Grand Canyon Vacation

Every American (okay, every human for that matter) owes it to him/herself to head to Arizona and visit the Grand Canyon at least once in their lifetimes. It's truly amazing to see how a little trickle of water eventually turned into the Colorado River, which eventually carved out the Grand Canyon.

You can approach your trip to the Grand Canyon in a couple different ways. One way is to stay within the park at one of the lodges on the South Rim and take time to experience all the different things the park has to offer. The other way is to stay in one of the surrounding Arizona towns and take a day trip to the Grand Canyon for a "hit and run" view of the Canyon. Both have their plusses.

The part of the Grand Canyon The South Rim is the part of the Grand Canyon most people are familiar with. It sits on the Arizona side and can be accessed all year round. The North Rim is closed from mid-October to mid-May, and is not as visited as the South Rim.

The benefit of staying within the park is the ability to take your time to view the magnificent Canyon from different viewing points, which you can access by walking the rim trail or taking a shuttle from point to point. For those of you staying for several days, a trip to the Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon would be a lovely addition, though the drive is about 4 - 5 hours long. For those not wanting to drive, there is a shuttle which provides rim to rim service from mid-May to Mid-October.

For those staying on the South Rim, there are numerous trails down the canyon, as well as a trail along the top of the Canyon called the "Rim Trail." If you're staying in one of the lodges and are planning a day hike into the inner Canyon, just be aware that you probably cannot make it down and back in one day. As a matter of fact, each year around 250 people are rescued from the inner Canyon, the majority of whom are able-bodied young men between the ages of 18 to 40 who attempted to hike down and back in one ay. Don't be one of them. A good day hike would be a couple hours down and then back up. The hike up will take longer than the hike down. Also, be sure to wear good hiking shoes as some trails can be very rocky.

Some people choose to hike down one day and either camp at the bottom or stay in the Phantom Ranch. Be aware, however, that you have to make arrangements well in advance of your trip if you choose to stay at the bottom. Campers require a backcountry permit, and Phantom Ranch is usually booked months ahead. Permits are sometimes available on that day, but why risk it? For reservations at the Phantom Ranch, you can call 888-297-2757.

Some people prefer to stay outside the park and visit the Canyon for a few hours and move on. There are numerous areas in Northern Arizona where one can stay and take a side trip to the Grand Canyon, such as Sedona and Flagstaff. While such locations are still lengthy drives (an hour from Flagstaff, two from Sedona), it's still close enough for a day trip. Both Sedona and Flagstaff are lovely places to stay, with Sedona being the most 'touristy" of the two towns. Flagstaff, to me, is the quirkier of the two, perhaps because it is a "university town," home to Northern Arizona University.

Sedona and Flagstaff are also visually different. Flagstaff is surrounded by a pine forest, while Sedona is in "red rock" country. Sedona abounds with numerous high-end resorts, galleries and expensive eateries. Flagstaff is cheaper all-around, with inexpensive lodging and restaurants. Both are close enough for a day trip to the Grand Canyon.

Of course, you can always opt for an even quicker bus tour, hopping from one tourist stop to the next. But, why not take a cue from that little trickle of water which started it all? Take your time and enjoy the view.

About The Author
Diane McCalley is an accountant, avid traveler, and creator of http://www.thetravelerscompanion.com.

The Grand Canyon: Life In The Gorge

An eagle swoops overhead, its vast wingspan silhouetted against the morning sun. A trained eye surveys the land below, anticipating any sudden movement.

Deep in the canyon beneath, the Colorado River runs its relentless course through Grand Canyon National Park, carved through the ages by this vein flowing through Arizona. As the sun climbs the morning sky, flooding the valley with light, the ground temperature rises and the creatures of the valley begin their daily quest for survival.

The immense scale of the Grand Canyon is difficult to comprehend. At its peak, the side walls plummet 1500 m (5000 ft) down to the river. At its broadest the canyon extends up to 29 km (18 mi) wide and overall the complex stretches over 446 km (227 mi).

