Trip Report: Red Rocks, Canyons, Bears and Buffalo
Jul 9th, 2007, 10:57 AM
#1
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Trip Report: Red Rocks, Canyons, Bears and Buffalo
This trip was inspired by a show I saw on the Travel Channel a couple of years back on the American Orient Express; a train trip through the National Parks of the West. It was one of those dream trips I put on my long list of trips I wanted to take before I died. I looked into the pricing and itinerary, it was really expensive and much more time on the train rather than in the parks, so I let it drop. As I approached my 45th birthday and feeling like it was time to celebrate in a big way I revisited the idea of the train trip. I decided to skip the prepackaged train tour and see about doing the trip on my own.
That’s when I found Fodor’s. This site has been the cornerstone of support, information and encouragement for the most challenging and spectacular vacation I’ve every taken. I’d like to thank the resident southwest experts of Fodor’s for continuing to answer the same questions over and over again and all of the posters who’ve taken the time to write trip reports through the years, especially utahtea, Dayle, TheWeasel, RedRock, richbutnot and elen_griswold: I couldn’t have done it without you!
DD13 and I flew out of Fort Meyers on Friday afternoon, June 15, 2007. After several long delays and a stop in Atlanta we arrived in Phoenix around 2:00AM and shuttled over to get the rental car. We spent the night at the airport Econo Lodge.
That’s when I found Fodor’s. This site has been the cornerstone of support, information and encouragement for the most challenging and spectacular vacation I’ve every taken. I’d like to thank the resident southwest experts of Fodor’s for continuing to answer the same questions over and over again and all of the posters who’ve taken the time to write trip reports through the years, especially utahtea, Dayle, TheWeasel, RedRock, richbutnot and elen_griswold: I couldn’t have done it without you!
DD13 and I flew out of Fort Meyers on Friday afternoon, June 15, 2007. After several long delays and a stop in Atlanta we arrived in Phoenix around 2:00AM and shuttled over to get the rental car. We spent the night at the airport Econo Lodge.
Jul 9th, 2007, 10:59 AM
#2
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Day 1- Montezuma’s Castle, Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park
The first order of business today was to get our cooler and food, so we stopped off at the 24 hour Super Wal-Mart and loaded up on supplies. We headed up I17 and made it to Montezuma’s Castle in no time at all. DD and I enjoyed this stop and thought it was well worth the 30-45 minutes it took to walk through the loop trail there and gaze up at the ancient cave dwelling. We like old things and the idea of walking on the same ground and being in the same space that people have used for hundreds of years before us; it’s cool.
Our goal was to take our time, get acclimated to the environment and altitude and enjoy a more scenic route to our ultimate destination the Grand Canyon, so we got off I17 and headed toward Sedona. Now, I’ve read many, many trip reports and comments over the year I took to plan this trip, but nothing could have prepared me for what I saw as I approached this area of Arizona. The sky was the deepest and brightest blue I’ve every seen and not a single cloud, not even a hint of a wisp of white for as far as your eye could see. The sky was contrasted by gorgeous, deep red rock formations of all sorts that were sprinkled with luscious green and yellow vegetation. I could hardly drive and when we came to a park called Bell Rock we had to stop and get out of the car. I just kept saying, over and over, OMG this place is beautiful, just beautiful. We walked along a trail for a little bit and took some pictures. Its funny how a place can make you feel calm and peaceful; I just wanted to stay there and breathe in the air. We drove up to the Chapel of the Holy Cross and lit a candle and walked around a bit taking pictures.
Oak Creek Canyon was my first high, curvy road and I was a little apprehensive. It turned out to be OK and built my confidence for what lie ahead so I was glad I took the road. I read a post before we left that included a link to an mp3 audio file on this road. I loaded it onto my iPod and we listened to it along the route, which was very enjoyable. We stopped at the top and loved both the view and the native Indian market. DD got a turquoise necklace and I got a hand painted ornament and a turquoise bracelet.
We headed toward Flagstaff and took 180 toward the Grand Canyon. Arizona was a diverse landscape to drive through and we thought that this stretch of land would be most beautiful in winter. As we entered Grand Canyon National Park our anticipation grew. It was about 3:00PM and as we got closer the Mather Point the traffic became an issue. We ended up having to park along the road down aways from the lookout. It was very crowded and we would come to understand that staying in the park was an excellent choice as the crowds would clear around supper time and we could enjoy the park in relative peace and quite for the rest of the evening and into the mornings.
