Arizona: The Grand Canyon

Four Hours Visiting The Grand Canyon

Updated 4/2021

I have an idea why the Grand Canyon is called “Grand”.    I theorize it’s because “Awesome Canyon” sounds more like stoner talk.  Joking aside, it is quite awesome and grand.   Recently, I was lucky enough to have a few hours to gaze wide-eyed at our big hole in the ground.  Since we (hubby & I) had only four precious hours, please follow along with what I found most important to see. 

Note: Follow CDC and all park guidelines when visiting.  Wear a mask and social distance.   

First Stop

The first place to stop for those with limited time would be the visitor’s center.  Don’t worry about missing it.  There are plenty of signs pointing the way.  There, we found information offering park rangers, giant exhibits (displaying the entire canyon, trip planners, canyon-related history, and science), and a movie theater.  The movie, Grand Canyon: A Journey of Wonder, is only 20 minutes, is free, and is full of fun facts and the history of the canyon.  We watched it at the end of our journey and enjoyed it very much.

 

The South Rim Visitor’s Center is a complex of several buildings.  There are public restrooms, a bookstore, and a grab & go café.  Bicycles are available for rent at the café as well.  

Beginning our journey, we grabbed a guide and a cup of coffee.  We decided to take a self-guided walking tour combined with the park’s free shuttles.  Thus, we set out for our first outlook, Mather Point, which is steps from the visitor’s center.  

 

The Vistas

Mather Point was amazing. Not only did it have breathtaking views from the rim wall, but there was also a rock amphitheater.  We climbed it to get the best view.  Truly breathtaking. 

Our ultimate goal was to reach the Yavapai Geology Museum, so we continued walking the south rim trail.  We passed many vistas along the way, each with amazing views.   It was exciting to note how the ever-changing light affected the colors in the canyon.   You could literally stand in the same spot taking pictures all day and each picture would display different tones.

The only issue I had was with the never-ending parade of selfie-takers.  The worst offenders carried long-telegraphing selfie poles blocking traffic and other’s views of the canyon.  I could not help but think that the Grand Canyon is one of the most beautiful places in the world and all the selfie fanatics want to do is to take pictures of themselves. 

Do they ever turn around to see the grandeur behind them?  Fascinating concept.

Yavapai Geology Museum

 

Visiting this museum was a perfect choice for me and should be for all information junkies.  The center of the building housed a physical model of the entire canyon.  Windows lining the north end offer a spectacular view of the canyon.  Below these windows are educational tools for learning more about what we see in the canyon today and many years in the past.  Actually, the entire museum is full of educational tools—huge 3D models and exhibits.  Many are interactive.   

I also enjoyed the small bookstore/gift shop.  I didn’t purchase anything but enjoyed browsing.   

 

Color-Coded Shuttles

There are four different shuttles with four different routes depicted by their individual colors—orange, blue, red, and purple.  Each arrives at its stops every fifteen minutes (grab a map).  Because of our limited time—plus my hubby wanted to visit the historic El Tovar Hotel—we took the blue bus to the Grand Canyon Village.  

If I were to return, I would also take the red bus to see more, like the Hopi and Mohave Points.  

The buses were comfortable, clean, and ran on time.  The bus drivers were good-natured and informative.

 

The El Tovar Hotel and Hopi House

Full and filled with history and old western charm, the dark pine and stone El Tovar sits right next to the south rim offering spectacular views. (Wiki)  We had originally planned to stay there, but we could not book quickly enough.  It tends to book up quickly and well into the future.  

We weren’t hungry for an entire meal, so we sat in the quaint bar for coffee.  My decaf was cool, but still passible.  The odd thing was that the server asked to scan our credit card before we received the coffees.  The bill was $8 + tax.    

The Hopi House, built to resemble a Hopi pueblo, looked authentic even though it was originally built as a store to sell Hopi crafts.  Today, many Native American wares are available there.  I was thrilled to enter the building and browse.  I found many beautiful items, like jewelry, rugs, and pottery.  Since I’ve always wanted a dreamcatcher, I settled on one I absolutely adore—very reasonably priced at $12.

Please Read

Motel Review: Quality Inn, Flagstaff, AZ

Hotel Review: Comfort Inn, Williams, Arizona

Navajo Reservation Experience