Grand Canyon National Park (photo: Tanja Hartikainen)
Grand Canyon – the true miracle of Mother Nature. You have heard of it, maybe watched travel videos of it and then one day your biggest dream comes true and you stand on the edge of Grand Canyon and watch the sunset.
Grand Canyon National Park Arizona USA. People say it’s one of the seven wonders of the world. Not to mention that Grand Canyon has also been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1979. And for a reason. No picture can do this landscape justice. It will amaze you with its greatness when you get there.
Route 66 (photo: Tanja Hartikainen)
So how do you get to the Grand Canyon? I would say that the easiest way is by car. Maybe with a slightly newer than the one in this picture above. Driving in Arizona is easy. The road is wide and ok and it’s mainly just one highway. Close to the cities there might be some traffic but that’s not bad at all. We rented a car from Las Vegas Airport and drove along the Route 66 to the Grand Canyon South Rim. On the way you can check Hoover Dam, a massive human made concrete, cute old towns like Seligman and visit the famous general store in Hackberry. In the Grand Canyon village, you can park your car anywhere from several parking lots. But keep in mind, that those parking lots are for everyone to use. So on the peak times, these lots might be crowded and it’s hard to find a free spot close to your accommodation.
Bright Angel Trail (Photo: Tanja Hartikainen)
Take a hike! Bright Angel Trail leads you all the way down to the bottom of the Canyon where the Colorado river flows. The length of this trail is approximately 12,6km (one way). It’s the most popular trail in the park and it takes time to get back up, so prepare your hike well and consider leaving early or staying the night under the stars and hiking back in the next morning. You should definitely pack enough water and snacks and keep yourself hydrated. The heat is real during the hot months and when the sun goes down, it gets really dark!
Maswik Lodge (photo: Tanja Hartikainen)
You can find very good accomodation options for every wallet in the park. I stayed at Maswik Lodge, kind of a motel. It was close to the Rim and the room was cozy and clean. If you are hiking all day, it doesn’t really matter where you sleep. There is also a hotel, cabins and a trailer park available.
So all in all, keep on travelling and discovering new places. It expands your world. I hope this inspired some readers to start planning on their next dream holiday. I might soon find myself again in that very same spot at the Grand Canyon at sunset. Stay tuned 😉