As we approached the canyon for the fist time I found it hard to walk right up the guardrail. My eyes were sending signals to my brain, but my brain couldn’t process what I was seeing. It was so vast, so never ending that I had to slowly reach out for the railing and pull myself to the edge and wait for my knees to stop knocking. We just stood there…OMG…wow…this is really unbelievable. I’m so glad we got to see this for the first time with each other; it was a very special moment for DD and I.
We had reservations for a rim cabin at the Bright Angel Lodge at it was time to check in. Our cabin was old and rustic, but the bathroom was new and modern; it was perfect. We walked around the rim patio area behind the Bright Angel still trying to grasp that we were actually there and what we were seeing. We hopped on the red shuttle to Hermits’ Rest, we got off at several different points and watched the setting sun change the color’s of the canyon. When we got to Hermit’s Rest we meet out first raven and had ice cream while sitting along the rim wall. We rode the shuttle back to our cabin on got into bed; I think we were asleep before our heads hit the pillows.
The first order of business today was to get our cooler and food, so we stopped off at the 24 hour Super Wal-Mart and loaded up on supplies. We headed up I17 and made it to Montezuma’s Castle in no time at all. DD and I enjoyed this stop and thought it was well worth the 30-45 minutes it took to walk through the loop trail there and gaze up at the ancient cave dwelling. We like old things and the idea of walking on the same ground and being in the same space that people have used for hundreds of years before us; it’s cool.
Our goal was to take our time, get acclimated to the environment and altitude and enjoy a more scenic route to our ultimate destination the Grand Canyon, so we got off I17 and headed toward Sedona. Now, I’ve read many, many trip reports and comments over the year I took to plan this trip, but nothing could have prepared me for what I saw as I approached this area of Arizona. The sky was the deepest and brightest blue I’ve every seen and not a single cloud, not even a hint of a wisp of white for as far as your eye could see. The sky was contrasted by gorgeous, deep red rock formations of all sorts that were sprinkled with luscious green and yellow vegetation. I could hardly drive and when we came to a park called Bell Rock we had to stop and get out of the car. I just kept saying, over and over, OMG this place is beautiful, just beautiful. We walked along a trail for a little bit and took some pictures. Its funny how a place can make you feel calm and peaceful; I just wanted to stay there and breathe in the air. We drove up to the Chapel of the Holy Cross and lit a candle and walked around a bit taking pictures.
Oak Creek Canyon was my first high, curvy road and I was a little apprehensive. It turned out to be OK and built my confidence for what lie ahead so I was glad I took the road. I read a post before we left that included a link to an mp3 audio file on this road. I loaded it onto my iPod and we listened to it along the route, which was very enjoyable. We stopped at the top and loved both the view and the native Indian market. DD got a turquoise necklace and I got a hand painted ornament and a turquoise bracelet.
We headed toward Flagstaff and took 180 toward the Grand Canyon. Arizona was a diverse landscape to drive through and we thought that this stretch of land would be most beautiful in winter. As we entered Grand Canyon National Park our anticipation grew. It was about 3:00PM and as we got closer the Mather Point the traffic became an issue. We ended up having to park along the road down aways from the lookout. It was very crowded and we would come to understand that staying in the park was an excellent choice as the crowds would clear around supper time and we could enjoy the park in relative peace and quite for the rest of the evening and into the mornings.
As we approached the canyon for the fist time I found it hard to walk right up the guardrail. My eyes were sending signals to my brain, but my brain couldn’t process what I was seeing. It was so vast, so never ending that I had to slowly reach out for the railing and pull myself to the edge and wait for my knees to stop knocking. We just stood there…OMG…wow…this is really unbelievable. I’m so glad we got to see this for the first time with each other; it was a very special moment for DD and I.
We had reservations for a rim cabin at the Bright Angel Lodge at it was time to check in. Our cabin was old and rustic, but the bathroom was new and modern; it was perfect. We walked around the rim patio area behind the Bright Angel still trying to grasp that we were actually there and what we were seeing. We hopped on the red shuttle to Hermits’ Rest, we got off at several different points and watched the setting sun change the color’s of the canyon. When we got to Hermit’s Rest we meet out first raven and had ice cream while sitting along the rim wall. We rode the shuttle back to our cabin on got into bed; I think we were asleep before our heads hit the pillows.
Jul 10th, 2007, 05:27 AM
#8
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Hello FLmom,
This is very enjoyable. I feel as though I'm right there with you
...nothing could have prepared me for what I saw as I approached this area...
