grand canyon
 

first time for us to grand canyon in early October. Going to drive early a.m. from vegas and stay overnight for one night and return to vegas. North Rim or South Rim? I am an amateur photographer and would like some good shots. we are probably not prone to go down into canyon.

I prefer the views from the south rim. October should not be too crowded there. Look for lodging in the park and if it is full when you want to go, for the south rim, make a reservation that you can cancel in either Tusayan , a few miles south of the park or at Cameron Trading post a bit east of the park. Keep calling the park for cancellations as people do reserve way in advance and then cancel as time gets close.

Do hike down into the park at least a little way to get an entirely different view of the area.

If you decide to go up to the north rim, try for in the park.

If you've never been to the Grand Canyon I wouldn't discourage you from going.

However, if you're an amateur photographer there are many sights in the area that are much more appealing.

Essentially, the Grand Canyon is a large, grey hole in the ground.

For a more appealing perspective hike down into the Canyon for about an hour. But remember, you're going down first so you must climb back out.

thank you both, I will check out hotels and, yes, I have learned that when you walk DOWN the hill you invariably have to walk UP the hill. This will be the end of a 30 day odyssey across the US and I will have probably been in 5 NP's by the time I get to GC.

North rim is so much better than South. Not nearly as many people and the views are great. Also drive from Vegas is not bad.
Check it out.

The average visitor to the Grand Canyon spends something like 12 minutes actually at the Rim looking into the Canyon and taking the obligatory snapshots.

The south rim gets 90% of visitors. The south rim has more accommodation either at the rim (but not overlooking it actually) or nearby (Tusyan). The north rim has only one lodge and some cabins which are always booked well in advance. You can sometimes turn up and get a cancellation. If not then it is a fair drive to Jacob's Lake or Kanab for a bed.

Coming from Las Vegas the North Rim will take more time to reach but is a more scenic drive in my opinion. You would go through Zion enroute which is extremely photogenic.

Going to the south rim, the only real point of note to a photographer would be the Hoover Dam.

To get some 'good shots' of the Grand Canyon other than those everyone takes from the Rim, you must obviously go down into the Canyon. You do not have enough time to do that.

The suggestion above of the Cameron Trading post to the east as a place to stay is a good one as the drive from there to the South Rim is scenic and most never see it. But again, it will involve more time spent driving.

Really, with only a few hours available to actually spend AT either rim or anywhere enroute, it verges on a waste of time in my opinion. Add a couple of days to your plan and do a circuit from Vegas to south rim to Cameron Trading post to Jacob's Lake to North Rim to Kanab to Zion to Las Vegas and you have something worth doing.

mcmover,
Which other parks do you intend to visit?

I would strongly suggest going to the south rim. Yes, the north rim is relatively less crowded. But the north rim has only a handful of viewpoints that are accessible by passenger car, and those viewpoints are very spread out. At the south rim, there are literally dozens of viewpoints that are vehicle-accessible. So the south rim would present many more photo opportunities.

Despite what Myer stated, the Grand Canyon is ANYTHING BUT "a large, grey hole in the ground". You are welcome to peruse some of my photos and judge for yourself, and those were just taken using a point and shoot digital camera.

https://mikepintucson.shutterfly.com/418

Definitely try to stay inside the park. undoubtedly all rooms will be booked, but cancellations occur frequently. So call Xanterra every day and you will likely get a room.

http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/Lod...rview-411.html

If you can't get a room inside the park, your best bets, as previously mentioned, are in Tusayan or the Cameron Trading Post.

South Rim -- be sure to spend some time walking on the rim path. Just wonderful. As said above, most people don't take the time to soak up the power and beauty of this place.

We did what you are planning last October. Hired a car, left Vagas early and drove to the GC. Did a little detour along Route 66 and arrived at South Rim late afternoon. We stayed overnight at El Tovar lodge. Drinks in the bar before dinner, wonderful meal (you must book) and woke up early to watch sunrise over the canyon. Watching the canyon wake up to colour as we walked along the rim was wonderful. Breakfast in the hotel (no bookings taken for breakfast) then another walk before checkout. Watching a huge elk meander through the car park as we had our breakfast was a treat. Stopped at Hoover Dam on the way back but were too late for the guided tour inside the dam.
After the excitement of NYC and the glitz of Vegas I found driving to and from GC a great balance to our holiday.

We were watching the sun co0me up from the el Tovar one morning and a herd of mule deer came thru . . completely ignoring the people . .

Rich that would have been lovely to sit and watch. Right now I am looking up at a large photo of my husband and I with the canyon behind us. A nice Asian tourist took it for us after I offered to take a photo of her and her friends together in the same spot.

I am so glad we drove and stayed overnight rather than taking a day tour that would have probably taken us to the west rim instead. We loved the overnight stay at El Tovar and my husband just couldn't stop taking photos the whole time we were there.

I would strongly suggest the South Rim for your first trip to GC. Stay in the park so you'll be able to make the most of your day there. You can get some incredible photos from the rim, especially if you are out there when the light is good. Enjoy your trip - the GC is an incredible sight to behold!

I have to say that I too found the remark about the 'grey hole' a bit baffling. Akin I guess to the guy who referred to the Coliseum in Rome as 'a pile of old stones'.

I guess it just goes to show that not everyone finds the same things of interest. I can understand that but it was the use of the word 'grey' that baffled me.

Having backpacked in the Canyon several times from rim to river on trails and off-trail, I would never have thought to use the word 'grey' in reference to the canyon. If I were to use any one colour reference it would be red.
http://www.google.ca/search?q=grand+...iw=786&bih=645

Thank you all. Myer, I will have been at Glacier, Mt.Rushmore area, Yosemite, Crater Lake et al whew

For a good time, book a room in one of the lodgings on the South Rim.

HTtY

PS We were extremely disappointed with our meals except for the ones we ate in the El Tovar Hotel dining room.

We pick up picnic makings at the Safeway in Williams on our way to the park. Williams, by the way, is a colorful little town on a stretch of old Highway 66. There is a good Thai restaurant there, too.

When will you be going to Glacier and for how long?

If you want to see spectacular scenery, wildlife and many different shaped waterfalls, that's the place to go.

I did say that for a different perspective hike down at least an hour. Otherwise I stand by the "grey hole" description.

If it were me, I'd much rather spend my time in Zion, Bryce, Page or Sedona. All within a couple of hours of GC.

Yosemite is not one of my favorite parks. Not because it isn't beautiful but because it's the most commercial park I've been to. Everything is designed to have you buy a ticket to something. No other park that I've been to is like that.