When you and your friends decide to have a Grand Canyon Hiking trip, the experience must be fitting to the name. The following are important things you need to know about Grand Canyon and Grand Canyon hiking:
How to go there?
Most travelers who want to go to the Grand Canyon either land on the Sky Harbor International in Phoenix (PHX) or the McCarran International in Las Vegas (LAS). From there, travelers have 2 choices: either to take a half-day drive or utilize a commuter flights from Phoenix to Page, Arizona (PGA) or Flagstaff, Arizona (FLG). Obviously, if you decide to take the commuter flights, you can spend more time on your actual hiking than on the road but if you want to spend more time on the road, here are the estimated travel times to the South Rim from these major cities:
Albuquerque, New Mexico: 7 hours, Denver, Colorado: 13 hours, Las Vegas, Nevada: 5 hours, Los Angeles, California: 8 hours, Phoenix, Arizona: 4.5 hours, and Salt Lake City, Utah: 8 hours.
Where to go?
You have 3 choices if you decide to visit the Grand Canyon: the Grand Canyon South Rim, Grand Canyon West, and Grand Canyon North Rim.
The Grand Canyon South rim is ideal if you are traveling with children. The Grand Canyon West is great if you want to avoid high altitude or want to experience the bottom of the Canyon. But, since you are going for a hike, you should go to the Grand Canyon North Rim.
When to visit?
Climate is the major consideration you have to look into when you are planning for a Grand Canyon hike. The South Rim, which is open the whole year, is busiest during summer where the weather is warm and the land is dry. Winter sends cooler breeze and possible snow, which turns out to be the quietest time of the year. Late spring to early fall is the best time to visit the South Rim if you want a lesser crowd and a good weather.
A hike on the Grand Canyon North Rim can be done from mid-May to mid-October.
Where to stay?
There are different hotels on 3 different areas near the Canyon if you just want to spend the day hiking and the night, indoor. The South Rim has: Williams, Page/Lake Powell, Flagstaff, and Tusayan. The nearest lodging houses in the North Rim are Page/Lake Powell, Kanab, Utah, and Jacob Lake.
Book early
Grand Canyon lodging receives a lot of reservations during peak travel season so do not wait until the phone lines are busy and your call cannot go through. Book 6 months in advance,
Know the weather.
Grand Canyon has a relatively dry weather compared to other states. So better make the necessary preparation on what to bring and what to wear on the hike. Don’t forget your sunglasses, sunscreen, and your hat.
Think of other activities
Hiking is only of the things you can do in Grand Canyon. And if you are planning to stay there for several days, better have a line up of the things to do such as 4x4 safari-jeep tours, train tours, Colorado River rafting trips, Grand Canyon air tours, and Grand Canyon mule rides. If you still have the time, plan to go to places other than the Grand Canyon. You can also visit Sedona, Hoover Dam, Monument Valley, Zion, Lake Powell, and Bryce Canyon among other places.
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