We were fortunate to spend a few days at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. On our first day we started at the East Entrance and walked up the Desert View Watchtower.
The inside was really cool with a staircase spiraling all the way to the top with views of the Grand Canyon along the way.
Our first overlook into the canyon was Navajo Point.
Across the road from the viewpoint are the Tusayan Ruins. Archaeologists date these ruins to around A.D. 1185. It is believed that ancestral Puebloan lived in this area. As well as the ruins which include a ceremonial kiva, grain storage areas and living quarters there is a clearing where there are signs of farming.
Pulling back onto the main road we saw this sign….this is warning of the four legged kind of cougar…not the two legged kind hanging out in bars trolling for young men.
In the late 1800s the Grandview Hotel sat right at the edge of the canyon. It was a 12 hour ride by horse and buggy from Phoenix. This was also where the mule trail down into the canyon started.
The Mather Point overlook is located at the largest visitor center with lots and lots of parking so is very crowded. We did a quick stop here but with the crowds we didn’t stay long.
On one of the colder days we decided to hop the shuttle bus and ride out to Hermits Rest. In 1911-1912 a railway was constructed to take tourists from Williams AZ to the Grand Canyon. From the train depot you rode in a horse buggy the last 9 miles to Hermits Rest. You can still take that train but catch the shuttle bus or hike the last 9 miles. Currently a souvenir and snack shop sit at that location.
On our way out the the park heading back to the rig on our last day we saw these young elk wandering along the road.
Thank you for visiting our Grand Canyon post, we had a fantastic time on this trip!
Bonnie & Bruceontheloose 