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Top 10 Grand Canyon 10 Best
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Any list of the best things to see at Grand Canyon, the best things to do at Grand Canyon, the best places to visit at Grand Canyon will be very personal, especially for such an astonishing place. Still, we hope you will find the views and information in this list useful. Click here for a Guide to the Best Grand Canyon view points. 
What to do at the Grand Canyon: A view from the Kaibab Trail
One of the challenges to appreciating the Grand Canyon is that its vastness can make the canyon difficult to relate to. The stunning scale can leave an impression of unreality, or even flatness. To cure this, try a short walk down one of the Canyon's trails. It takes only a little effort to gain a personal sense of ‹to feel‹ the astounding size and vertical character of the great gorge. So, at the very top of the list of what to do at Grand canyon is to see the Canyon from below the rim. There are two main trails that descend into Grand Canyon; the Bright Angel Trail and the Kaibab Trail. Probably 95%, or more, of day hikers take the Bright Angel Trail because its trailhead is conveniently located in Grand Canyon Village.
The Kaibab Trail was built in the 1920's and is designed to provide maximum exposure to the elements. This makes it It an excellent choice in winter, when most Grand Canyon trails are coated with snow and ice. The other side of this coin, though, is that the Kaibab Trail is the wrong route to take to ascend out of the canyon in warmer months. The Kaibab Trail begins on Yaki Point, which juts out into the Grand Canyon. One of the benefits of this placement is that after hiking down some switchbacks for just a short distance Canyon explorers are rewarded with sensational views of the Canyon's interior. An excellent day hike goal is a flat area called Cedar Ridge which is 2.2 miles down from the trailhead. Cedar Ridge sits on rock that is called Hermit Shale and it provides specatacular vistas of the canyon in every direction. It is also a perfect spot to watch the effects of changing weather inside Grand Canyon. O'Neill Butte on the Kaibab Trail If you continue on from Cedar Ridge, you will wind your way down O'Neill Butte. Bucky O'Neill contributed the famous Grand Canyon line about John Hance, "God made the Canyon, and John Hance the trails. Neither would be complete without the other." O'Neill was an Arizona author, newspaper editor, sheriff and mayor who later went off to be captain of Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders. In 1899 he was killed in Cuba. O'Neill Butte is big and hikers will be on it long enough to reflect on the legendary pioneer's story. From Cedar Ridge it is another 3 miles to the junction with the Tonto Trail. From there another 2.25 miles takes you to to the Colorado River, near Phantom Ranch. The total distance is 6.7 miles with an elevation change of 4,780 feet.
Link: Grand Canyon Day Hikes Learn more about Grand Canyon in Echoes Through Time: Grand Canyon Best Grand Canyon Trail for Dramatic Views: Tonto Trail While most trails in Grand Canyon are meant for journeys to or from the Colorado River, the Tonto Trail has a different purpose. It hugs a broad shelf of rock called the Tonto Platform. For 70 miles the trail twists in and out of side canyons while staying more or less parallel to the river. For much of the distance the Tonto Trail maintains an elevation roughly midway between the river and the rim and provides incredible things to see. This is the key to its unforgettable views; it brings a sense of scale and perspective to the immense canyon interior. For the more casual hiker, the section of the Tonto that links the Kaibab and Bright Angel Trails is a great introduction to the inner canyon's charms (just don't forget water!). For the serious backpacker, the Tonto can provide solitude as well as beauty. I have hiked substantial parts of the Tonto twice, in winter, and never met another hiker. The east end of the Tonto Trail begins along a beach by the mouth of Red Canyon on the Colorado River. Unfortunately for my little hiking party, the day we hiked down the Red Canyon Trail there had been a release of water from the dam upstream. Link: Grand Canyon Back Country Hikes Best Grand Canyon Lodging: El Tovar Hotel
The winner hands down here is the El Tovar, the king of Grand Canyon accommodations since 1905. Famous architecture, wonderful service, excellent dining and a location roughly 100 yards from the rim make the El Tovar one the Nation Park Systems' "Great Lodges." The building design has elements of a Swiss Chalet or Norwegian hunting lodge. When you enter, you first see an expansive, dim living room with comfortable seats all around, artwork and trophy animals on the walls and a fireplace in one corner. Beyond this is the registration desk, the dining room, sports bar, a staircase to the second floor lounge and more. The rooms are recently renovated and offer a gracious base from which to explore the park. In fact, just across the circular driveway from the El Tovar is the Hopi House, one of the most extraordinary gift shops ever built and a significant cultural site to the Hopi people. Lobby of the El Tovar Hotel The Bright Angel Lodge Best Known Grand Canyon Ride: Mule Ride to Phantom Ranch