I love WOW moments on trips. In a strange sort of way, I'm always reminded of the movie Mary Poppins, when Michael first watches Mary glide up the stairs. He stands there with his mouth wide open in amazement. Mary says something like, "Close your mouth. You are not a codfish."
But in moments like this, standing there with my mouth open, just like a codfish, seems like the right expression of my feeling. A wow moment indeed.
Coffee in hand, I'm ready to continue traveling with you!
This is very enjoyable. I feel as though I'm right there with you
...nothing could have prepared me for what I saw as I approached this area...
I love WOW moments on trips. In a strange sort of way, I'm always reminded of the movie Mary Poppins, when Michael first watches Mary glide up the stairs. He stands there with his mouth wide open in amazement. Mary says something like, "Close your mouth. You are not a codfish."
But in moments like this, standing there with my mouth open, just like a codfish, seems like the right expression of my feeling. A wow moment indeed.
Coffee in hand, I'm ready to continue traveling with you!
Jul 10th, 2007, 08:56 AM
#9
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Posts: n/a
Day 2 – Grand Canyon National Park
We are up with the sun to hike the Bright Angel Trail this morning. My goal was the mile and a half resthouse. We ate breakfast from the car and packed our Camelbacks with snacks and lunch, it was about 6:00AM. The trail was easy at first and we passed a few hikers coming up from the river on our way down. The morning was cool for us but after the first tunnel and a steep switchback we had to stop and start peeling off clothing. The morning rays of the sun were filtering through the canyon and we would stop often along the trail to take pictures and soak up experience. The trail is getting much steeper and the edge into the canyon is a sharp drop-off in places. There is loose gravel and rocks and we are resting more and more; our breathing is labored.
As the morning wears on more and more people are on the trail, we are approaching a second tunnel. I’m not sure how much further the first resthouse is and I can’t see it at this point. As I come through the tunnel and look back up the trail I can see that we’ve come a long way down, snaking our way through many steep switchbacks. I glanced back to DD and I know it’s time to turn around. She was fine and so was I, but we couldn’t get our breath and the dryness was wreaking havoc on our eyes, nose, and lips. I had read enough information on hiking in the GC to heed the warnings to turn around when you start feeling tired, so up we go.
When we reached the top of the trail our little village was all-a-buzz with people and activity. The mules were in the corral and the wranglers were gathering their guests and preparing for their trip into the canyon. We unloaded our gear and rested a little bit before meeting a park ranger for the fossil walk program. Waiting along the rim behind the Bright Angel Lodge we saw California Condors riding the thermals over the canyon, what a site. The sun was up all of the way now and I realized my mind had finally accepted the visual grandeur of this place and I was really enjoying myself. The fossil walk was great and DD loved finding and identifying fossilized sea creatures in the rocks as we explored with the ranger.
We walked the rim trail and poked around the historic village browsing through the old buildings, shops and museums never venturing far from the views of the canyon. I found a neat book written by a park ranger detailing her adventures and experiences while in the field and DD found one entitled “who pooped in the park”, it helps kids identify markings, tracks and droppings of the animals in the park. She found one of the more rare fossils on the ranger walk and the ranger had called the entire group over to see, so now I’ve got a top rated naturalist with me - perfect!
When we got to the El Tovar we decided to take a rest on the deck and grab some lunch. Walking through the lobby of the El Tovar was enchanting and you could feel the history of the place penetrate you, it was neat. After lunch we continued along the rim toward Hopi House and noticed a small gathering of people pointing and talking. There was a family of big horn sheep in the canyon! A mother and two babies were foraging near a small alcove in a cliff wall. We finished up the village and headed back toward the cabin. It’s about 12:30ish, the crowds are building and the traffic in the village was heavy…time to take a nap!
Thank goodness the train tracks to Williams run close to the Bright Angel, if the 4:00PM whistle hadn’t blown who knows how long we would have slept. I guess that early morning hike knocked the stuffins’ out of us! We rode the blue shuttle to the Yavapai Lodge and ate supper in the cafeteria. We picked up the green shuttle and explored the overlooks along the way. The observation center at Yavapai Point was very informative and the ranger was a delight. The sunset looked different tonight and I thought you could spend a lifetime experiencing all that the canyon had to offer; I wish I could.
We got back to the cabin and picked up our warmer clothes, the temperature drops with the sun around here. The “outsiders” have gone again and there’s a special member’s only feeling as we mingle and talk among the other guests at the Bright Angel. With our flashlights at the ready we venture out along the rim and away from the lights of the village. The night sky was extraordinary! I’ve never seen a billion or trillion of anything, but there had to be at least that many stars and planets in the sky that night and all different shapes, sizes and colors too. Simply spectacular!
