My Mom and sister moved to Flagstaff, AZ and we would go to visit them for the holidays. One year we decided to go to the Grand Canyon after Thanksgiving dinner. We had Bear with us, so we weren't able to do any of the hike's but we drove around the South Rim and stopped at all of the viewing spots.
The Grand Canyon is huge. It was almost too much to take in and realize how big it really is. I would love to go back and travel down the river to get the full vastness of how amazing this place is. But you can still get a lot out of driving around to the different viewing areas.
Flagstaff is a great place to stay if you are visiting the Grand Canyon. The historic part of Flagstaff has great places to eat and great local beer. It is a beautiful part of Arizona and not the type of terrain you would expect. We hiked around my mom's house which was right next door to national forest filled with pine trees. Obviously, I had a huge advantage staying with family. Flagstaff may be a little expensive to get a hotel or AirBnB, but if you go in the summer I am sure you can find great camping. You can check out official accommodations here.
What You Want to Know
Take Me There!
The Grand Canyon South Rim is about 2 hours from Flagstaff, the link will take you to the google location. You will enter through the South Rim Park Gates and depending on what you want to do will determine where you go next.
How long is the hike?
We did not hike since we had the dog with us. We drove to all of the different view points until we ended at the Desert View Watchtower and that took about an hour and a half.
What Do I Wear?!
We were there in November and since we weren't hiking our regular clothes were fine. However, if I were hiking I would have wanted to have a jacket, lightweight pants, plenty of sunscreen and water. It was chilly, but the sun was still shining and would warm you right up, layers would be key.
Can I bring my dog?
Dogs are not allowed on the trail but can be leashed in the parking areas. If you plan on hiking, please don't bring your furbaby as they will have to wait in the car.
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