 Nothing
can prepare you for the first glimpse. The
breathtaking Grand Canyon South Rim
view from Mather Point rivets you
to the site and you gaze in disbelief at the
sheer beauty.The breadth and depth of the
panorama befits the Grande scale of the majestic
Canyon sculpture, minutely etched and tinted
by nature over eons of time.
Before
your eyes the colors can change from muted
hues of blue and earth to intense shades of
orange as nature casts ever changing shadows
of cloud and sun. It is a place where the
Mystic stands humbled with awe and reverence
of the Creator's work...and a kid can spit
a mile. You cannot go there and expect to
leave unchanged.
Mysteries
can happen in the details: "I
looked deep into the Canyon and noticed
a small puff of white cotton. As I stared,
it grew to the size of a pillow, or was
I just imagining it? I turned away, unable
to contain myself in that small portion.
When I looked back, the cotton had grown
to a small cloud, and I watched transfixed
as it grew until it filled the canyon as
far as the eye could see. I looked around
wondering if anyone else had witnessed the
show."
When is the best time
to visit the Grand Canyon South Rim? Summer
temperatures at the Rim are comfortable 70's-80's
by day; it is the most crowded time of the
year. November—February are least crowded;
you may also encounter snow and icy roads—and
spectacular views of snow dusted Canyon peaks.
If you plan to hike,
spring and fall are the best times. A 10 minute
walk down the trail at the South Rim (allow
20 minutes to walk back up) is well worth
the effort for the average person, but in
summer heat a one-mile hike down the trail
can tax even the modestly physically fit.
Thunderstorms are frequent in the summer months.
The
Grand Canyon South Rim is open every day,
including holidays, with all services available.
Whether you are staying in hotels
or campgrounds,
make reservations ahead. There are
six distinctive "in park" lodges
available (see Xanterra)
plus RV and camping sites. The park is on
Mountain Standard Time year around.
How to get there:
Phoenix and Las Vegas are the closest airports.
From there it is an easy drive by car, take
a tour by bus, journey via the historic Grand
Canyon Railway, or tour by air. See Grand
Canyon Tours page for more information.
There are several splendid
Canyon overlooks on the South Rim. To get
from point to point, board the free
shuttle busses that operate on four routes;
you can transfer to different routes. No ticket
is needed. A shuttle bus route/parking map
can be downloaded as a PDF
file by clicking here and viewed with
Adobe Reader. Be sure to visit the Canyon
View Visitors Center while you are at Mather
Point for an overview and history of the park.
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