Grand Canyon how long?

I am pretty sure I am in the real minority here. Sharon and I have been members of the Association for several years and every time we visit we learn more. There are Ranger led talks and hikes on the South Rim and we have been on many of them. We go someplace new every visit and when we take the DGKs we're constantly on the go.

Did you know that on the Rim Trail there are examples of rocks from every layer and time span. The displays are every ten meters and there are books and guide maps explaining how every layer was formed.

There are several short hikes into the Canyon, from Bright Angel Trail Head down to Indian Garden and further East is the trail head for Ah Ha Point.

There are evening Ranger Talks at Mather Amphitheatre and nearby is a Shield that depicts the Indian Tribes and the Tribe Names are located in the directions where the Tribal Lands are located. The Southern Piutes are located Due North of the Canyon at Pipe Wells. A trip there is well worth the drive if you are on the North Rim. A fifteen or twenty minute video shows when you ask. Do not be surprised if you recognize Benn from the front desk in the video. A very interesting Piute Elder and a NP Ranger.

Kolb studio is under reconstruction but two of the five levels are open or partially open to the public. Parts of the first film made of rafting the Colorado through the Canyon is shown continuously. The film was made by the Kolb Brothers and has the record for the longest continuously shown movie ever made. The Brothers also took photos of the mule trains as they left the trail head on their trek to the bottom. A lot more to see is in the studio.

There are fossil beds just East of the Studio. Collecting is not allowed but sometimes there are Ranger led walks to the beds. Maps for the Beds and other POI's are available at the Visitors Center. California Condors are regularly seen from the rim along this area.

There are regularly scheduled Indian Cultural Dances and opportunities to chat with the dancers at the Hopi House.

The Watch Tower is not an actual Indian watch tower but a representation designed by Mary Coulter who designed many of the buildings in the Park including the GC Lodge.

In conjunction with The Grand Canyon Association and the Inter Tribal Council, the NPS is rebuilding the Watch Tower and eliminating some of the Cultural depictions that are considered Sacred to the local tribes. There will be a kiosk for each tribe in the Inter Tribal Council and special displays by local artists featured inside the Watch Tower.

There is a Grand Canyon Cemetery open to the public and many interesting stories surround the folks buried there.

Parking is limited but there is a free shuttle from the IMAX theatre in Tuysan to the South Rim Visitors Center. There are free shuttles throughout the South Rim area. Access to Hermits Point is by foot or shuttle. Those with Handicapped Placards can obtain a gate pass and drive to Hermit's Rest.

There is a great ice cream parlor by the hotel. They have hot dogs and other fair both at the ice cream Parlor and the café inside.

Both campgrounds are nice and May will probably be a low visitor time, except on the Memorial Weekend. Trailer Village was a real armpit until a few years ago but it was the only campground with hook up. The new campground is adjacent to the old and very nice. Mather is a typical old tyme NPS campground and originally for auto camping and not designed for 40' DP's. It is really a nice dry campground if your rig is under 34'.

I could spend awhile talking about Williams but others have already done that. I think that you can fill 4 days easily if you look past the displays in the visitors center and other buildings. We will be back in May next year and will hopefully stay at Mather CG for the Annual GC Association and money gathering week-end.

Whether you go to a National Park or a local Community Park, join the drive to find Your Park and support it.

If you want tourist and all the hype that goes with it do the South Rim. If you want to do doon-docking and see the Grand Canyon and see more or the terrain and scenic do the North Rim. IMO it is much more scenic without the hype and tourist trap stuff. Go back into the park to do your camping. Gorgeous!

FYI, personally we tried the CG at the front of the north rim (Jacob Lake CG) would not do that again. We go back into the park and boon-dock.

IMO Bryce is more scenic than GC but it is small and can be done with a one night stay to catch a sunset and sunrise.

If you have 4 days, spend one at the grand Canyon and the other 3 in Vegas...lol

Two days was enough on the south rim for us. Hiked to the bottom from the north rim and needed more time there.

If you are talking about arriving on one day and then spending three nights and then departing on the fourth day, then given what you describe doing that should be plenty for you. May weather can be iffy so four days will give you a chance to wait for better weather if one day is particularly nasty. Take a look at the hike down to Ooh Aah point and see you might want to try it. Well worth the effort but not too far down into the canyon on the South Kaibab trail.

May weather can be misleading. You may have pleasant mid 70s temps on the rim and over 100 on the trails descending into the canyon. If you hike, take a lot more water than you think you'll need and plan on a lot longer time to hike back up.

How long to spend at the Grand Canyon???? This is a much debated question.

For some it is just a big ditch and a few hours is enough. Some will spend a day or two enjoying the views from each overlook.

Others will spend days. Enjoying the views from each overlook in the morning and then again late in the afternoon. As the sun crosses the sky the views of the Canyon change with the shadows. This appeals to those that like to photograph the Canyon with the changing light.

At least one evening has to be spent at an overlook at sunset. They are amazing. The same for a sun rise.

If you plan your stay, I think you will really enjoy your 4 days there.

This has been discussed previously and there is much dispute. I have read that the average length of time spent at the South Rim is 3 hours. That was disputed and I double checked and found out the average time is less than that.
It's fun to take the train from Williams up and back. It spends three hours at the South Rim then returns.
We spent more time at the North Rim than the South Rim.
Try searching this Forum for `South Rim' then search the results for `how long' and read on.

PenMan wrote:
Just the rim, one day is more than enough.

yep, 4 days would be a waste. maybe catch a dawn and a sunset???
bumpy

Just the rim, one day is more than enough.