We are up with the sun to hike the Bright Angel Trail this morning. My goal was the mile and a half resthouse. We ate breakfast from the car and packed our Camelbacks with snacks and lunch, it was about 6:00AM. The trail was easy at first and we passed a few hikers coming up from the river on our way down. The morning was cool for us but after the first tunnel and a steep switchback we had to stop and start peeling off clothing. The morning rays of the sun were filtering through the canyon and we would stop often along the trail to take pictures and soak up experience. The trail is getting much steeper and the edge into the canyon is a sharp drop-off in places. There is loose gravel and rocks and we are resting more and more; our breathing is labored.
As the morning wears on more and more people are on the trail, we are approaching a second tunnel. I’m not sure how much further the first resthouse is and I can’t see it at this point. As I come through the tunnel and look back up the trail I can see that we’ve come a long way down, snaking our way through many steep switchbacks. I glanced back to DD and I know it’s time to turn around. She was fine and so was I, but we couldn’t get our breath and the dryness was wreaking havoc on our eyes, nose, and lips. I had read enough information on hiking in the GC to heed the warnings to turn around when you start feeling tired, so up we go.
When we reached the top of the trail our little village was all-a-buzz with people and activity. The mules were in the corral and the wranglers were gathering their guests and preparing for their trip into the canyon. We unloaded our gear and rested a little bit before meeting a park ranger for the fossil walk program. Waiting along the rim behind the Bright Angel Lodge we saw California Condors riding the thermals over the canyon, what a site. The sun was up all of the way now and I realized my mind had finally accepted the visual grandeur of this place and I was really enjoying myself. The fossil walk was great and DD loved finding and identifying fossilized sea creatures in the rocks as we explored with the ranger.
We walked the rim trail and poked around the historic village browsing through the old buildings, shops and museums never venturing far from the views of the canyon. I found a neat book written by a park ranger detailing her adventures and experiences while in the field and DD found one entitled “who pooped in the park”, it helps kids identify markings, tracks and droppings of the animals in the park. She found one of the more rare fossils on the ranger walk and the ranger had called the entire group over to see, so now I’ve got a top rated naturalist with me - perfect!
When we got to the El Tovar we decided to take a rest on the deck and grab some lunch. Walking through the lobby of the El Tovar was enchanting and you could feel the history of the place penetrate you, it was neat. After lunch we continued along the rim toward Hopi House and noticed a small gathering of people pointing and talking. There was a family of big horn sheep in the canyon! A mother and two babies were foraging near a small alcove in a cliff wall. We finished up the village and headed back toward the cabin. It’s about 12:30ish, the crowds are building and the traffic in the village was heavy…time to take a nap!
Thank goodness the train tracks to Williams run close to the Bright Angel, if the 4:00PM whistle hadn’t blown who knows how long we would have slept. I guess that early morning hike knocked the stuffins’ out of us! We rode the blue shuttle to the Yavapai Lodge and ate supper in the cafeteria. We picked up the green shuttle and explored the overlooks along the way. The observation center at Yavapai Point was very informative and the ranger was a delight. The sunset looked different tonight and I thought you could spend a lifetime experiencing all that the canyon had to offer; I wish I could.
We got back to the cabin and picked up our warmer clothes, the temperature drops with the sun around here. The “outsiders” have gone again and there’s a special member’s only feeling as we mingle and talk among the other guests at the Bright Angel. With our flashlights at the ready we venture out along the rim and away from the lights of the village. The night sky was extraordinary! I’ve never seen a billion or trillion of anything, but there had to be at least that many stars and planets in the sky that night and all different shapes, sizes and colors too. Simply spectacular!
Jul 11th, 2007, 08:40 AM
#11
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Day 3- GCNP-Desert View Drive, Wupatki National Monument, Historic Cameron Trading Post
We are up just after sunrise and out of the cabin quickly, traveling more like backpackers with only one regular sized pack each, for the entire trip. We’ve been washing out our essentials each night in the shower, I know…not for everyone, but it’s working for us and has added a rustic charm to our adventure. As we pull out of the parking area and round the corner we are greeted by a group of mule deer gazing along the roadside. This is the largest wildlife sighting, both in numbers and in physical size that we’ve seen so far and DD is very excited. It’s a group of females and young. We stopped off for a pancake breakfast at the Yavapai Lodge Cafeteria and got ice at the General Store before turning east to meander our way out of the park.