The most celebrated way to get down to the Colorado River at Grand Canyon is by mule. The sound of mules on the Bright Angel Trail was made famous by the clippity-clopping beast in the Grand Canyon Suite and mulling is unlike any other form of transit. Stories of animals that prefer to view the Canyon from the very outer edge of the steep trail are legendary. Both day and overnight trips leave from the corral near Bright Angel Lodge. The day trips take riders out to Plateau Point on the Tonto Plateau, from where they can gaze down at the Colorado River. Overnight trips have Phantom Ranch as their destination and one should expect to spend about 10 hours in the saddle over the two days. Riders will be given lunch at Indian Gardens, with dinner at the Ranch, as well as breakfast there the next morning. Reservations are usually needed and should be made at least 6 months in advance. For more information contact Xanterra Central Reservations at: 1-888-297-2757 -OR- 1-303-297-2757 International Toll. Best Grand Canyon Architecture: Desert View Watchtower The Grand Canyon has been gifted with more than its fair share of brilliant architecture; all of it courtesy of the Fred Harvey Company. How this happened is a fascinating story in itself. The Watchtower at Desert View is my choice for best architecture based on its distinctive design and the wonderful Hopi artwork by Fred Kabotie on its interior walls. Architect Mary Colter's work at Grand Canyon includes such striking buildings as Hermit's Rest, Phantom Ranch and the Lookout Studio, but the Watchtower is the most striking for its originality. For me, a visit to Grand Canyon is incomplete without seeing this masterwork. Learn more about The Watchtower and its architecture in Echoes Through Time: Grand Canyon Best Grand Canyon Wildlife: Kaibab Squirrel Among the vertebrate species that the Canyon hosts are: 355 bird, 89 mammal, 47 reptile, 9 amphibian, and 17 fish. Some of the larger wildlife residents are desert bighorn sheep, elk, mule deer and the endangered California Condor. My vote for favorite animal, though, goes to a little fellow unique to the region; the Kaibab Squirrel. With his tasseled ears, this local variety of the Abert's Squirrel is always a hit. It makes its home in the Ponderosa Pine forests of both the North and South Rims, where it builds its nest from the tree's needles and twigs. Its favorite food is Ponderosa Pine cone seeds. Link: More about the Kaibab Squirrel Best Grand Canyon Artist: Thomas Moran No painter has ever better captured the spectacle of the Grand Canyon and no artist was more important to the creation of Grand Canyon National Park than Thomas Moran. His swirling, dramatic depictions of the Canyon were influential in convincing the public of the Grand Canyon's value and need to be protected from unrestricted commercial development. Learn more about Grand Canyon art in Echoes Through Time: Grand Canyon Best Way to Travel to Grand Canyon: The Grand Canyon Railway The best way to arrive at Grand Canyon is via the Grand Canyon Railway, which departs from Williams, Arizona. It has been taking travelers to the Grand Canyon since 1901. The staff puts on shows for vistors, both at the station in Williams and on board the train. The train ride also gives you a chance to relax and absorb the country as you approach the Canyon. Best Grand Canyon Surprise: Diamond Creek Road For hikers and backpackers there are numerous trails that wind their way down to the Colorado River. Exploring the Canyon on the Colorado River by boat is a memorable experience, too. But how about driving a car down to the bottom of Grand Canyon? The idea seems absurd given the nature of the trails and restrictions on vehicle use within Grand Canyon National Park. Here's a secret, though; it can be done. The key is to realize that not all of Grand Canyon is in Grand Canyon National Park. There are significant areas that belong to Native American Tribes and these enclaves have their own rules and regulations. 108 miles of the Grand Canyon are in the Hualapai, or "People of the Tall Pines," reservation. Peach Springs, the capitol of the Hualapai Reservation, is located 54 miles east of Kingman, Arizona on old Route 66. There is a very nice tribal-owned motel there, the Hualapai Lodge (900 Route 66, Peach Springs, AZ 86434, (928) 769-2230 or (888) 255-9550). At the Hualapai Lodge you can purchase a permit to drive down Diamond Creek Road. This gravel road is the only place, anywhere in Grand Canyon, that a vehicle can make it down to the river. It follows the broad, normally dry, drainage of Peach Springs Canyon. Anyone who has ever walked up or down the steep, switch-backed trails that define most of Grand Canyon will be astonished at how gradually Peach Springs Canyon descends to the Colorado River. Along the way you meet up with babbling Diamond Creek. When you reach the river there is a camping spot and several picnic tables. Be sure to bring anything and everything you may need as there are no services after you leave Peach Springs. Best Grand Canyon Activity: Learn about the Canyon When you are not out hiking, exploring or river rafting, the best thing to do at Grand Canyon is learn more about this wonder of the natural world. There is so much natural history, including geology, wildlife and native plants to discover. The Canyon is the transplanted home for California Condors, the world's largest bird. In season it is one of the best spots in North America to observe
migrating hawks and eagles. Additionally there are fascinating stories of human involvement, from prehistoric peoples to eccentrics like pioneer John Hance, called the biggest liar at Grand Canyon. To experience more, try the excellent ranger-guided walks. The current schedule and list of subjects is available from the National Park Service. The Grand Canyon Association and Grand Canyon Field Institute sponsor a wide-range of activities including lectures, classes and trips into the Canyon. The Grand Canyon Association also runs excellent book stores which specialize in Grand Canyon-related books and media. This includes Kolb Studio which also hosts art exhibitions. |
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Among the alternatives within the park to the El Tovar are several 
