Grand Canyon - South Rim

Named aptly, the Grand Canyon is a spectacular sight to behold and even more so in person than in any photo.

We made a brief stop into the visitors centre to grab a map and check out the canyon info. They had routes you can load by QR code onto your phone as well that plotted out day ventures you can take and how long each may take whether it be a half day or full day or exploration of the canyons. Given it took us two hours to drive from Camp Verde we opted for a half day excursion. Entry to the canyon is $35 per vehicle... another free entry and dollars saved by using our America the Beautiful pass.

We started our day at ( Mather Point ) lookout. It's a dizzying lookout over the canyons. Layers of red, white, grey, and gold of years upon years of Earth's history and seasons past lie in these rocks. The rocks that make up the canyon are billions of years old. The canyon's age is estimated to be between 5–6 million years old, while the rocks in the canyon are up to 1.84 billion years old.

The rocks of the Grand Canyon consist of layers of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock. The oldest rock in the canyon is the Elves Chasm Gneiss, dating back 1.84 billion years. The youngest rock layer is the Kaibab Formation, which is 270 million years old. The Colorado River started carving the canyon approximately 5 to 6 million years ago. Plate tectonics uplifted the canyon between 70 and 30 million years ago.

Erosion from tributary streams caused the canyon's widening.

Truly incredible what nature can do over years upon years and turn out such a beautiful landscape.

We left the viewing platform and made the 4 km walk around the Rim Trail, which takes you around the top of the canyon and has numerous viewpoints and photo ops. You can either walk this or hop on the free shuttle and get off at each stop. We did the walk and picked up the shuttle on the trip back to the visitor centre.

The 4km walk around the South Rim

There are a few options for seeing the South Rim canyons aside from walking the canyon rim. You can take the free shuttle to various designated viewpoints. After our hike we had a little tailgate taco picnic, then we went for a drive along Hermit Road.

Hermit Road is a scenic route along the west end of Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim, which follows the rim for 7 miles (11 km) out to Hermits Rest. The view points were stunning!!

Private vehicles are not permitted in this area from March 1 to November 30. During this period, you can access the overlooks along Hermit Road by taking the bus, walking along the Rim Trail, or riding a bike. From December 1 to February 28, private vehicles are allowed as there is no shuttle service.

The location was named after Louis Boucher. Around 1891, Boucher, a Canadian-born prospector, claimed land below what is now Hermits Rest. With assistance, Boucher carved out the trail into the canyon and lived alone for years at nearby Dripping Springs. The main building currently at Hermits Rest was designed by architect Mary Colter. Hermits Rest is the westernmost accessible point on the canyon's south rim by paved road. It was constructed as a rest area for tourists on coaches run by the Fred Harvey Company on the route to the now-disappeared Hermit Camp.

The structure remains it's original finishings including its post beam and stick roof. It's a beautiful building of rustic natural stone and ties in well with it's canyon surroundings. The welcoming fire place upon entry was just as Grand as the Grand Canyon. I can imagine folks long past sitting here, warming up sipping hot coffee/tea or maybe a shot of whiskey to take the sting out of the cold night canyon air.

Check out the National Park Service's website for historic photos and history about Hermit's Rest. https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/photosmultimedia/colter_hermits_photos.htm

For more information about Grand Canyon's South Rim, see their website. https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/south-rim.htm

Be prepared for the weather before you go—dress for the weather and take layers, as the weather can change. Take water, food and a hat during hot days; there isn't much shade or spots to get water or a snack once on the trails. The canyon can be quite cold in winter; we encountered some dusting of snow on the drive there, and temperatures hovered in the canyon around 1 Celsius on the January day we went.

Another epic day on this epic chase the sun adventure!

Bill & Cat