Early morning and Mather Point is deserted, so we stop for one last look; complete solitude. Desert View Drive pulls away from the rim into a pine and juniper forest and the overlooks give a new perspective to the canyon. We geared up at Grandview Point and hiked down the steep, rough switch backed trail to a large flat rock shaded by an old, twisted pine tree. The view here is wide open, untouched and very different from the village and western points. The breeze is gently blowing and echoing through the canyon, the birds are singing in the distance. This is a kind of vast, panoramic beauty and serenity that is recognized through your soul along with your senses.
The stillness was broken when DD jumped up thinking she had been buzzed by a bee. It turned out to be a pair of humming birds darting and feeding on the nectar of what we think was a pink thistle bush. We’ve never seen a humming bird before and we were surprised at how small and colorful they are! We continued east stopping at the overlooks and the Tusayan Ruins. We walked the loop trail of the ruins and enjoyed the museum there. Desert View and the Watchtower were crowded with people by the time we arrived. We had lunch, climbed the stairs to the top of the Watchtower and took a few final pictures before leaving the park. DD shouted out NOOOOOO! in her best Darth Vader impersonation as we exited the east gate…I felt the same way.
The Wupatki Pueblo was very interesting and enjoyable. The drive was scenic, although it was farther off 89 than I expected and they were re-paving the road which caused long delays. The visitor’s center was a great little museum and then the trail out through the pueblo was self-guided with a numbered pamphlet. The blow hole was cool and we tried to imagine what it must have been like to live there. The area reminded me of Sedona with a stunning contrast of sky, red rock, black volcanic debris and green, yellow and white vegetation.
We checked into the Historic Cameron Trading Post and got a large room that faced a beautiful garden. We were very impressed and thought it was a great place to stay; like an oasis in the desert. We had supper and browsed through the amazing, gigantic gift shop. The artwork and craftsmanship of the native Indians was a major highlight here.
We are up just after sunrise and out of the cabin quickly, traveling more like backpackers with only one regular sized pack each, for the entire trip. We’ve been washing out our essentials each night in the shower, I know…not for everyone, but it’s working for us and has added a rustic charm to our adventure. As we pull out of the parking area and round the corner we are greeted by a group of mule deer gazing along the roadside. This is the largest wildlife sighting, both in numbers and in physical size that we’ve seen so far and DD is very excited. It’s a group of females and young. We stopped off for a pancake breakfast at the Yavapai Lodge Cafeteria and got ice at the General Store before turning east to meander our way out of the park.
Early morning and Mather Point is deserted, so we stop for one last look; complete solitude. Desert View Drive pulls away from the rim into a pine and juniper forest and the overlooks give a new perspective to the canyon. We geared up at Grandview Point and hiked down the steep, rough switch backed trail to a large flat rock shaded by an old, twisted pine tree. The view here is wide open, untouched and very different from the village and western points. The breeze is gently blowing and echoing through the canyon, the birds are singing in the distance. This is a kind of vast, panoramic beauty and serenity that is recognized through your soul along with your senses.
The stillness was broken when DD jumped up thinking she had been buzzed by a bee. It turned out to be a pair of humming birds darting and feeding on the nectar of what we think was a pink thistle bush. We’ve never seen a humming bird before and we were surprised at how small and colorful they are! We continued east stopping at the overlooks and the Tusayan Ruins. We walked the loop trail of the ruins and enjoyed the museum there. Desert View and the Watchtower were crowded with people by the time we arrived. We had lunch, climbed the stairs to the top of the Watchtower and took a few final pictures before leaving the park. DD shouted out NOOOOOO! in her best Darth Vader impersonation as we exited the east gate…I felt the same way.
The Wupatki Pueblo was very interesting and enjoyable. The drive was scenic, although it was farther off 89 than I expected and they were re-paving the road which caused long delays. The visitor’s center was a great little museum and then the trail out through the pueblo was self-guided with a numbered pamphlet. The blow hole was cool and we tried to imagine what it must have been like to live there. The area reminded me of Sedona with a stunning contrast of sky, red rock, black volcanic debris and green, yellow and white vegetation.
We checked into the Historic Cameron Trading Post and got a large room that faced a beautiful garden. We were very impressed and thought it was a great place to stay; like an oasis in the desert. We had supper and browsed through the amazing, gigantic gift shop. The artwork and craftsmanship of the native Indians was a major highlight here.
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