Grand Canyon in Winter

 

One day isn’t nearly enough time to see the Grand Canyon.  But, it was all the time we took coming through.  We wanted to see it in Winter.  As luck would have it, they had their first measurable snowfall the day before we arrived.  It closed our planed route to come in from the east, along the Desert View Drive.  Giving us an additional hour of anticipation on our inbound drive.

Booking two nights at the Maswik Lodge gave us a day to visit.  We started at the Visitor’s Center and the Mather Point Overlook.  Next we took the Kaibab Rim Shuttle taking us out to Yaki Point.  We followed that up with a visit to the Yavapai Geology Museum.

Getting snacks, we drive out the Hermits Rest Route, also known as the West Rim Drive.  We were lucky as the snow storm had closed it as well, but it opened in time for us to drive it today.  This route is only open to private vehicles in December, January and February.

Both the Shuttle Ride and our drive offered some stunning views of this national treasure.  I’ll just leave a few here to enjoy.

 Though inhabited for some thousands of years before John Wesley Powell navigated his boats down the river and into this “foreboding and desolate” land, he was the first to write about it.  

We think it an astonishing feat, while I like to imagine that he was watched from the cliffs above with some amusement.

 Arriving at the end of the Hermits Road you come to Hermits Rest.  In the day, weary travelers could find both shelter and refreshment here.  The same holds true today.  You can stop here for a nice warm mocha on an early January day.  It will do you good.