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Aptly named, the Grand Canyon is simply overwhelming, both in its size and beauty. Stand at either rim, north or south, and you gain a perspective guaranteed to humble, to remind the average human being that freeway congestion, dead cell phone batteries and lost Little League games are minor annoyances. But the Grand Canyon is much more than a trench, much more than anything a simple 10-minute peer over the rim could ever reveal. Yet, that peer, plus a visit to a gift shop is all that most of the 5 million annual visitors afford themselves. The Grand Canyon is a place where countless visitors claim that the world's best sunsets are found, usually in the fall when the fading sunlight turns the canyon walls into a blaze of red rock. This we know: In the canyon, no two days are ever the same. It is the rocks that help make this canyon unique. The rocks in the canyon walls provide a remarkable record of the Paleozoic Era (550-250 million years ago) and scattered remnants of Precambrian rocks as old as 2,000 million years also can be found at the bottom of the canyon. If the rocks make the canyon unique, it is the Colorado River that makes it grand. The history of the Colorado is the most complex aspect of the Grand Canyon formation. Scientists do know that the erosion that carved the canyon has occurred in the past 5-6 million years, the blink of any eye in geologic terms. As with all other aspects of the Earth, the Grand Canyon continues to grow and change. So as long as rain and snow continue to fall, the forces of erosion will continue to shape this magnificent wonder. Weather and Critters The climate at the Grand Canyon is officially classified as semi-arid, with the South Rim receiving 15 inches of precipitation each year, only slightly more than Orange County. The bottom of the canyon receives even less, just 8 inches per year. Because of snow and unpredictable weather, the North Rim is closed from early October to mid-May. The park is home to a wide variety of animals and fish, including many endangered species. Mule deer are common throughout the park. Desert bighorn inhabit the remote slopes of the inner canyon but are occasionally seen on park trails. Bobcats and coyotes roam from rim to river, and a small population of mountain lions lives in the park. Among the smaller mammals that inhabit the Grand Canyon are ringtails (closely related to raccoons), beavers, gophers, chipmunks, several varieties of squirrels, rabbits and bats. Reptiles and amphibians are represented by a wide variety of lizards, snakes (including the unique Grand Canyon "pink" rattlesnake), turtles, frogs, toads and salamanders. Hundreds of species of birds also make their home in the park. The Canyon by the numbers Running through the numbers of the Grand Canyon underline its significance. The Grand Canyon National Park includes over 1 million acres of land, or 1,904 square miles. The Canyon itself is 277 miles long, beginning at Lees Ferry and ending at Grand Wash Cliffs. The Colorado River is longer than the Grand Canyon, flowing 1,450 miles from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to the Gulf of California in Mexico. Although it is the most majestic, the Grand Canyon is only one of many beautiful canyons carved by the river. There exists on Earth no other place quite like it. The width and depth of the canyon vary as widely as the colors of the rock walls. At the South Rim, near Grand Canyon Village, it's a vertical mile (about 5,000 feet) from rim to river, or seven miles by trail. At its deepest, the canyon is 6,000 vertical feet from rim to river. The width of the canyon at Grand Canyon Village is 10 miles (rim to rim), though in places it is as much as 18 miles wide. A trip to the bottom of the canyon and back (on foot or by mule, a popular way to travel) is a two-day journey. Rim-to-rim hikers generally take three days, one way, to get from the North Rim to the South Rim and a trip through the Grand Canyon by raft can take two weeks or longer. Experienced backpackers have spent weeks in the more remote areas of the canyon, never failing to find new areas to explore. Getting there Access to the Grand Canyon is fairly easy, particularly to the South Rim, which has no "Dramamine moments" to contend with. From Orange County or the Inland Empire, there is one route that is favored. Taking I-15) to I-40 offers the most direct route to the South Rim, the canyon's most popular side. I-40 takes families to Williams in approximately eight hours. From Flagstaff, it is about a one-hour drive north on state roads 84 and 180 