Blogs from Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, United States, North America - page 11

For weeks we layered up and bunkered down against the crisp, cool air, absorbing any window of sunshine in an attempt to give the bodies a snippet of respite from the bracing conditions. This week it's been shorts, t-shirts and the quest for shade from the sucking heat. Admittedly we drove in the right direction but the Wyoming/Utah border was like a barrier between winter and summer. I don't know what happened to Spring but it must be stuck somewhere around the 41st parallel. A few days in the south of Utah the mercury hit 42 degrees. The 2% humidity made it bareable but the extremes can reek havoc with the body thermometer. Prior to entering Utah, a smidgen of pre planning needed to be addressed. Trying to snavel a drink in this state can be ... read more

My day started out at Petrified Forest National Park. The have a strict rule against taking any petrified wood so you are asked about it on the way in and on the way out. The park itself is a cool park. You start off at the edges of the Painted Desert and you really can see where it gets its name. There are many different hues of rock and dirt, from reds to browns to even greens and purples. Part of the park is located on the old Route 66 as is nearby Flagstaff. By far the most interesting part of the park is by the southern entrance. That is where the huge petrified logs are. You can hike through them and wonder if they have always been there or if they were placed on that ... read more

Sun, 3 June We left Jacob Lake, heading for the south rim of the Grand Canyon. We drove past the beautiful Vermillion Cliffs to the Navajo Bridge crossing the Colorado River at Marble Canyon. The river is a striking green color here as it passes through the red canyon. We saw rafts on the river and wished we were down there doing that. At Cameron we turned west toward the Desert View/East entrance to Grand Canyon National Park. After setting up camp in Desert View campground, which didn’t take long as there are no hookups, we went to Desert View visitor center and the Watchtower. After a few pictures we drove west toward Grand Canyon Village, stopping at several overlooks along the way. In the village we managed to find the kennel so Bob could make ... read more

We got to the Canyon at 11am. Perfect time to find a campground at Desert View. We went for a 8km (6 miles) hike. It was more than amazing!!! Not even pictures could capture this beauty! After the hike, we watched to sunset. And Blaise, the song goes "Hey! Teacher! Leave those kids alone!" not "hey! DJ!" :D We miss you!... read more

We closed up the campers and left Bob and Gena’s rig and our camper at the campground in Glendale while we drove to Cedar Breaks National Monument. The road was a constant climb to over 10,000’. At the visitor center we got our first glimpse; a condensed version of Bryce Canyon, with hoodoos, wonderful colors and layers and great vistas of surrounding mountain ranges and valleys. The visitor center and overlook were at 10,350’, which left me feeling a little breathless. After taking tons of pictures and listening to a ranger tell us about the geology of Cedar Breaks, we drove back to get our campers and move on. We drove south to Kanab then on to Jacob Lake, first through lush green canyons, then high desert. After setting up at the campground at Camper Village, ... read more