Grand Canyon for our 30th anniv.
 

My husband and I will be touring the GC as part of our 30th anniv. trip out west. We will be doing the GC Railway trip out of Williams and stay overnight one night in the GC village. I've read some great advice on some of the other messages. We anticipate doing a fair amount of hiking at the GC and other places over the period of our 2-week trip. With this in mind, I think we will look for some hiking boots, so not to ruin our good walking shoes. Does anyone have a good brand/style of boot? A moderate price tag is what I had in mind. We will go to Flagstaff for 2 nights and visit various sites. Does anyone have any great ideas? We do want to see some ruins that would be fairly close by, as we will want to save travel time for the next leg of our trip which is to New Mexico/Santa Fe.

I like Timberland boots but my husband prefers Vasques. Not too expensive really and just what you need for that short of a period and amount of hiking. Good socks are recommended as well. I would also suggest the North Rim if there is anyway you can squeeze it in. It's a whole different type of weather, atmosphere and foliage. And a lot less people! The Grand Canyon is one of my favorite places on earth. Enjoy and congratulations on your long and happy marriage.

I like Merrell shoes and boots. You will probably forget about your walking shoes and start walking in merrell. For the type of hiking you are going to do, I would prefer a hiking shoe over a boot. I am just not a boot person, or high-top shoe person. If you have weak ankles, you probably should consider the boot. You would be less likely to twist an ankle when you hit a rock at a funny angle.

We've got Merrill and Columbia, but there are so many different kinds available that are reasonably priced. They all have some form of that vibram. They are lightweight with excellent treads. DH wears his all the time. We never wear actual hiking boots anymore. He does have a pair of higher ones that I guess would be called boots, but they aren't the leather ones.

I was surprised at the socks they have out now also -- really makes a difference in comfort, keeping your feet dry, etc. I have smartwool and also got some at Walmart that are great, so you don't have to spend a lot on them either.

Maj is right about the socks. Socks really are a big difference now.

hey, thanks for the info. Now I have to go on line and do some more research and looking. I did read that a shoe/boot with a higher top would help protect one's ankles. I also read about socks and something called Glide. Don't know what it is but it does sound like a helpful thing to have, to put on feet, etc. to cut down on friction. Since we will be staying overnight with only what we bring in our backpacks we will want to pack carefully!

I'd suggest just going to a store such as REI and talking with a salesperson and getting properly fitted. There are some great shoes out there, but some shoes are better than others for various terrain. Unless you're doing some serious hikes or backpacking, the actual brand isn't going to matter as much as the fit.

On a side note: why take the train from Williams to GC instead of driving? Most people say the train ride is pretty dull and boring with almost nothing in the way of scenic views. Why spend the extra money and worry about what to pack in one backpack for an overnight - just drive and give yourself that flexibility of not having to catch the train.

We've been to REI and made some investments. Looking forward to using them- boots, socks, etc. Question- do we really need to eat dinner at the El Tovar restaurant in the GC? I would rather spend my time looking at rocks, sunsets, etc. But if it is really a "not to be missed experience", then we don't want to miss it.
Also we will be driving up from Phoenix on a week day and thought that it might be better to go into Sedona for a bit, rather than on a Saturday, due to crowds. Does that sound right? Hopefully we can come back down to Oak Creek canyon on that Saturday, if we do it early enough will we avoid the throngs?

The food at El Tovar is the best in GC village and the historic building itself is interesting, worth seeing, but I don't think a meal is "not to be missed" in comparison to other things to do that you have mentioned. 2 days at the canyon is not very long. Definitely try to watch the sunset and sunrise.

I had the same question as TheWEasel about taking the train to/from Williams. If you drive in you can then leave the GC along the edge of the south rim to the eastern entrance. This trip is much more interesting than the trip into the canyon from Williams. The area is less crowded than GC Village and has spectacular views of the canyon.

In Flagstaff we missed many of the national monuments which were closed due to forest fire danger. We did enjoy the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest. You could do at least the short loop north of I-40 on your way to New Mexico. In Flagstaff the Museum of Northern Arizona and Lowell Observatory are both very interesting.

Have a great anniversary trip!

Make your El Tovar reservation for after sunset. I mean, you have to eat, so why not? It shouldn't conflict with other things. I know some people make their reservation so they can see the Canyon while they dine, but your odds of getting a window seat aren't that good.

We really enjoyed our meal at El Tovar.