to Grand Canyon Village. But driving another 30 miles on I-40 to the city of Flagstaff increases the options for accommodations. From Flagstaff, take State Route 180 to Grand Canyon Village. The road less traveled takes you to the North Rim. And although it may add 2-3 hours to the trip, the North Rim offers fewer crowds and, many claim, even more spectacular views. To get to the North Rim, continue on I-15 through Las Vegas to State Route 17. That will connect with State Route 9, followed by State Routes 89 and 87, which lead to the North Rim. This route is closed in the winter. A popular option is to make the town of Williams a base camp for excursions into the park. While Williams may not have the breadth and depth of lodging options as Flagstaff, it does have the famous train that will take you steps away from the rim. The train runs all year and includes round-trip transportation (two hours each way), snack and a re-enactment of a frontier train robbery. Once at the rim, you have three hours to visit and view. The cost is $80 per adult and $40 per child. The Railroad Express offers bus service for people who only want a one-way trip on the vintage train. Riders have three hours to visit the Canyon Village area of the park. The train leaves the South Rim at 3:15 p.m. and arrives back at Williams at 5:45 p.m. To ride on the train one way in the morning from Williams, contact any lodge transportation desk within the park. To ride on the train one way in the afternoon, contact Grand Canyon Railway at: 800-843-8724. Where to stay Mike and Debbie Wapner and their two children, Mia and Max, took a trip to the Grand Canyon last January in the dead of winter. For Mike, 43, the canyon's call was unavoidable. "I had never been to the Grand Canyon and decided it was one of the things I wanted to see before I die." Following their usual vacation M.O., the Wapners decided to save money on accommodations and splurge on meals and other aspects of a family vacation. That cost-conscious attitude landed them in Flagstaff, where affordable accommodations were plentiful. But that wasn't the only reason for the Wapner's choice. "We decided on Flagstaff because it was a bigger town with more things to do. When we got there, we picked a Motel 6 at random and got two rooms for $23 each per night, using a promotion I found online." Visitors who want to stay inside the park face the problem of too many people wanting to book too few rooms. The least affordable and most luxurious accommodation in the park is El Tovar Hotel, the premier lodging facility at the Grand Canyon and a Registered Historical Landmark. El Tovar opened its doors in 1905 and was renovated in 1998. The El Tovar has hosted such guests as Theodore Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, author Zane Grey, and many others. Located on the Canyon rim, it features a formal dining room, lounge and curio shop with a newsstand. El Tovar offers its guests concierge, turn-down and room services. Room rates range from $120 to $180 per night based upon double occupancy, suites from $201 to $287, plus tax. For more than two people, add $11 for each additional person. Children under 16 stay free, with an adult. Bright Angel Lodge, constructed in 1936, has a natural, rustic character, and is another Registered National Historic Landmark. Designed by famed architect Mary E. J. Colter, it is a popular place to stay and has become the center of South Rim activity. Located just a few feet from the Canyon rim, Bright Angel Lodge is the starting point for the canyon's popular mule rides. Bright Angel Lodge has a family-style restaurant, and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as the Arizona Steakhouse, which features superb hand-cut steaks, seafood, and Western barbecue (the Arizona Steakhouse is closed in January and February). During the warm summer months, the lodge offers an old-fashioned ice cream fountain. Bright Angel's extensive services include a transportation/activities desk in the lobby, as well as a gift shop, lounge, and history room. Accommodations include lodge rooms (TV not available, some without a private bath) and cabin rooms (all with television and private bath). Smoking and non-smoking rooms are available. All rooms are equipped with telephone and most have only one bed. Rates for rooms at Bright Angel range from $49 to $69; the cabins range between $79 and $237, plus tax, based upon double occupancy. For more than two people, add $9 for each additional person. Children under 16 stay free, with an adult. Combining affordability, location and amenities, the Kachina and Thunderbird are