“How long is this durn mountain?” one man asked another as they left the tour bus.
“It’s 277 miles!” came the reply, each syllable drawn out for dramatic effect.
The first man glanced toward the abyss and shrugged. This, the most famous canyon in the world–thought by many to be the most beautiful, the most astounding–seemed to astound him not at all.
Mountain? No. The south rim does stand more than 7,000 feet above the ocean at some points, and there are rocks everywhere you look, but the fact is, a river cuts through the stone of the Colorado Plateau and burrows down a good 5,000 feet, forming a canyon of astounding proportions–from just below the Utah state line, westward to the Nevada border. But the blase tourist stood uncorrected.
A few hundred yards away, inside the Grand Canyon National Park visitor center, an irate Chinese tourist wanted to know what was the big deal. “Well, just take a walk out past the building and down that path along the rim and look around,” a shocked park ranger advised.
“I did that,” said the man from China. “I don’t see why you charge $10 to my family for just this.”
It was the ranger’s turn to shrug. Sorry, no refunds.
What does it take to impress some people?
Maybe I’m naive, but the Grand Canyon gets to me every time. When the transcontinental pilot announces that we can see the Grand Canyon through the windows on the left side of the plane, I lean across cluttered tray tables just to get a glimpse. When I find myself anywhere in the vicinity, I detour so I can take another peek.
In my mind, people fall into three categories: those who have seen the Grand Canyon and love it, those who have seen it and yawn when the subject comes up and those who haven’t seen it at all.
When I meet those who belong in the latter two categories, I pity them for the hole in their lives.
One reason I like the Grand Canyon is because it always seems to alter itself. Perhaps the season of the year or the angle of the sun will make it more purple than the last time I was here, or more orange than the time before. Maybe I’ll notice a pinnacle that I forgot, or discover a point of view that somehow I had missed on every previous visit.
Because the Grand Canyon pulls so many surprises, in its presence I feel a part of geological time. The excavation has been going on for 5 million years, and still the Colorado River tells me, “Come back in another million and check out my progress.” So I return, during a moment in my limited human chronology, and, sure enough, a few things look different.
How the eons fly.
All right, I admit the Grand Canyon has become the ultimate western-scenery cliche. But explain this: Out there on the viewpoints, amid the occasional scoffers and shruggers and clueless day-trippers (“Will there be a sunset tonight?”), you see people who appear to be among the most sophisticated in the world.
Their clothing would pass muster in Milan. Their cameras, lenses, tripods and light meters would shame the National Geographic. They are hip. They know, as I eventually learned, that no one ever sees the same Grand Canyon twice. It has written an endless repertoire.
During certain periods, the south rim of the Grand Canyon has the ambience of a crowded art gallery. At dawn and dusk, people gather on the ledges and gasp appreciatively as low-level sunbeams paint glorious pictures on the serrated walls. That may be enough to stir their souls and last them until they and the canyon meet again. They even may be among those who figure in this startling estimate calculated by park officials: The average visitor spends a mere 17 minutes looking at the canyon.
Ranger Katharine Gloistein told me that’s only a rough guess, based on all the heavy traffic traversing the rim. “A lot of the tour buses are on a real tight schedule, and they account for a lot of the people who come here,” she reasoned. “Or we get people on their way to another destination who want to see the canyon as a little side trip.”
In Gloistein’s ideal Grand Canyon world, travelers would come at it from several angles. “People should do a little bit of driving, a little bit of walking–either up on the rim or, if they feel strong enough, a bit of hiking down in the canyon,” she said. “There are half-day, smooth-water rafting trips and longer whitewater trips on the Colorado River that give an entirely different perspective.
“The more variety you have in your visit, the more you’ll have an idea what the canyon’s about.”
A certain kind of sightseer refuses to accept the human limitations imposed by a destination. If it looms above them, they must climb to the summit and look down. If it’s below their feet, they feel compelled to descend and gaze up.
This urge may be basic–a need to conquer nature, or at least answer its implied challenges. Still, it wasn’t so long ago that if a part of the frontier landscape resisted economic exploitation, pioneers were inclined to say the hell with it.
Spanish explorers in the 16th Century visited the Grand Canyon only long enough to decide it held no precious minerals and was therefore useless; 18th Century prospectors and fur trappers came to pretty much the same conclusion. Hundreds of years earlier, the Anasazi did their farming farther out on the mesas, or settled at riverside, where they could find receptive soil in and around the forbidding ditch. They, however, did not require fabulous riches from their surroundings. If the canyon sustained life, that was good enough.
The typical modern visitor comes to marvel–not to capitalize. You could stack five Sears Towers in that canyon before the antennae would tickle your toes at the rim. Wow! Way down there, the Manhattan skyline would resemble a little spilled granola. Yikes! Scenery is its own reward.