The Grand Canyon is perhaps America's most recognisable landmark. The region is a magnet for tourists, attracting over 5 million visitors each year. Nobody fully appreciates the landscape until they have experienced it for themselves.

From the Colorado River, deep in the canyon floor, layer upon layer of rock becomes noticeable, stacked like pancakes, each one representing millions of years of evolution. Tiers of lime and sandstone stand excavated by the river, wind and sands of time.

Above the canyon, the temperature in the plateau area ranges from one extreme to another. Down on the canyon floor, temperatures can exceed 100°F, though winter frosts are rare.

It's surprising to imagine anything living in this hot and arid land far from the river, but the valleys are bursting with life. Plants and animals cling precariously to the vertical cliff faces, every nook and cranny bustling with activity.

Deep on the valley floor, the creatures scurry around, living their own rat race. The park is home to a wide variety of animals including the unique Grand Canyon "pink" rattlesnake. Ringtails, beavers and chipmunks are all widespread. Hundreds of bird species have made their home in the park, as well as countless insects and arachnids.

The canyon communities have their own pecking orders. Here, in this parched and hostile land, the food chain provides a delicate balance between survival, or finishing as dinner for those in the hierarchy. The environment is uncompromising and evolution has chosen its few.

In the distance, the eagle glides effortlessly over the broad crevasse. A sudden change in direction and the predator is racing to the ground at speed. Moments later, an unfortunate rodent has become breakfast.

About The Author
Steven Cronin owns the City Breaks website featuring city break special offers from luxury hotels to budget accommodations. For more information please visit http://www.sargas.co.uk.

Vegas and the Ride of a Lifetime

Most people envision Las Vegas as one big casino. Admittedly I was one of them, until I undertook the ride of a lifetime. Imagine soaring hundreds of feet above canyons of red and orange, walking over rocks that been sculpted by mother nature herself and floating down a river of dreams. These are the images that I will carry with me forever when I think of Las Vegas, Nevada.

After taking a break from about twelve hours of straight gambling, my father and I looked at each other and thought there must be more to Vegas than jangling slot machines and endless booze. So we asked our friendly concierge, at the Mandalay Bay Resort, for some suggestions and he arranged for the champagne lunch helicopter tour to the Grand Canyon.

Wonderful we thought, it looked good in the movies, might as well give it a shot. Neither of us was prepared for the adventure that we were about to take.

The helicopter company sent a limo to pick us up at the hotel. The ride lasted about five minutes then we were dropped off at the helicopter launch. Fellow passengers from all over the world chatted and waited for our journey to begin.

Moments later we took off for one of the waiting helicopters, with our pilot leading the way. Attractive and intelligent, in a boy next door kind of way, he quickly showed us how father and I ended up in a helicopter of our own because several of the other passengers decided to just fly over the canyon. The tour we chose actually had us landing on the bottom.

We soared for about a half an hour over a canvas which included every color imaginable painted by dessert, mountains and the Colorado river. Within thirty minutes of smooth flying we were over the canyon and able to see the landing pad, set in the middle of tumbleweed, mountains and cacti. As we disembarked the pilot helped us climb down the stone and dirt pathway to a little boat dock, where we met a family from Britain that would be our companions on our champagne lunch down the Colorado river.

The boat captain was a tiny oriental man with sparkling eyes and a rich sense of humor. He handed out our picnic baskets and regaled us with stories of how the Grand Canyon was created. He also had the sense to stop periodically and help us get the most amazing shots of the canyon. He seemed to know every rock and ridge and was able to point out eagles and faces carved into the rock by millions of years of erosion.

At the end of our Las Vegas helicopter tour we flew back to the original launch and took our limo back to the hotel, content, awestruck and absolutely certain that we would return to Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon and our Las Vegas helicopter tour.

About The Author
Caterina Christakos is an international travel writer. For more free articles on Las Vegas go to http://www.lasvegashotelandcasinoreview.com
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