twin contemporary lodges that may be the best option for visiting families. Located on the Canyon rim, half of the rooms at the Kachina and Thunderbird Lodges face the Canyon and have two queen beds, television, and a telephone. The lodges offer easy walking access to the dining facilities at either El Tovar or Bright Angel Lodge. Room rates range from $119 to $129, plus tax, based upon double occupancy and location. For more than two people, add $9 for each additional person. Children under 16 stay free, with an adult. The lodges may not have the charm of their Historical Landmark neighbors, but they are quite family-friendly. Moving slightly away from the Canyon's edge is the Maswik Lodge, a modern facility spread over several acres of ponderosa pine forest, located just 1Ñ4-mile from the rim. Maswik Lodge has a cafeteria and a sports bar with a wide screen TV, plus a curio shop stocked with handicrafts and gifts, as well as a transportation/activities desk. Most of the rooms at the lodge are spacious motel-style rooms with either two double beds or two queen beds, a full bath, telephone, and television. In the summer season, cabins equipped with television and telephone services are also available. The cabins have two double beds and a shower. The seasonal cabins are $69 and the room rates range from $79 to $121, plus tax, based upon double occupancy. Add $7 for each additional person in a cabin, $9 for each additional person in a room. Children under 16 stay free, with an adult. Still further away but within walking distance is Yavapai Lodge, the largest facility in Grand Canyon National Park Lodge. Yavapai Lodge is surrounded by pinyon and juniper woodlands, about 1Ñ2-mile from the rim. With modern rooms and many services within a few steps, this is a popular choice for families, despite not being located on the rim. Yavapai Lodge is located next to the Mather Business Center, which includes a general store, bank, and U.S. Post Office, the National Park Service Visitor Center and a coin-operated laundry within 1Ñ2-mile of the lodge. Yavapai Lodge guests can dine in a cafeteria that is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Yavapai rooms have either two double beds or two queen beds. All rooms have television, telephone, and full baths. Yavapai Lodge is normally open March through November and during winter holiday seasons. Room rates range from $92 to $105, plus tax, based upon double occupancy. Add $9 for each additional person. Children under 16 stay free, with an adult. On the south rim of the Grand Canyon, tucked away in the tiny village of Tusayan, Ariz., is the Grand Hotel. Located at the main South Rim Park Entrance, about five miles away from the rim, the Grand Hotel is a large facility with family-style friendliness. Room rates for summer: $129 and up; Off-season: $99 and up. The only lodging below the canyon rim is Phantom Ranch, tucked in beside Bright Angel Creek on the north side of the Colorado River. Open all year, Phantom Ranch is a popular stopover point for hikers and mule riders traveling to the bottom of the Canyon via the famous Bright Angel or South Kaibab trails. Overnight accommodations at Phantom Ranch consist of dormitory spaces and cabins. Cabins and dormitories are heated and utilize evaporative cooling during the summer months. Bedding, soap, towels, shampoo, and showers are provided for overnight guests. Dormitories are separate for women and men - each has 10 bunk beds, a shower, and restroom. Phantom Ranch's 11 unique, rustic cabins, made of wood and uncut river boulders, were designed by Mary E. J. Colter and completed by workmen in 1922. Each cabin has a set of bunk beds, a cold water sink, and toilet. Showers are provided at a central location. For dining, there is the Phantom Ranch Canteen where meals, beverages, and sundries are available for adventurous travelers who journey to the bottom of the Canyon. Meals must be reserved well in advance of your descent. Cabin accommodations at Phantom Ranch are included with the 2-day mule trips, while dormitory-style lodging is available to backpackers. A National Park Service campground is also located nearby and requires a back-country permit. A back-country permit is not required for people staying in Phantom Ranch dorms or cabins. Phantom Ranch is very popular and is now running a reservation list almost two years in advance. If you are traveling via RV, Trailer Village is only 1Ñ2-mile from the rim of the Canyon. Trailer Village offers pull-through, paved sites with full hookups for recreational vehicles up to 50 feet in length. Each site features a picnic table, barbecue