Everyone told us that the Grand Canyon was something you spend a couple minutes looking at, check off your list, and then move on to lunch. They were so wrong.
We arrived to the park after a stunning drive from Flagstaff through the mountains. We thought we would spend an hour or so and then get back on the road. We had no idea what to expect.
We were stopped in our tracks when we walked out of the visitor center and were confronted by the Canyon. It was so much bigger and wider and deeper than I had imagined. We ended up hiking along the South Rim for the next 8 hours.
I took about 500 photos throughout the hike so narrowing down which ones to share was a tough task. Every angle and view was breathtaking. I felt like I had walked into another universe and I couldn’t get enough of it.
Most of the South Rim path was paved, but there were frequent opportunities to diverge from it. Since we only had a day we weren’t able to do one of the hikes into the canyon. There was so much to do and see on this trail though that I was perfectly content to take it all in from up high, and since Dave has never been to the Canyon, I will definitely be going back.
I started off being a little nervous to approach the edge. Then I saw others venturing out onto these narrow ledges. Even kids were brave enough to dangle their feet off the cliffs so I knew I needed to muster some courage.
And I did. I progressively became more comfortable with the cliffs.
Maybe even a little too comfy?
The views were spectacular, and so was the history. Along South Rim there were several museums and historical trading posts from the original development of the park.
The Hopi House is a 19th c. trading post. It was a popular destination for westward travelers and still is operated by the Hopi tribe today. The modern addition of AC was a welcome break from the Arizona heat, and the handmade arts and crafts were fitting souvenirs (I ended up taking home a Navajo arrow and dream catcher – which now look awesome in my living room).
There were other attractions along the South Rim hike. Like the billion year rock walk that had stones of different ages marking a geological timeline.
And then there were a ton of great stops for the kids – who didn’t quite understand why they couldn’t play in the canyon – so we had to divert them towards climbing slightly safer cliffs. You know like this one:
Clearly he was born to boulder.
While it took some vigilance to keep the kiddos from jumping enthusiastically into the ravine, for the most part the national park was kid friendly. Mari and her gang certainly enjoyed it.
I am in love with everything about this place and I can not wait to go back and see more.
so close to cliff glad you are safe, I did that once in Bali.. a long drop down to ocean..
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Great pics from the South Rim! Makes me want to go back!(Went on an epic road trip from the NE to SW US & camped there on late Aug when it was monsoon, hailstorms and lightning all day at 45min intervals from 10am till evening. On the bright side, mornings were crystal clear due to the rain and visibility extended for miles and miles.)
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Nice!! Sounds like a great trip! ππ»
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Great pictures! I’ve been on the USA this summer exploring the East Coast for 3 month, next time i’m definitely doing the West. Road 66 is on the bucket list too. Whats the best stop on your opinion?
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That’s great! I’m from Florida so I love the East too. I’d say my favorite stop right off of Route 66 is a tie between Cadillac Ranch and the Crater in Arizona. π
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Ah, sadly I didn’t get to go to Florida (I know shame on me), explored more the center and north. Fell in love with Cape Cod, MA. I’ll keep those in mind. enjoy your travels!
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The north is great too! Thanks and hope you enjoy yours as well!
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Brought back great memories from my trip there last summer – you are right, it is breath-taking and every corner turned on the path gives you a new angle and so many photo opportunities
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For sure! Everyone should experience 66 at least once π
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Wow, nice shots. I was just talking to my hubby of climbing down the Grand Canyon one of these days. Thank you for liking my post. I was so happy to catch the shots of the dolphin.
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You should definitely go! If you hike down, definitely go to Lake Havasu in the Canyon. Unfortunately we couldn’t make it quite that far with the kids, but I have heard it’s breathtaking.
Ya dolphins are quick – that’s great you caught the moment!
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I probably will ride the horse? down.
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From one photog to another: Great post! Two simple tips for composing a shot 1) Always check your angles for level and paralax. Use simple angles in relation to your subject – for most shots 45 – 90 – 0 degrees are always pleasing to the eye. 2) When photographing people try to avoid cutting off hands and feet if possible. When it’s a waist up shot, obviously things will be cut out.
Keep up the good work! Looking forward to the next post π
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Thanks Ryan for the tips! I appreciate the feedback π
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naice snaps π
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Thanks!
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