July 15
Our day at the Grand Canyon included the most breathtaking views we have seen on this trip. We were so glad that we decided to leave the North Rim for our last National Park. We left for the park so early that we even got a much-coveted parking spot in the shade! After getting some tips for good trails to take from a volunteer ranger, we set out for Bright Angel Point and prepared ourselves for dramatic views of the Canyon.
On our way we passed through the North Rim Lodge, which was beautiful and filled with history. It had a large room right on the edge of the Canyon with huge picture windows and several plush couches set up theater-style for optimal viewing. And what a view it was!
As we made our way to the canyon edge we were absolutely awestruck. Hundreds of viewers before us, including several great poets and authors, have tried their best to describe the sight we all encountered, and we fear our best attempts will pale in comparison. We all remarked on the impossibility of the Canyon. From its enormous expanse and depth, to the variety of colors, we all thought our eyes were playing tricks on us!
As we explored the edge we discovered several areas where we could climb even closer to the rim. Though technically we were “OTT” (off the trail – these well-worn paths didn’t have railings…) we played it safe and even impressed some of our fellow visitors, who were observing with a mix of jealousy and admiration.
Safely back on the trail (yes, we realize this is “OTT” too) we were making our way to the first major viewing spot, Bright Angel Point, when we were distracted by K shouting to a passerby. She had spotted someone wearing a Cooperstown t-shirt! Thousands of miles away, and we still can’t escape baseball paraphernalia. Once the excitement had subsided (the high-school aged boy in the Cooperstown tee was nowhere near as enthused as K), we continued to Bright Angel Point, where we had a panoramic view of the Canyon. Leaning over the rail, we were almost hit in the face by the swallows that sped by. Everything seemed so much more dramatic from way up where we were.
We returned to the Lodge to explore the gift shop and have a photo session with the statue of Brighty the Donkey. (For those of you who are not avid Marguerite Henry fans, Brighty of the Grand Canyon is a true story about a donkey that brought water to thirsty tourists. Brightly has become a mascot for the North Rim and seeing his statue made B very happy).
We enjoyed a leisurely picnic lunch in the shade before driving out to the only point on the North Rim where the Colorado River can be seen. The Angel’s Window (what’s with all the angel names?) is a 60-foot hole cut in a canyon ledge. A path over top of the ledge took us to another lookout point. It seemed that everywhere we went the views got more and more spectacular.
While we were admiring view, K spotted a girl wearing a Richmond hat (K’s alma mater). Eager to interact with a fellow Spider, K asked her and her boyfriend (another Richmond student) to snap a CBK picture against the fantastic backdrop. After chatting with our new friends for a bit (road trip tips exchanged), we left for a longer, four-mile round-trip hike that took us along the edge of the canyon. We hiked for what felt like a couple miles while the sun got lower in the sky, and the bugs started to bother us, we tried to move more quickly to our destination, hoping that the trek would be worth the exhaustion and bug bites. We reached the lookout point just as the sun began to set. We sat on the rock cliffs for several minutes, watching the wildlife (bunnies and lizards), and marveling at the absolute silence that surrounded us. Far fewer tourists venture to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and we didn’t see a single other person at that particular viewpoint.
If our stomachs weren’t starting to growl, we would have stayed on the trail all night, staring out at the sandstone cliffs. But unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to the park, and so after a few more long looks, we did so.
Mileage to date: 5,149
States visited: Arizona
Yellow Car count:
C – 160
B – 173
K – 221
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