grill, 35-amp electrical service, and water and sewage hook-ups. Camper services nearby offer coin-operated showers, laundry facilities, vending machines, and telephones. Trailer Village is open all year. Spaces are $24 plus tax per night based on double occupancy. Add $2 for each additional person. Children under 16 stay free, with an adult. For reservations and information: 866.646.0388. What to see and do The South Rim offers an extensive assortment of family activities, including guided tours, biking, airplane and helicopter rides, mule trips and more. The best way to start is by checking in at one of the several visitor or exhibit centers that can provide information and historical background. The South Rim Visitor Center is the most popular. It is located just east of Grand Canyon Village, approximately six miles north of the south entrance station. Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, longer hours during peak season. On the North Rim, visit the North Rim Visitor Center adjacent to the parking lot on Bright Angel Peninsula. This center offers both park and regional information, maps, brochures, exhibits, and a bookstore. The North Rim Visitor Center is open mid-May to mid-October, from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Interpretive programs are offered during high season. Another option is the Kaibab Plateau Visitor Center at Jacob Lake, 45 miles north of the North Rim. The Kaibab Plateau Visitor Center offers information, exhibits, and ranger programs. Open 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. The Grand Canyon has many activity options for both adults and children. Many of the best activities are led by park rangers and involve short, easy walks that even the youngest children can manage. "Glimpses of the Past" is a ranger-led walk and talk that discusses the ancient people who called Grand Canyon home 800 years ago. You'll take a short walk on a flat, paved trail that affords access to the ruins of an ancestral Pueblo (Anasazi) village. Allow 45 minutes. Glimpses of the Past meets at Tusayan Museum at 9:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. daily. Perhaps the most popular walk and talk is the "Spirit of Sunset." Rangers invite guests to watch the ever-changing colors of a sunset and explore one of the canyon's many secrets. Warm clothing and sturdy footwear are suggested for this 1/2-mile walk. The "Spirit of Sunset" meets at Desert View Point, 60 minutes before sunset each day. Both the "Glimpses of the Past" and "Spirit of the Sunset" are easy enough for the youngest children. Grand Canyon National Park also offers three Junior Ranger options. Kids who complete a Junior Ranger program receive a certificate and a badge resembling the one worn by real park rangers. There are three ways for kids to complete the requirements and be sworn in as a Grand Canyon National Park Junior Ranger: 1. Ravens, Coyotes, and Scorpions: Kids age 4-14 can pick up the Junior Ranger Magazine at Canyon View Information Plaza and complete the requirements listed in the magazine for their age group. Requirements include completing word puzzles, answering questions about the park, and attending a ranger-led program. (Ravens for ages 4-7; Coyotes for ages 8-10; and Scorpions for ages 11-14.) 2. Dynamic Earth Junior Ranger: Dynamic Earth is offered between May 27 and September 3 for children ages 9-14. They must attend the Dynamic Earth Program offered Sunday, Tuesday, or Thursday at 10:00 a.m. They will join a park ranger and hike along the rim of the Grand Canyon. Through hands-on activities, they will discover how the forces of nature created rock, uplift, and erosion to form the Grand Canyon. 3. The Discovery Pack: Also offered only between May 27 and Sept. 3 for kids 9-14, this option allows families to explore the wonders of Grand Canyon ecology. After attending a one-hour, ranger-led program, kids can check out a "Discovery Pack" for the day, which consists of binoculars, a hand lens, field guides, and other important tools of a real Park Ranger. This program is offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 a.m. and is limited to 30 families. Take a hike or your bike The most popular activity in the park is walking and hiking with dozens of options available. Some of the easier, family-friendly walks are found on the Bright Angel Trail which starts near the Bright Angel Lodge. The Bright Angel trail offers wonderful views all along the trail, with hikes up to 12 miles round trip. The easiest hikes for even the youngest children are: 1. First Tunnel Hike: round trip, .36/mile. 2. First