The Grand Canyon is popular. Most people have it on the top of their list of places to see. And most people visit the canyon in spring and summer.

And when we say 'most' we mean millions.

So, to avoid the lines and still check off the Grand Canyon on your life list, why not visit the canyon in December?

I did and it was great.

It was my brother's first visit to Arizona and naturally he wanted to see the Grand Canyon. No problem, it is only about a 4 hour drive from Phoenix...not bad for one of the wonders of the world.

Plus, it was mid-December which meant that the spring and summer-time crowds were long gone.

Arriving a the canyon, you can immediately sense the space. Parking lots were near empty, only a few tour buses and your choice of spots along the rails at Mather Point.

On top of that, it was snowing.

I guess a lot of travelers don't picture Arizona with snow. Well it snows here and particularly in and around the Grand Canyon.

And if you think the Grand Canyon is breathtaking on a normal day, you should see it with snow. Red rocks, peaks, trees all coated in white.

Grand Canyon in December, the perfect time to visit.

The Grand Canyon is where many of this ground-breaking architect’s work can be found. Not only was Mary Jane Colter one of the first female architects in a male-dominated profession, but the structures she created were truly revolutionary. For 46 years she was the chief architect and decorator for Fred Harvey Company. Rather than imitate European styles of architecture, she sought inspiration from nature and local indigenous peoples.

Red stone and adobe Hopi House was designed by Colter after she’d visited pueblo-style dwellings in Old Oraibi. It was constructed mainly by Hopi Indians themselves. Indian arts and crafts were sold on the ground floor, and the Hopi artists, craftsmen, and dancers lived upstairs. Nowadays gorgeous Indian artwork is found inside on all levels of the multistory building. Corner fireplaces, wall niches, and low doors add to the cozy and fascinating interior. Ceilings are thatched with layers of saplings and timbers.

Lookout Studio’s walls of indigenous Kaibab limestone intentionally blend in with the Rim of the Canyon. Irregularity of features is the keyword in many of Colter’s creations, and at Lookout, both rooftop and chimney are made of oddly shaped stones, allowing desert plants to take root in soil between the cracks. Inside the studio, books and souvenirs are for sale, but the real attraction is climbing downstairs outside to the multi-leveled terraces to gaze out over the Canyon.

Bright Angel Lodge is Colter’s latest work in Grand Canyon Village, built in 1935. It replaced an old dilapidated turn-of-the-century hotel, but several historic cabins of Bright Angel Camp remain, most notably, Buckey O’Neill Cabin and Red Horse Station. Bright Angel Lodge was not built luxury-style as were many of the grand old national park hotels. Attractive yet functional, it was built for tourists with more modest incomes. One of Colter’s most famous creations, the Geologic Fireplace is found in the History Room. From the hearth built from ancient Colorado River bottom rocks, up strata by strata, are the geological layers of the Canyon represented in the ten feet to its top.

Hermit’s Rest, at the endpoint of Hermit’s Rest Route, is one of my favorite Colter buildings, slapdash in appearance only. Named for a prospector/miner/hermit who’d lived nearby, it’s similarly camouflaged as Lookout Studio. An earthen mound behind it slopes into the roof, sporting whimsical rubble-masonry chimneys. Indoors is souvenir and bookshop, and best of all, an open area with hide-covered chairs where you can sit and contemplate the cavernous stone fireplace.

The Watchtower at Desert View, on the east side of the Rim, is the other of my favorites. Colter designed it to resemble a prehistoric Puebloan tower. The ground floor has log ceiling and big picture windows. Stairs lead to the Hopi Room, with pictographs by Hopi artist Kabotie (Lomawywesa), depicting the Snake Legend and other stories. Other galleries contain reproduced petroglyphs by artist Fred Geary. The fourth and highest level is an observatory and the highest point on the South Rim at 7522 feet.

When I went to the Grand Canyon I stayed in Flagstaff, which is about 70 miles away. The drive there was so beautiful. However, be very careful of deer, insane drivers, and fire. One of the areas that I passed was easy to see where it was destroyed by wildfire.

It took about an hour and a half to drive there.

