Grand Canyon South Rim Reviews and Photos, Grand Canyon

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Editor Pick

South Rim Trail III: Canyon Village to Pipe Creek Vista

April 3, 2007
Rated 4 of 5 by btwood2 from Rodeo, New Mexico

Distance: 12 miles total; Canyon Village to Pipe Creek Vista: 4 miles; Elevation change: fairly level; Open to foot travel only, bicycles not permitted. Surface: paved.

On the east edge of Canyon Village, Verkamp’s Curios is celebrating its 100th anniversary. John Verkamp opened the first curio shop at the Grand Canyon, and his family still runs the 1906-built store, though they no longer live on the second floor. Dignitaries, rangers on horseback, and camera-toting publicity crews are milling around the just-completed celebration and ceremonies.

Leaving the hubbub of Canyon Village behind, relative solitude awaits on this wide paved portion of the South Rim Trail. My companions are limited to various and sundry hikers on the trail, most of whom are speaking French this afternoon, and ravens flying overhead and perching on gnarly trees. Some of the wind-battered pines and junipers have grown into unlikely shapes, trunks bending sideways at 90 degree angles, then up again.

Peering down into the Canyon, one ray of sunlight illuminates Bright Angel Trail to the west. Maybe that’s how it got its name? Shortly, a detour sign leads around Yavapai Observation Station. It’s been closed for extensive remodeling and renovation since 2005, but was expected to open by summer 2006. Judging by appearances, I doubt construction’s running on schedule. They’re already more than a month behind the posted "scheduled completion date" April 15th, 2006. Views from the Rim at Yavapai are compelling nevertheless.

My first-ever view of the Canyon in 1988 was from Mather Point, ¾ mile east of Yavapai. Back then, after driving all night, sleep deprived and groggy, Bob and I had yet to check in at Mather Campground. An hour past sunrise, we just stood and stared at the colors brightening as the early morning sun rose, glinting on the layered walls and massive geological formations deep below, as guardian ravens circled overhead. As the closest point to the entrance station and nearest to the new Canyon View Information Plaza and Visitor Center, Mather Point is many visitors’ first view of the Canyon.

Another 1 1/3 mile east on the Rim Trail is Pipe Creek Vista, the current east end of South Rim Trail. At some time in the future, the Rim Trail may extend another 28 miles east all the way to Desert View as part of the Greenway master plan.

From journal Lure of the Canyon

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Editor Pick

South Rim Trail II: Hermit’s Rest to Hopi Point

April 3, 2007
Rated 5 of 5 by btwood2 from Rodeo, New Mexico

Distance: 12 miles total; Hermits Rest to Hopi Point 6 miles; Elevation change: fairly level; Open to foot travel only, bicycles not permitted. Surface: dirt.

Hermit’s Rest, on the eastern end of South Rim Trail, is architect Mary Colter’s whimsical fantasy in rock, built as a rest stop for tourists, to resemble a hermit’s hovel. Hermit Trailhead, one of the three main trails down into the canyon, begins immediately west of the Rest. From Pima Point, a mile east, you get good views of Hermit Trail, built in 1912 by Santa Fe Railroad as an alternative to Bright Angel Trail, which was then a toll-trail. Far below, the blue-green Colorado River ribbons its way past Granite Rapids.

Mohave Point and Hopi Point are the only two eastbound shuttle bus stops on Hermit’s Rest Route. Hopi Point is known as a prime location to view spectacular sunsets. I’d walked 1/3 mile from Powell Point to Hopi Point intending to catch sunset there. As the sun lowered and shadows lengthened, more and more people arrived, taking seats on the stone retaining wall, setting up cameras, and using the porta-potties. The crowds became distracting to me and made me restless.

Seeking solitude, I hit the trail for Mohave Point, ¾ mile further eastward. I was so glad I did. I was alone with the ever-present ravens circling overhead, warm sunlight painting the canyon walls gold and white on the upper layers, deep red beneath, punctuated with low-growing tufts of dark green pinon and juniper clinging to near-vertical cliffs. Arriving at Mohave Point, I was relieved to see it was spread out, with numerous separate overlooks, and there were less people than there had been at Hopi Point.

Impending sunset over the Canyon had the effect of making the people at Mohave Point speak in whispers that afternoon. I would imagine this is not always the case, especially with bigger crowds and boisterous children. But as darkness fell, it was magical standing in the hushed silence right at the edge of the Canyon on a rock outcropping, leaning on the safety of curved metal guard rails, gazing at the sunset and last light reflecting off the River far below, making it glimmer.

