Cameron Az to Grand Canyon
 

Has anyone entered the Grand Canyon from the east via 64 from Cameron? We will be coming from the NE so this route would be the most practical for us. I would like advise and comments on doing the East Rim in reverse. We were thinking of trying to make it to the desert view lookout for the sunrise. How long does the drive take from Cameron to Desert View?

Hwy 64 from Cameron to Desert View is the more scenic route. The roads are great. You will be going up in elevation as you leave Cameron.

From Desert View to the Grand Canyon Village the canyon gets better as you go, so you really aren't doing the drive in reverse.

Utahtea

Thanks for the info. Utahtea!
I will probably make reservations for the Trading Post in Cameron.

This was the place we stayed and the route we took in 2002. We did it before sunrise as well (but to Moran Point). It is a little over an hour from Cameron to the eastern park entrance (which was unstaffed when we arrived). The roads were great and I remember driving 60 and 65 the entire way. The cool part was most people enter the park from the southern entrance, so we didn't start seeing other tourists until we approached the Grand Canyon Visitors Center (around 9:00 a.m.).

I'm not an early morning person, but I swear the following happened. First, we saw a saddled horse beside the road. If there was a rider, he/she must of just jumped off, because the horse was untied. We drove by it so quickly, that we didn't realize what it was until we were past it. Second, a few miles down the road, we saw two elk standing beside the road grazing. Keep in mind it was before dawn, we were traveling 60 mph, and were a little groggy due to the early hour. I became wide awake when I realized what they were, and what damaged would have occurred to me/the car if one of these huge beasts had stepped in front of my car.

For what it is worth, I liked my sunset pictures better than my sunrise pictures of the Grand Canyon.

Have fun.
Mike Honeycutt

Thanks Mike!
How was your stay at the trading post?
How early did you leave for the sunrise. Is Moran Point on the East Rim drive? Is it supposed to be a better viewing spot for the sunrise? I have read that Desert View was the best spot. When you arrived at GC village at around 9:00, was it crowded yet? We would need to find a parking spot, so we can take the shuttle to West Rim Drive. Is that what you did? From what lookout did you view the sunset? And one last question, How long did it take you to do both rims? Sorry for so many questions! It's nice to be able to get first hand info. from someone who has already BEEN THERE/DONE THAT!!
Thanks Again!

If you are staying at the Cameron Trading Post, try the Navajo Taco in their restaurant, or at least an order of frybread with honey - yum!

If you check the post titled "Best way to spend time in GC" , you may pick up some info to help with some of your questions. I think we are on the same wavelength but we are coming from the south instead of the east so all of the info I have read in your post (puppydog) is helping me to plan also!

How was your stay at the trading post?
We still talk about how nice we found
the Cameron Trading Post. It wasn't
the fanciest place we've ever stayed,
but it was clean and comfortable.
Given the restaurant was the only
close eating establishment, we found
it to be pretty good. I don't
usually like shopping, but I found
the large gift shop at the Trading
Post to be well-stocked, and the
it had decent prices. It may have
been the fatigue from hiking at the
Grand Canyon, being in a new place,
etc., but we would stay there again
in a heart beat.

How early did you leave for the sunrise.
My memory is fuzzy (other than seeing
the elk :-), but I believe we left
the Cameron Trading Post around
4:30 a.m. I'm pretty sure the trip
was just over an hour to the park
entrance.

Is Moran Point on the East Rim drive? Is it supposed to be a better viewing spot for the sunrise?
Moran Point, from memory, is about
halfway between Desert View, and the
Grand Canyon Visitor's Center. We
didn't plan this part of the trip,
and just stopped at the closest
overlook when the sun started rising.
I'd stick with Desert View.

When you arrived at GC village at around 9:00, was it crowded yet? We would need to find a parking spot, so we can take the shuttle to West Rim Drive. Is that what you did?
The first buses were just starting
to arrive. We easily found parking,
had breakfast, and continued with
our site seeing before it became
very crowded. This was in late
March, so the crowds may be larger
when you go. As for going to the
West Rim, we did a combination of
riding and hiking the rest of the
day. Once we got away from the
visitor's center, the crowds dropped
off greatly. Apparently, most
people get off the bus, snap a few
photos and leave - different
strokes.

From what lookout did you view the sunset?
We went back to Moran Point.
Again, we didn't have a plan, and
I wanted to have different photos
from the same spot for sunset.
I was very pleased with the sunset
from Moran's Point.

And one last question, How long did it take you to do both rims?
We spent the day at the Grand
Canyon do I don't remember exact
times. I remember being back at
the Visitor's Center from lunch,
so with the hiking along the rim,
stopping at the overlooks, and just
relaxing, I'd say it took us
roughly half a day on the west
and east rim. We arrived back
at the Cameron Trading Post around 8:00 that evening.

Sorry for so many questions! It's nice to be able to get first hand info. from someone who has already
BEEN THERE/DONE THAT!!

No problem - ask more if you have
them. I use the same method to
research my vacations, so I need
to return the favors.
Two suggestions:
1. Search this board for the
various key words (Desert View,
Cameron Trading Post, etc.)
you are interested in.
2. You can see my photos at my
website: www.mikehoneycutt.com
I'm currently reformatting my
hard drive (the joys of being
a geek :-), but I should have
the site back up by the weekend.

Mike Honeycutt

Mike, Thank you so much for taking the time to answer all my questions!! Your answers and suggestions will be a great help to me when planning our trip. My DH is the type to just hop in the car and go. Not me, I like to plan every little detail!
I'm looking forward to seeing the pictures of your trip!
Take Care
Carrie (puppydog)

P.S Thanks to everyone for the great tips and suggestions!!!!!