Nestled in the northwestern corner of Arizona is a ginormous hole in the ground, behold the Grand Canyon!   Don’t come for me internet, I know it is more than that, and you may know it is more than that.  Believe it or not, there are still people out there that believe this nonsense, hence the reason for this week’s post.

It has been a dream of mine for years to see this big ol’ gal.  Well dreams came true, July of 2021 we went on an epic trip west.  After flying into Phoenix, we headed to our first stop, Williams, Arizona, this was going to be our homebase for venturing to the canyon.  There are many lodging options in the area so you will have to dig through to see what works best for you and your budget.  I would have LOVED to have stayed in Grand Canyon Village, however my cheapness just would not allow it.

In the end, I don’t feel like we settled for Williams at all.  This little town was awesome!  It is settled on Historic Route 66 and has small-town charm and quirky shops scattered throughout.  I was so surprised at how much Williams had to offer. 

First things first, because I am a child and LOVE to be entertained, we have to talk about the Wild West Show in the middle of the street.  We accidentally fell into this gem while perusing the shops in Williams.  My first clue that something was about to go down was the men dressed in 1800’s attire. Unless you are a complete weirdo, you are not sporting the cowboy hat and long duster in July, in Arizona.

Anyway, we stumbled right into a street show that had your typical old west bad guy gang that committed a robbery.  Then, in typical bad guy fashion, they all started to turn on each other and had a shootout with each other and the law.  It was a cool thing to see and they engaged the audience as well.

After you have your fill of Williams, you need to head to the main event, the Grand Canyon.   There are several places you can go to see this big hole so plan your must do list ahead of time as it takes a few hours to go from the North Rim to the South.  We stayed at the South rim for this trip, we just had no time to go to the North rim.  Maybe next time.  

We started our adventure at one of the most popular spots, Mather Point.  This is probably what most people are familiar with as it is usually featured in a lot of advertising and posts about the canyon.  On a clear day the views here can reach miles and miles.  The main viewpoint also has a fence so that is nice.

You do have to do some light walking to reach this point as there is no direct parking here at the site.  There is also a bus stop here as well according to the National Park Service.

There are no words to properly describe this place.  It. Took. My. Breath. Away.  To see the canyons and peaks with the sun bringing out the vast colors of the landscape will make you fall in love with the west.  If someone says, “It’s just a hole, I am not impressed.” Punch them in the face and walk away from their life forever as you do not need that kind of negativity in your life.

The fenced area at  Mather Point is nice for all helicopter moms out there…..um me.  There were kids all over the place and it took all I had in me not to “mom grab” them to keep them from ‘plummeting to their deaths. There are a ton of spots around the canyon that are not fenced and it is a free for all, so if you are a Nervous Myrtle, you will need to take a Xanax. There are many Instagrammers trying to do yoga moves on the cliffs and kids jumping from rock to rock so you will have to take some deep breaths for sure.

While watching others almost plummet to their deaths you can also take in the beautiful scenery by walking the Rim Trail for a bit.  This is a mostly paved trail that takes you 13 miles to Hermit’s Rest.  Just a disclaimer: We did not walk the whole damn thing.  We walked a while and then decided to turn back and head to some other stopping points in the park.

One thing you should also know is that you may want to bring some cash.  Yes you can shop at the visitor’s center, but there was also a woman from one of the local tribes selling jewelry.  She took cards but since signals could be sketchy you might want to be prepared.  Her stuff was awesome, and I was excited to have some authentic pieces.

Our next stop was to Grand Canyon Village, where the iconic Bright Angel Trail is located.  This trail is the “Bread and Butter” of the Grand Canyon.  It is where you will go if you take the donkey guided trip down to Phantom Ranch or where you can hike on your own to the bottom.  If you have dreams of staying at Phantom Ranch, good luck as I think there may be a lottery.

Bright Angel Trail is a trail that takes you to the bottom of the canyon.  Now, we went in July so it was set on Hell’s Furnace outside.  To really set the scene there were a couple people that had died to the effects of the heat before we went.  Korey and I donned loose lightweight clothing and our heads were covered with cold towels as though we were going across the Sahara.  The heat is real out here, so there is no need to be a fashionista.  You need to be safe and smart.

The trail itself is rather easy when you first take off.  You will encounter extraordinary views of the vast canyon below. The best part is that you are EXPERIENCING the canyon, not just looking at a safe viewpoint. Beware of the steep drop-offs and make sure you keep an eye on your surroundings.  The mules use the same trailhead and at times they will be passing you.  You need to be prepared to back up as far as you can against the wall of the cliff and wait for them to pass.  The guides will give you instructions.

It is also important to remember that while the trail is pretty easy going down, you have to come back up, so don’t over do it.  Korey and I only made it to the second tunnel, before we turned back.  This ended up being a total of 1.8 miles roundtrip.  This is not impressive at all, but we are not used to this climate, and are aware of our limitations.  Don’t be a hero, there is no need to have a heat stroke out here.

We also made sure to pack plenty of water for the trip.  There are a couple rest houses along the trail.  However, prepare for the worst, if the water is not working and you did not bring enough you might not make it back.  Also remember to bring some protein and salty snacks.  We ended up on the trail for a couple hours.  This was enough for me in the heat.  Finishing this trek is now on my bucket list, but I will plan for NOT JULY!

While you are in Grand Canyon Village you can also take a look at The Lookout Studio.  The Lookout is built with stone and timber and blends in well with the landscape of the canyon.  There is a gift shop and several lookouts to observe wildlife, hikers and mules on the trail, or just the beauty of the canyon itself.

There is so much to do and explore at the Grand Canyon.  We only had two short days so in typical Graddy fashion, we missed out on a lot.  My advice if you are on a trip with limited time is to plan what are your “must do’s” and what are your “I want to do’s”.  This will help you whittle activities down to what will fit your schedule.  Remember to not exhaust yourself as you can come back.  We plan on taking our children at a later date as this was such a great experience.  Remember, the Grand Canyon is not just a hole in the ground.  It is an experience that everyone should have at least once in their lifetime.  Being from the Midwest, the landscape here is so beautiful and different.  I hope everyone gets a chance to fall in love with the west like we did.