Grand
Canyon National Park - South Rim, Arizona
December
22, 2016
Distance:
10.93 miles
Time:
4 hours, 57 minutes.
Calories:
1,345.
Entrance
Fee: $30 per car.
We
had to take a flash trip to Arizona and we could not pass on the opportunity to
visit the Grand Canyon National Park. Luckily for us, the South
Rim is open all year round. (Make sure to check out the dates in which the North
Rim is open before you go). We were warned about rain, hail, slippery
conditions, and cold weather. However, we could not resist and we usually
travel with good hiking boots, tent, extra clothes, water filters, raincoats,
etc.
We
arrived on the South Entrance Rd, directly into the Visitor Center. We decided
to walk towards Hermits Rest, see map below for trail information and map.
Let
me tell you, this is one of our favorites hikes, not only because the Grand
Canyon takes your breath away, but
because it was one of those hikes that came out without any special planning. Basically, it was like, we are here, why not?
The
people that warned us were correct, it was raining and cold. I am glad we were
prepared. Also, goes without saying, the views are simply amazing!
While it was cloudy most of the time, we were lucky to click some really nice pictures without rain. The mix of clouds with sunlight added a nice touch.
The
Rim Trail allows you to walk through the Trail
of Time, an interpretative walking timeline which allows you to get a glimpse
on the history of the rock layers of the Grand Canyon. It starts close to the Yavapai
Geology Museum.
Look
at the names of those schists (a coarse-grained metamorphic rock which consists
of layers of different minerals and can be split into thin irregular plates.
Taken from Oxford Dictionaries).
One
of the things we like the most is encountering with other beings along the way.
It cheers us up!
Look
at this guy, he learned to ignore the human-imposed
boundaries.
This
is the view of the village as we got closer to Hermits Rest.
Tips:
Tips:
Check the weather before you go and dress appropriately.
There
are multiple points along the Rim Trail for clicking spectacular pictures.
Food
and water were not an issue, there were multiple places where you can get
supplies.
Do
plan to stay more than 1 day if you want to do a longer hike.
Remember,
the South Rim is open all year round, the North Rim has specific dates, check
them before you go.
We
hope you enjoy your visit.
See
you next time!