Switchback Hike: Not too steep, good for a view in the canyon. Round trip, .9/mile. 3. Second Tunnel Hike: Good turn-around point for small children. Round trip, 1.5 miles. Check with the rangers at a visitor center for some of the many other hiking options, and always remember to bring water. Grand Canyon National Park is not a particularly bike-friendly atmosphere. For example, bicycles are not yet available for rent in the park and are prohibited on park trails. Bicyclists are permitted on all park-paved and unpaved roads open to automobile traffic and must obey all traffic regulations. Hermit Road on the South Rim is open to bicycles throughout the year, but be aware that during the summer months there is heavy bus traffic. Hermit Road is narrow and bicyclists are encouraged to pull to the right shoulder of the road and dismount when large vehicles are attempting to pass. Mule rides to the river The popular mule rides are a two-day trip to the Colorado River and back up to the South Rim. Overnight riders stay and eat at Phantom Ranch. A one-day trip is also offered which goes part way to the river stopping at Plateau Point on the Bright Angel Trail. Mule trips fill up early, often up to 23 months in advance, although there are cancellations. A waiting list is maintained for cancellations, but chances of obtaining reservations on the waiting list are slim. There are no specific age minimums, only size restrictions and requirements. Mule riders must not weigh more than 200 pounds fully dressed and must be at least 4 feet 7 inches tall and in good physical condition. Mule rides from the South Rim are arranged through Xanterra Parks & Resorts, formerly known as Amfac Parks & Resorts. Call: 928.638.2631. North Rim mule trips do not go to the river. Options include one-hour rides along the rim ($15 ) and half-day rim or inner canyon trips ($40). These are usually available on a daily basis. Full-day trips into the canyon include lunch ($95). Register in the lobby of the Grand Canyon Lodge at the Grand Canyon Trail Rides desk; open 7 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. For reservations, call Grand Canyon Trail Rides: 435.679.8665. Unlimited beauty and activities Many of the accommodations in and around the canyon offer swimming and play areas, too. Whatever age your children are, there is sure to be a host of activities to keep them happy and interested. They will walk away with lasting memories of one of the most beautiful places on Earth. As Mike Wapner said, "We were at the South Rim two hours on a winter day. But even if we had been there only 15 minutes, it would have been worth the trip." Steve Smith of Costa Mesa is a frequent traveler. History Revealed Up the Spine of the Sierra on U.S. 395 By Genevieve Anton Each time our family drives to Lake Tahoe or Yosemite National Park, we have the same debate: Do we zip up I-5 or wind our way along U.S. 395? It's more than a timing issue; it's a choice for the heart. The straight six-lane efficiency of an interstate clearly beats the narrow and wandering highway that passes through every little town, with traffic lights and annoying RVs slowing down traffic for miles. But there is something about driving along Highway 395 up the spine of the Sierra that resonates with the soul. Flanked by 14,000-foot peaks on either side, the highway passes through the high desert flanked by groves of Joshua trees, sleepy outposts and colorful volcanic cliffs and boulders strewn about the ground. Notorious remnants of California's past call out to be explored: The lifeless Owens Valley sucked dry by the Los Angeles Aqueduct, the World War II Japanese internment camp Manzanar, and the former mining town of Bodie, known for its bad climate and bad men. The entire route speaks to our western heritage - from geological wonders to authentic ghost towns to beef jerky. For our family, this is where California's true west begins. So we get in the car and head northeast toward Highway 395, promising ourselves that for the sake of convenience and speed, we'll return home on the interstate. Shortly after we break away from I-15 near Victorville, our 6-year-old son, Christopher, is ready for his favorite part of the long drive. As the highway skirts the edge of the Mojave Desert through an expanse of Joshua trees, it inexplicably starts to undulate beneath our tires. The series of subtle hills and dips gives the sensation of a toddler-strength roller coaster, a small thrill that signals the adventure has begun. The region's geological origins emerge around Little Lake, surrounded by black volcanic cliffs. Huge chunks of lava rock