In 1869, Maj. John Wesley Powell, a retired Union Army officer, led the first expedition to travel the entire length of the canyon by boat. His journals sparked the initial glimmer of interest in the Grand Canyon as a stimulus to wonder and contemplation, even if otherwise it was–as an earlier explorer scoffed–“a profitless locality.”
Powell touted the canyon as “the most sublime spectacle on the earth,” a place where “the glories and the beauties of form, color and sound unite.”
Most of us manage to absorb that message from the south rim. Others simply must become one with nature and escape the crowds. They follow steep trails leading down and across into solitude, past the distinctly tinted rock layers representing the different ages of Earth itself–a parfait of geology.
The escapists may spend days along the river, but eventually they must come back up, an arduous climb that occasionally defeats even veteran lovers of the outdoors.
Ranger Stu Fritts shudders when he thinks about their struggles. “To me, hiking ranks in enjoyment between a triple root canal without Novocaine and getting audited by the Internal Revenue Service,” he likes to say.
During one of his evening lectures, Fritts suddenly froze his imposing frame into a statue. “We find people on the trails standing like this,” he said. “They are too stiff to sit down, too stiff to fall down, too stiff to walk.”
If park personnel determine that the stiffness isn’t life-threatening, they usually advise panicky hikers to drink lots of water, get plenty of rest and crawl back in the morning.
At the visitor centers, would-be canyon explorers receive plenty of counsel from rangers stationed at every desk. They find official hiking-guide publications distributed at every turn. The cautions boil down to this: Take plenty of food and water, wear sturdy and protective clothing, stick to the trails, allow ample time and know your limitations.
Rangers dole out backcountry permits sparingly to protect the canyon walls and floor from trampling, preserve the wilderness experience and cut down on the number of emergencies.
In 1994, the last year with a full count, backcountry users spent 108,000 nights in the canyon, out of 928,000 hikes. Another 9,922 adventurers rode below the rim on mules and 20,000 rafted through the canyon on the Colorado River. Emergency workers conducted 457 search-and-rescue missions and provided medical services 4,404 times. There were 18 deaths from various causes.
Those who prefer the soft approach–riding vehicles to the rim, taking short strolls and avoiding all risks–still get a taste of the Grand Canyon as previous generations of travelers might have found it.
Every day, the passenger train from Williams, Ariz., pulls up to the log-hewn depot, a railroad tradition that began in 1901. Passengers climb the stairs to a sort of tourist compound, where the chalet-style El Tovar Hotel–built in 1905–shares a broad lawn with Hopi House, a building designed by architect Mary Colter that same year. Hopi House, a high-end arts and crafts gallery, is a meticulous copy of a Hopi dwelling. At one time, Hopi artisans actually lived on the second floor. A few steps east and visitors find themselves at Verkamp’s Curios, serving souvenir hunters since 1906.
A short stroll west along the rim leads to Bright Angel Lodge, another venerable structure. The neighboring Kolb Studio, where photographer brothers Ellsworth and Emery Kolb built their headquarters, was constructed of native stone and cantilevered over the rim near the Bright Angel trailhead.
From that location, the brothers could photograph mule riders as they set off on their canyon treks and sell them the prints when they returned. Kolb Studio also served as a theater for showing movies of the Kolbs’ 1911 boat trip through the canyon. The flick had a 60-year run.
A nearby building, another Mary Colter creation called Lookout Studio, blends into the rocks. It started as an attempt by concessionaire Fred Harvey to muscle in on the Ellsworth enterprise. But there was plenty of business for both. Now the studios hold gifts, books and gallery space.
At either end of the paved rim, Colter-designed structures denote the end of the soft-tourist trail. To the east, a 67-foot watchtower at Desert View again apes Hopi pueblo style and commands a panorama of Painted Desert and the vivid canyon. At the other end, Hermits Rest, a rock-encrusted gift shop marks the end of the paved road.
The “hermit” in question was Louis D. Boucher, who arrived here in 1891 and developed a copper mine and tourist camp in a side canyon across the way. Boucher really wasn’t a hermit. He just kept busy with his enterprises, so no one saw him much.
Boucher’s tourist camp didn’t last, but he had the right idea. Shortly after the turn of the century, gapers began arriving by the thousands, and today the crush of an annual 5 million visitors strains the facilities.
Park officials clearly would like Congress to grant the Grand Canyon official status as a wilderness, which would prevent development in the 95 percent of the park still untouched.
A display board in the visitor center asks: “Would you be willing to take mass transit to visit the canyon? Would you be willing to make reservations to visit the canyon for the day? Or, would you like more hotels, parking lots and facilities built in the park to meet the ever-increasing demand?”