From journal Lure of the Canyon

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Editor Pick

South Rim Trail I: Trailview to Powell Point

April 3, 2007
Rated 4 of 5 by btwood2 from Rodeo, New Mexico

Distance: 12 miles total; Trailview to Powell Point 2 miles; Elevation change: fairly level; Open to foot travel only, bicycles not permitted. Paved portions wheelchair accessible.

The beauty of the South Rim Trail is that it’s so versatile, so spectacular, and its views change constantly with season, weather, and time of day. You can take a short hike or a long one, or anywhere in between. The major disadvantage can be the crowds, and this is especially true in summer and on holidays. Every time the shuttle stops at an overlook, here come at least a handful of tourists. But they don’t stay long, because they don’t want to miss the next shuttle.

The South Rim Trail can be accessed at seventeen or more points from South Rim Drive. Its easternmost point is Pipe Creek Vista, off Desert View Drive. Hermit’s Rest is its westernmost point. Between Pipe Creek Vista and Maricopa Point the trail is paved and mostly handicap accessible. East of Maricopa Point, it’s dirt but still well-maintained. I hiked/rode almost its whole length in various segments, but not all on the same day.

I thought I’d alternate hiking and shuttle bus eastbound from Hermits Rest, but learned quickly (the hard way as my planned stop whizzed by) that the shuttle makes very few eastbound stops, so I shuttled all the way back to the transfer station, and walked ¾ mile to Trailview Overlook. This stretch gives some great far views of Grand Canyon Village, as well as zig-zaggy Bright Angel Trail, Bright Angel Canyon, and Bright Angel Fault. From the overlook, 50+ miles southeast, San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff loom on the horizon.

Another leisurely ¾ mile walk gets you to Maricopa Point. From here, the reddish rock formation called the Battleship can be best viewed. Between Maricopa and Powell Point the trail is detoured around Orphan Mine. Orphan began as a copper mine in 1893, but poor ore and difficulty transporting caused its closure not long after.

The Orphan was reborn in the 1950s when high-grade uranium was discovered. Mined out by 1969, it was taken over by NPS in 1988. No big surprise to discover that the areas around the remaining structures and down-canyon are contaminated with radioactive materials and mining wastes. Studies are underway to determine how best to clean up the mess. Nearest views of the skeletal metal head frame are from about halfway between Maricopa and Powell points.

Powell Memorial dominates the Rim at Powell Point. The square stone structure with steps to the top leads to a plaque honoring John Wesley Powell and his fellow River runners who accompanied him on his epic 1869 and 1872 journeys down the Colorado in primitive wooden boats.

From journal Lure of the Canyon

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Editor Pick

Day Two at the Canyon

April 11, 2005
Rated 5 of 5 by Craig Randall from Meridian, Idaho

Since three hours, much less three days, is scarcely enough time to dedicate to one of God’s wonders, we drove back to the South Rim on the second day for more viewing and jaw-dropping exhilaration. We left at about 8am, which, as we would find out upon leaving, was a smart move. We entered the park, and since we’d taken the train the day before, were granted gratuitous entrance to the park, courtesy of our tickets. That’s a $20 savings. Save your stubs! We drove east at the fork in the road, since it’s that "side" of the canyon that allows you to drive up to the edges, stop, take pictures to your heart’s content, and move on. If you go west, you get stuck in a parking morass and end up with 80% of the bus tourists.

The Grand Canyon is an interesting thing: All the vistas look the same (awe-inspiring) but they’re all so completely different. Moving two feet in either direction elicits a new mouth-agape look on your face. It stuns with its size, magnitude and serenity all at once. This was my third trip to the South Rim and it felt like my first trip to the candy store as a kid... and this time I had a quarter!

As we left the park, the line which we had waited in, consisting at the time of four cars, had grown to four miles of cars. If you’re headed to the park, get there early and avoid seeing your daylight hours reduced by the wait time to get into the park. Another little tidbit if you like to camp instead of hotel it: Camping within the confines of the national park system will cost you the price of entry. If you’re on a shoestring like me, you can camp just outside the park inside the Kaibab National Forest free of charge, provided you’re not within a quarter-mile of the road.

So after two days of chasing kids around the park and ensuring their safety at cliff’s edge, what’s the verdict? To paraphrase an old Spanish refrain: "Give alms old woman, for there is nothing so sad as to be blind at the Grand Canyon." Try as one might, using mere adjectives to describe the beauty seems to be an exercise in futility.

From journal Two Days in Grand Canyon, AZ

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