Balcony House sounds like a must-do. Peter, the 60's photo is great. Made me want to dig out the old pictures from the trip my family took out West when I was 16.

Let's shift gears to the Grand Canyon now. I need to try to book the lodging. I hate to reinvent the wheel so does anyone know of any good threads or discussions of the relative pros and cons at each place inside the park? I need 2 rooms --- one for 2 adults/2 kids and one for 2 adults. From some of the threads I've seen rooms vary widely even in the same Lodge, so I'm not even sure what to ask for.

We stayed in the cabins at the South Rim in the late 1990s.
Each cabin is actually two rooms.
There's a door between them if the occupants are strangers but can be opened for relatives and friends. It worked well for us as we shared the cabin with another couple we were traveling with. Each half has its own bathroom. The lodge and the rim are only a few paces away...we loved it.

I'll try to post a link:

http://www.nationalparkreservations....rightangel.htm

We usually like the cabins best in National Parks. I take it- you for sure decided on the South Rim? I know the zipline is expensive, but a helicopter flight in the canyon is a great experience, if you can withstand a couple of hits in your budget. The short $99 30 minute flight might be enough. If you are on the North Rim there is no flights there and only one lodging choice. Some like the North Rim better, because it isn't nearly as crowded. I haven't done the North Rim yet, but hope to sometime. I was looking at going this May with an employee of mine, but it is booked, so we are debating about just camping there.

You should eat at least one meal in El Tovar if you are on the South Rim. Even lunch or breakfast.


I like this link for lodging
www.grandcanyonlodges.com

you can check availability, menus, etc.

be sure and get a navajo taco at Mesa Verde or Monument Valley.

I know I mentioned this before, but to me it would be a shame to miss The Goosenecks, Moki Dugway, and Muley Point. Twin Rocks is a decent place to stop and eat along the way. The drive thru Valley of the Gods is right there as well, although I wasn't overally impressed with it. We drove it early in the morning and I let my 14 year old drive a rental car. How stupid am I. We never met a soul on the dirt road. I figured it was like driving backroads. Thats the way everyone learns here in rural Oklahoma. Anyway, my daugher enjoyed it because I let her drive. It is a mini Monument Valley. We stayed in the B&B there as well. If you are really brave let your 15 year old drive up the Dugway. LOL. Just Kidding. You take one look at it and you may not want to drive up it yourself. I have some pics of it, and I don't remember if peter has any photos or it. We were watching an Old John Wayne Movie (a ton of his were filmed in Monument Valley) and were suprised to see him throwing something into the San Juan River, while on the banks at The Goosenecks. It is very recognizable. Our flight from Vegas last week, Followed the Colorado up the Grand Canyon for the entire length. We could pick out The Goosenecks, and The Mittens in Monument Valley.

I haven't any shots of the Moki Dugway. It was washed away in a flash flood the day we arrived at the Valley of the Gods B&B. The owners of the B&B said it was the worst storm they'd experienced since they bought the place over ten years earlier. It was quite exciting and there was some concern that their cabin might be washed away.

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/21346486

The road through the Valley of the Gods also washed out in many stretches but was repaired by the afternoon of the next day. The Moki Dugway was out of commission for a couple of months.

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/21362498

I once spotted Mounument Valley from the air on the flight into Vegas and managed a shot.

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/34685836

We stayed in Mexican Hat in May and used that as our base for Monument Valley, Goosenecks, Moki Dugway, Muley Point, Valley of the Gods etc.
We liked the Valley of the gods more than Monument valley, loved Goosenecks, which was deserted, enjoyed the drive up the Dugway, and the view from Muley point was just incredible. The same day as we did Goosenecks and Muley Point we went to Natural Arches NP, drove back through the Bears Ears down to Bluff and then through VOG before returning to Mexican Hat for the swinging BBQ.
Mexican Hat itself is nothing special, but cheaper than other places to stay, and the swinging steak grill was wonderful.

Photo of Goosenecks: http://tinyurl.com/6fq8g6

Photos from Muley Point: http://tinyurl.com/6h7m5k

http://tinyurl.com/5fmtmg

Mexican Hat rock:
http://tinyurl.com/6zrzcs