Day 19: In Grand Canyon

Saturday, September 20, 2008
Day miles: 8
Trip miles: 3,896

View Grand Canyon Pictures

This morning we headed out to the Grand Canyon. Our hotel was just a few miles south of the canyon entrance. You can view all the pictures at the link above. The pictures will open in a new browser or tab.

On our way into the park we saw an elk. Later in the day as we walked back to our motorcycles, we saw another large elk and got very close!!

Wow!!! The Grand Canyon is another must for everyone's bucket list. A return trip is on my list.

We hiked, and hiked, and hiked. I was amazed at how well I did. I am out of shape and about 10 lbs heavier than my ideal weight. The first part of our hike was 4 miles along the south rim. The views are fantastic and the hiking is easy - very flat and you can meander along at your own pace. We hiked beyond the main tourist trail that is paved, on through the woods to the South Kaibab Trailhead.












The Kaibab Trail goes down into the canyon, winding its way along the canyon edge. We decided to do a short distance down into the canyon. We hiked down for an hour - a distance of 1.5 miles with a drop of 1,140 feet in elevation. The descent took 1 hour. You can see the trail in several of the pictures. (Click on a picture to enlarge.) What a view, and what a different perspective of the canyon. We stopped at Cedar Ridge for 20 minutes to snack on granola bars and drink water. It was then time to begin the trip back up the canyon. After a few feet I wondered if I would make it. I was out of breath due to the steep incline and lower oxygen levels at that altitude. Dale felt the same. Johann took off and said he would see us at the top. Dale and I walked slowly and stopped to rest often. To our amazement we reached the top in 1 hr, 15 min. Johann made it back in 37 minutes!!

We were exhausted and took a bus back to the parking area. But the trip was worthwhile. I'm really interested in a hike to the bottom of the canyon (when I'm in better shape). I think Eileen would join me without hesitation. Only very experienced hikers can go down and back in one day. It is a 2-day hike for most people. I talked with a man, about 65 yrs old, who was hiking down to the bottom the next day. He said you have to make overnight reservations at the Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon one year in advance!!