Gaze At The Grand Canyon
Ticked off in November 2010
Stand on the rim and look down through a mile of rock and nearly two billion years of Earth's history.
The adventure
The first look stops you dead. The ground simply ends, and in front of you the earth falls away in bands of red, cream and violet rock, ridge after ridge, to a thin green thread at the bottom that turns out to be the Colorado River. The scale is so vast that your eyes struggle to judge it; a tower of rock that looks close might be ten kilometres away.
Come for sunrise at Mather Point or sunset at Hopi Point, when the shadows race across the buttes and the colours deepen by the minute. California condors, with wings around three metres across, ride the thermals off the rim. Walk a little way down the Bright Angel Trail and you feel it getting hotter with every switchback, and the rock beneath your feet getting older.
Why it’s epic
- Up to 1.8 kilometres deep and 29 kilometres wide at its widest point.
- Rocks at the bottom of the canyon are nearly two billion years old.
- California condors, once close to extinction, soar above the South Rim.
- Mather Point and Hopi Point are classic South Rim spots for sunrise and sunset.
What it is
The Grand Canyon is 446 kilometres long and up to 1.8 kilometres deep, carved by the Colorado River.
How to do it
The South Rim is open all year and easiest to reach from Flagstaff or Las Vegas. Hike part of the Bright Angel Trail or take a helicopter flight.
Top tip
Hiking to the river and back in one day is not recommended, especially in summer.
Need to know
- Park entry fees apply, and charges for international visitors have risen, so check the current price before you go.
- Summer temperatures at the bottom can top 40°C; never try to hike to the river and back in one day.
- Lodges inside the park book up many months ahead; Tusayan, just outside, is the fallback.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £2,000 to £5,000 per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- 1 to 3 days
- Best time to go
- March to May, September to November
- Fly into
- LAS airport
Long-haul flights, car hire and US hotel prices drive the cost; a helicopter flight adds a big extra.
Sample itinerary
- Day 1Fly to Las Vegas or Phoenix and drive to the South Rim
- Day 2Sunrise at Mather Point and the Rim Trail, or hike part of the Bright Angel trail
- Day 3Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon near Page
Do it yourself
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My experience
Ticked off, but the full story is still to be written up.
Over to you
Is “Gaze At The Grand Canyon” on your bucket list, or have you already done it? Tell me in the comments, and if you've got a question about it, ask away and I'll answer.