 2017 from dehydration on the South Kaibab trail). Be smart and don’t push yourself! I don’t want to sound like a debbie downer, but it’s legit hiking and don’t get cocky. We both had Camelbaks and filled up with water at the rest stations.
Explore after the crowds leave
We went out and walked along the rim trail around 6pm and it quieted down so much! All the tour groups had left and we walked without running into other people. It was awesome to just walk along the rim and soak in the sights on our first day there. This (to me) confirmed our decision to stay in the park instead of outside it. The Grand Canyon is such a fantastic sight and you don’t want to fight crowds to see it!
What to Pack
Hiking clothes and casual outfits! It’s definitely not a fancy place – UNLESS you dine at El Tovar (then you need a pretty formal outfit). I wore leggings, a workout top, pullover, and jacket for hiking. I had hiking boots, a hat, and my camelbak too.
Overall Thoughts
Words CANNOT describe the Grand Canyon. I honestly went into the trip thinking it would be cool, but I wasn’t prepared for how awestruck I was. It is beyond description and purely amazing! I actually started laughing when it came into view because I was so amazed. I have told everyone who has asked that they need to go. It really does deserve a trip and I wish we had been there longer!
So if you’re thinking about it, GO! It is out of the way but so worth it. I’ve never experienced the same feelings at any other natural wonder – this trumps them all. Everyone I talked to who had been there knew the feeling I was trying to describe and had felt it too. You will not regret it and it will be amazing!
I hope the above was helpful – there is so much I wanted to share! Please let me know if you have any follow up questions below – I’m happy to answer anything!