dot the landscape and a few miles north a landmark cone of red cinders rises out of the desert. Just north of the private lake is Fossil Falls, an ancient river gorge with a labyrinth of hard lava. When we reach Olancha, a former stagecoach station, we turn east on California 190 to explore the alkaline flat called Owens Lake. Water made the West what it is today, and nowhere is the tinkering of man with nature more evident. The Los Angeles Aqueduct began siphoning off the water in this traditional farming community in 1913, and the lake that once filled 100 square miles eventually was sucked dry. The lake loop reconnects with 395 at a visitor center that offers books, maps and displays about the area. Here we usually go over the morning's history lesson with the kids. We try to find answers to all those questions they asked along the way that made us realize how little we really knew about California's past. The visitor center also offers a glimpse of Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 states. We like to get a little closer by driving on to Lone Pine, picking up sandwiches and heading west on Whitney Portal Road. My husband, Mike-the-movie-buff, loves this sidetrip because it takes us through the Alabama Hills, a backdrop for many Western films starring legends such as Roy Rogers, John Wayne and Gene Autry. After 13 miles, we reach a picnic area surrounded by creeks and trailheads that can take you deep into the Eastern Sierra or offer a light walk after lunch. One of the strongest of California earthquakes hit Lone Pine in 1872 and the gravesite for its 16 victims is just north of the town. Relics of another human tragedy lie 10 miles up 395 at the former Manzanar relocation camp, where the U.S. government confined more than 10,000 people of Japanese descent during World War II. The largest town in Owens Valley is Bishop, a good place to stop over for the night unless you plan on pushing through to Mammoth Lakes. We watched the local fireworks there on the rodeo grounds one year sitting on the hood of our car on a back road that we heard about from locals. It was better than paying to sit in the crowded stands. Lots of people have heard about the famous beef jerky along 395. Highway signs read: "Really Good Fresh Beef Jerky." We stopped once at a roadside stand near Olancha, but usually buy our jerky where the locals do: Mahogany Smoked Meats Jerky in Bishop. The topography changes dramatically north of Bishop. As it climbs along an ancient volcanic flow into the Sierra, the opportunities for outdoor recreation explode. Young kids get tired, and heavy, and we've come to appreciate gentle trails of no more than three miles round-trip. The lake trails at Mammoth or June Lake are relatively tame, but get there early for a parking spot. Or head up Rock Creek Road near Lake Crowley, which also offers pricey but secluded lodging. You can spend days exploring Mono County, and we usually do if our destination is Mammoth Lakes. The highlights - Mammoth Mountain, Devil's Postpile National Monument, and Mono Lake - are well marked on maps and easy to explore. One stop that is sometimes overlooked is the former mining town of Bodie, one of the best-preserved ghost towns we've ever seen. Just north of Mono Lake but before Bridgeport, turn right on California 270. The drive along this barren 13-mile road drills in the sense of isolation and hardship that miners must have felt when they came here during an 1859 gold strike. To save the site and 170 buildings that remain, the state made it a historic park in 1962. Although you can only peek through the windows of the restored buildings, there's still plenty to see for a fascinating glimpse into our state's mining history. Highway 395 continues northward for some 800 miles, ending at the Canadian border. But our road stops usually end here as we blast up the road to our destination. After a week's vacation, we pile back in the car and head home...and turn south to Highway 395. Genevieve Anton is a writer based in Tustin. Resources • For more 395 information: visit www.395.com. The site offers regional maps, weather and highway history. • The Sierra: For lodging and restaurant information, visit http://thesierraweb.com • Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau: visit www.bishopvisitor.com • Mammoth Lake Visitors Bureau: call 888-GOMAMMOTH • Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area: call 760.647.3044 • Bodie State Historic Park: visit www.bodie.net/ • Mahogany Smoked Meats Jerky: visit http://shop.store.yahoo.com/smokedmeats.html |
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