All photos by Michelle Bucher
The Grand Canyon is one of our favorite winter/spring road trip destinations. It's a great time to experience the Grand Canyon, as it's not so busy during the off-season, and it's a reasonable temperature for daytime adventures.
Two things you should know about the Grand Canyon:
It snows at the Grand Canyon
This came as a shock to me the first time we visited the Grand Canyon, and it doesn't seem like I'm alone in that.
A few weeks ago, the Grand Canyon National Parks Service posted a picture of a snowy Grand Canyon, and people of the internet were shocked. It seems not many people know this. I guess unless you've been to the Grand Canyon during the winter months, or learned this on the Internet, you'll never know.
Travel note: the north rim of the Grand Canyon is closed during winter months as they can get up to 12 inches of snow at times. The popular south rim of the Grand Canyon is open year-round.
Year-Round Tourists
Although summer is a busy time at the Grand Canyon, it seems to be packed year-round with tourists from around the world, coming to experience the beauty of the Grand Canyon.
Whether you're at the Grand Canyon for a day trip, weekend adventure, or a full week, there's lot to do in the Grand Canyon. Like many other travelers, I often like to keep away from touristy areas as they're often overcrowded and you don't get the full Grand Canyon experience just standing at the viewing platform.
Here's a list of our favorite activities to do in the Grand Canyon to please your adventurous side:
Mule Rides
This was an awesome experience. The first time we visited the Grand Canyon, we opted to do a two-hour mule ride along the west rim of the Grand Canyon. This appealed to us because it's guided by real-life cowboys, and it was quite funny riding a mule around the canyon in a few feet of snow.
There are two different mule tours you can do; we did the west rim tour. There is also a more expensive option where you ride the mule to the bottom of the canyon, spend the night at the Phantom Ranch, and then ride back up the following day.
Hiking in the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon has some amazing hiking trails. This is a great way to experience the Grand Canyon, and for those hiking enthusiasts, it's an amazing experience hiking in the Grand Canyon, or alongside it with the canyon as your view.
Our favorite hiking trail has to be the South Kaibab Trail. It's a well-maintained trail, and is a great alternative to the Bright Angel Trail which is often overcrowded by other tourists. Just 1 ½ miles down the trail, you'll reach Cedar Ridge which offers panorama views of the canyon below. This also takes you to the Ooh Aah Point.
Desert View and Watch Tower Viewpoint
Along the Grand Canyon pathway, you'll find the desert view viewpoint, along with a very old watch tower that you can climb up. A short 85 steps to the top of the tower, and you'll be treated with stunning views of the canyon.
Hang out at Yavapai Point
The Grand Canyon is stunning, and offers spectacular scenery. When we're in the area, we try to make it to Yavapai Point to watch the sunrise/sunset. I often just sit here for hours at a time, taking in the scenery. It's not every day that we're at the Grand Canyon, so we like to sit and enjoy the scenery while in town.
The Lookout Studio is also another great viewpoint, but it's the most popular viewpoint, making it hard to enjoy the view. We were able to sneak in, take a few pictures, and then had to move out of the way for other tourists to take pictures.
Rafting the Colorado River
This is one adventure I've yet to do, but it's on my travel bucket list. It looks like an amazing experience. I've walked along the canyon floor before, and the views looking up the canyon are spectacular. I can only imagine what it's like rafting down the Colorado River with views of the canyon surrounding you.
Have you been to the Grand Canyon before? If so, what's your favorite thing to do at the Grand Canyon? Leave your comment below.
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