In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt obviously felt the Grand Canyon easily could fall prey to developers. “Do nothing to mar its grandeur, sublimity and loveliness,” he urged. “You cannot improve on it. But what you can do is keep it for . . . all who come after you, as the one great sight which every American should see. Don’t let them skin this wonderful country–as they will try to do. . . .”
President Woodrow Wilson granted the Grand Canyon status as a national park in 1919, thus assuring protection from strip-miners and the like. The passage of a bill (yet to be introduced) calling for wilderness designation of the Grand Canyon under the Wilderness Act of 1964 would mandate management of the park in such a way as to retain its “primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation.”
Park officials believe that such a mandate would help them cope with the huge summer crowds. The Grand Canyon today may be the one great sight that all people in the world think they should see. More than 40 percent of the visitors each year arrive from other lands.
The problem of overuse requires thought, deep thought. And meanwhile, the Colorado continues its work while the whole world watches.
A GUIDE TO GRAND CANYON
GETTING THERE
Las Vegas and Flagstaff, Ariz., are the nearest large cities served by major airlines. From those launching pads, several highways lead to the heavily-traveled south rim. Access to the the north rim requires a 215-mile drive around the eastern end of the canyon on Arizona Highway 64, northbound U.S. Highway 89 and westbound U.S. Alternate Highway 89. Arizona Highway 67, which dips south from Alt. U.S. 89 to the north rim, is closed from late October to mid-May.
In cities near Grand Canyon, travelers find an abundance of transportation options–from car rentals to motorcoach tours to helicopter rides.
Grand Canyon Railway offers excursions from Williams, Ariz., in vintage coaches pulled by antique locomotives. Round-trip adult fares start at $49.50. The railway also can arrange hotel, meal and canyon-tour packages. Call 800-843-8724
GETTING AROUND
The typical visitor takes a brief look into the Grand Canyon and departs pumped full of wonder. The typical stay lasts from five to seven hours, according to park surveys, and the average time spent looking at the canyon is 17 minutes.
This means most of the travel along the south rim is by motor vehicle. The scenic drive on the portion of the south rim that is called West Rim Drive covers eight miles from the main visitor center, ending at Hermits Rest. Private vehicles are forbidden on West Rim Drive from late May through late September. Instead, a free shuttle bus takes passengers from one scenic point to the next. The 25-mile East Rim Drive ends at Desert View, the park’s east entrance. Private vehicles are permitted on East Rim Drive all year.
Those well-known mule trips into the canyon require reservations far in advance. Day trips, including lunch, cost $100 per person. Overnight trips with a stay at Phantom Ranch in the canyon start at $251.75 per person (including all meals). Call 520-638-2401 or fax 520-638-9247 for more details or reservations.
Colorado River raft and boat trips, which vary in length and difficulty, are offered by more than a dozen companies. The voyages begin at Lees Ferry, Ariz., at the northeast extremity of the park–nearly a 50 mile drive from the main south rim visitor center. Again, summertime reservations are a must. These are best booked through a knowledgeable travel agent.
Hikers will find some undemanding trails along the rim, but even short hikes into the canyon call for stamina and plenty of food and water. Free backcountry permits are required for overnight treks. The visitor centers can provide detailed information on the intricate Grand Canyon hiking situation.
Bicyclists must stay off the hiking trails and stick to the roads.
WHEN TO GO
Summer draws crowds, so everything that can be reserved–such as backcountry camping permits, lodging and excursions–should be booked well in advance. On the south rim, where the average elevation is 7,000 feet, summer temperatures range from the 50s to the 80s. But down at river level, 5,000 feet below the rim, expect sizzling days topping 100 degrees. The north rim, 1,000 feet higher than the south, is slightly cooler.
Spring and fall can be the most pleasant seasons, although weather conditions can change suddenly.
Winter, of course, brings snow and ice, slippery roads and treacherous hiking. Facilities in and roads to the north rim are closed in the winter.
PLACES TO STAY
At the height of the summer season, places to sleep are at a premium and should be reserved early. Campgrounds and trailer sites around the south rim offer only basic facilities. They cost $12 to $18 a night. Reservations are accepted up to five months in advance by DESTINET, 800-365-2267.
Permits for camping overnight below the rim are free of charge but severely limited. Requests may be made up to four months in advance by writing Backcountry Office, P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon, Ariz. 86023.
Rates for accommodations at El Tovar Hotel and five lodges in the Grand Canyon Village area range from $53 a room to $271 for an El Tovar suite. The 1,132 Grand Canyon lodging units (counting 201 on the north rim and 15 at Phantom Ranch, on the canyon floor) generally range in style from cabins to motel-hotel rooms.
Phantom Ranch is a refuge for rafters, hikers and mule riders, providing the weary with dormitory bunks, cabins and meals (at extra cost). Write Grand Canyon National Park Lodges at P.O. Box 699, Grand Canyon, Ariz. 86023. For same-day reservations, call 520-638-2631. In advance (the earlier the better), call 303-297-2757, or write Amfac Parks & Resorts, 14001 East Iliff, Suite 600, Aurora, Colo. 80014.