Outside the Grand Canyon there is a small town where you can get hotels, airplane rides, food, and park passes. If you are planning to take plane rides, donkey trips, or stay in a hotel BOOK EARLY. These places fill up fast. Even in Flagstaff. I got my hotel really late, 2 days before I arrived, and I got the last room. When I arrived in the town I saw a bunch of cars on the side of the road and people running across the street. BE CAREFUL OF THIS!! People don’t pay attention here. If they see something cars will stop in the middle of the road or while crossing or cross without looking, so just be careful. Anyway, on the side were three huge elk, or what I was told were elk. I quickly turned into the parking lot of a hotel and got out of my car. I got within 20 feet of them to take pictures and they didn’t seem to mind.

From there I went to the park. I got my park pass form the ranger station for $20. It allows you to access the park for a week. Here they also give you a map of the park and list of the different activities that are taking place that day.

Needless to say that my first view of the Grand Canyon was breathtaking. There is no way to put into words the majesty of the park. My only regret is that I wasn’t able to view the canyon from the bottom.

I took the shuttle out to Hermits Rest stopping at several points along the way. The shuttle isn’t a tour bus, but it gives you information about the park and the different stops along the way. One of the advantages of getting there early is that there are less people trying to get on the bus. At one point I was at a stop completely by myself. This was by far the highlight of my trip; taking in the scenery with no people near was close to a religious experience. Around the park there are paths set up so you don’t have to take the bus, but you can walk along the rim. There is also maps set up so you know where you are and the distance between each bus stop.

The park offers many great lectures and walks from experienced park rangers, who not only know their stuff but also obviously love what they do and where they are. The topics cover a variety of subjects and some offer opportunities to hike along the trails.

It is quite far away from Las Vegas but it really is a must-see, if you have a day or two to kill. I say 2 days because with only 1 day you will feel like you are rushed and won't be able to see everything. Plus the drive is quite long, and if you can spend a night watching the sun go down or even come up in the morning it is worth the extra day. But as for the Grand Canyon itself, it is a wonder. The colors and the size are more than can be imagined. Even pictures and videos can only portray a small glimpse as to the vastness of this national treasure. Walking down to the bottom is not an easy feat and is not recommended for everyone. If a donkey ride is what you want to do then make your reservations early because it sometimes takes up to a year before being able to get a donkey, especially during prime-time. There are buses that take you from point to point on the rim and walking between the points of interest can be a good workout.

If you prefer not to drive, there are plenty of tour companies that will take you in a bus or even fly you over in a helicopter. The bus is nice, if you don't want to rent a car, but don't forget that you are on a set schedule and can't stop to smell the roses if you want. The helicopter ride will get you there pretty quickly and the view is pretty fascinating, but the cost is not for those on a budget. The Grand Canyon should be on everyones' must-see list, and Vegas is not that far away. So if you want some more info, click the following link to help plan your trip http://www.nps.gov/grca/grandcanyon/index.htm.

The GRAND CANYON.

Talk about money, and talk about big. This was it. If you are going to be all the way out in this part of the country and never going to be there again, go for it. Since we were in Las Vegas, we were picked up from our hotel. We took a bus to the airport, a plane to the Canyon, then took a helicopter down into the canyon, then took a boat down the Canyon River, then did the reverse and had lunch on an Indian Reservation, and then finally got back to our hotel. The whole thing took about 5 hours.

Now, here's what I want to tell you: you can get a deal for this. Yes, you can. Talk to the people at Scenic Airlines or Papillion Helicopter. It should cost you about $285 to maybe $300. That's for this time of year. Ask them for discounts, and ask them for triple-A discounts. I got taken for a ride by another outfit. They all use scenic airplanes, and Papillion helicopters, helis. So call them first and get a price and a time, and then ask around. Book early if you can and do it. You don't have to do all of it, but if you can do the helicopter part or the plane part, go for it.

The most amazing features that I found were the colors of the land that you see only from the air. Sometimes you see an artists' drawing of a scene from the Grand Canyon and you think "Hmmmm, where in the world did he come up with those colors?" And you know what I now know: where those colors came from. Cause I saw them go by on the ground from the helicopter and airplane. I would not have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. Pinks, purples, mint greens, dull grays, sparkling emeralds--one right after the other. It's the next best thing after Alaska, Hawaii, and New Zealand.