A True View of the Grand Canyon

America is an incredible place; we have saved and preserved our beautiful landscapes and natural architecture through the park systems. The Grand Canyon is one of the best known National Parks; I went once when I was young and this was Brian’s first trip to this iconic place.  I am glad we made a point to see the breathtaking site.

During the secluded drive from the college town of Flagstaff, Arizona to the National Park we passed some large ranches, a very small church with an incredible view, and a handful of hitchhikers. As the land became fertile with evergreen trees and the air thinned due to altitude, I became filled with excitement about sharing this landmark with Brian.

Within minutes of flashing our National Park pass at the gates we had pulled off to get our first glimpse of the majestic wonder that so many come to see each year.

I don’t think the first sight of the large gaping hole filled with ups and downs, hills and valleys, colored rocks, and flowing river really sank in. It is an unreal and overwhelming view. The canyon walls cast shadows into the valleys masking their true depths.

We joined with many other visitors at Yavapai Point in the late afternoon. Some guests seemed to pop out of their cars to take photos and hit the road again. This is just not our style.

We took a seat with many others on a cliff overlooking the canyon and waited for the sun to set. The feeling of dangling my feet over the large month of the beast-like hole is a bit intimidating! Though how many times would I get the chance to have such a unobstructed view?

As the sun slowly fell in the west the colors of the rock changed and the shadows gradually engulfed the small mountains within the valley. I know it only took moments for the hue of twilight to change to a dark blue sky of night, but it felt like hours. I felt like I had plenty of time to take in each change before the next shadow fell.

The night sky began to fill with bright stars as we made our way to our campsite.  The cold night’s air reminded me of my first visit to the park with my family for my ninth birthday in the beginning of April.

During this visit, my family was unprepared for the large snowfall that surprised us in the morning.  During Brian and my trip back to the park I learned that this was pretty normal. Cold weather is responsible for the canyon constantly changing. Water gets between layers of rock and as it freezes at night the water expands to form ice and can break off bits of the canyon walls.

In the morning we woke to a cold chill in the air.  We were determined to get into the canyon for the sunrise. We packed up camp and layered up for the hike.

We took the same trail that some people go down on tours riding mules. A dazzling pink graced the sky as we made our way to Yaki Point. At the point we climbed out on the rocks and got a much different view of the Grand Canyon then we had from the rim. Being inside, clinging to the steep cliff, I feel like I could better see the lushness of the valley.

The trip inside the canyon gave us great ambition to return and finish the hike into the valley all the way down to the river!

I feel that Grand Canyon National Park is a great example of what make this country beautiful. So many people from around the world come to visit this one of a kind place, to share in the history of the how the Colorado River carved out this world wonder.

This trip was an incredible opportunity to share in this experience with Brian.  Taking time to explore the Grand Canyon gave me a better understanding of why this place is visited by so many people. Brian and I are sure to visit again to continue the adventure!