In Tusayan, 4 miles south of the south entrance on Ariz. 64, motels, restaurants and other tourist facilities are sprouting like chickweed. Most of the familiar names in chain hostelry are represented–or soon will be.
CANYON DINING
It’s autumn now, so the hostess may be seating you before your hiking boots go out of style. In the peak months, however, expect to wait up to a couple of hours for tables at the fancier places around the rim.
El Tovar Hotel dining room, overlooking the canyon and named for an early European visitor, Pedro Tovar (circa. 1540), is the only establishment flaunting haute ambitions. Cowpokes with a taste for herb marinades, tarragon butter, fennel and sun dried tomatoes belly up to the linen tablecloths at El Tovar. Dinner reservations (usually a good idea) are accepted at 520-638-2631.
At the nearby Arizona Steakhouse, it’s first-come, first-served and dinner only. Crowds build up outside the door, where, while waiting, they are forced to watch descending sunbeams illuminate the canyon rock formations. It could be worse.
Other cafeterias and restaurants are sprinkled about Grand Canyon Village, including Babbitt’s General Store and Delicatessen, where backpackers can fuel up for the trails ahead.
Down the road, restaurants in Tusayan (including a buckaroo-themed steakhouse) aim to satisfy the hungry–not the picky. Generally speaking, they succeed.
ACCESSIBILITY
Not all facilities are accessible, and some historic buildings make wheelchair access difficult. But many sites and overlooks may be visited with assistance and several are wholly accessible. An accessibility guide is available at the main visitor center or by writing P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon, Ariz. 86023. TDD calls: 520-638-7804.
GRAND CANYON MAIN SIGHTS
Anywhere along the south rim, any time of day, the viewpoints induce a delicious tingle up the spine and knee-weakening awe. As seen from the north rim–1,000 feet higher but less accessible–canyon views are equally stunning. The following highlights, all on the south rim, provide a sample of Grand Canyon’s beauty and history.
1. Mather Point
Named for Stephen Tyng Mather, first director of the National Park Service, this shelf is easily reached because of its proximity to the south entrance and Grand Canyon Village. At Mather, many get their first peek at the mighty gorge, and it’s a favorite spot at dawn and sunset.
2. Yavapai Point and Observation Station
Large windows frame a panoramic view of the canyon. Fossil and rock exhibits, a book shop and ranger talks offer insights into what happened here over the millennia.
3. Grand Canyon Village
The rustic setting evokes turn-of-the-century canyon worship: The venerable El Tovar Hotel, the railroad depot, the vintage Kolb photo studio, the Hopi Gift Shop (faithfully replicating a Hopi residence), assorted restaurants, shops and lodging facilities. And just beyond the lawns and flower beds, there’s that astounding hole in the ground.
4. Hopi Point
A popular gathering place at dusk, the overlook here gives visitors a striking view of canyon walls turning orange and purple as they reflect the setting sun.
5. Hermits Rest
At the end of the 8-mile West Rim Drive, motorists and hikers can marvel at the scenery from a small cafe and gift shop.
6. Yaki Point
Below this portion of the East Rim Drive, dawn and dusk put on fantastic shows. The Colorado River is clearly visible a mile beneath the rim.
7. Tusayan Ruins and Museum
In the late 12th Century, about 30 Anasazi (“ancient ones”) lived in a tiny village near what is now the East Rim Drive. The ruins of their dwellings and the field where they farmed constitute the most heavily visited archeological site in the national park system.
8. Desert View
Near the park’s eastern entrance, a Hopi-style watchtower (admission 25 cents) looks out upon an expanse of canyon, the river below and the Painted Desert beyond. Another big winner at dawn and sundown.
GRAND CANYON FACTS
Established as a national park: Feb. 26, 1919.
Area: 1,218,376 acres (1,904 square miles).
Visitors: 4,908,073 in 1995.
Location: Entirely within northwestern Arizona, 60 miles north of Williams, 80 miles north of Flagstaff.
Flora and fauna: 75 species of mammals (including bobcats, mule deer, bats); 50 species of reptiles and amphibians (including unique pink rattlesnake); 25 species of fish (among them, humpback chub); 300 species of birds (including bald eagle, peregrine falcon). Desert plants and streamside vegetation on canyon floor. Pinyon and ponderosa pine and Utah juniper at the rim.
Entrance fees: $10 per private vehicle; $4 for pedestrians or cyclists (good for seven consecutive days). Annual Grand Canyon Passport is $15. Golden Access Passport for the disabled is free to U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
INFORMATION
Write: Superintendent, Grand Canyon National Park, P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon, Ariz. 86023. Or call 520-638-7888.
