Grand Canyon has spectacular sunrises and sunsets. No wonder we did not want to miss on the sunrise after watching the beautiful sunset. Having a kid who is still an early riser did help us to catch the sunrise. There are various sunrise points both near the visitor center and on the Hermit Road like the Yaki Point, Mather Point, Pima Point and Mohave Point. We chose the Mohave Point because along with the sunrise it also had views of the canyon along with the Colorado river flowing through it. Also to note, usually during the peak seasons, there are shuttle buses that can take you anywhere in the national park since private vehicles are not allowed. But during winters, along with the shuttle buses you can drive around the national park in your Private vehicle.
The sunrise was around 7:30 am and we were at the Mohave Point by 7 am. There was sufficient parking for a few vehicles and since traffic was less, it wasn't much of a problem. The temperature was around -8 degree Celsius and layers of clothing is the best solution if you plan to be around for a while after the sunrise. The canyon has amazing views even before the sunrise with clouds surrounding the canyon top. You could see the Colorado river flowing through the canyon and it just made for the perfect picture. When you look at the river from the point, you feel amazed by nature that this river that you are seeing has carved out a canyon! And just as the sun began to rise, the canyon gave out stunning views in different hues of yellow and orange! There was a moment when I wanted to freeze the time, such was the beauty of the place.
 |
| The first rays of the sun falling on the Grand Canyon! |
After the sunrise we thought of just driving along the Hermits Road up-to the Hermits Rest and back to the village visiting all the points along the way. We went to The Abyss next which has a 914m drop off, the Monument Creek Vista and the Pima point which offer canyon views. It was so peaceful at the Pima Point that just like the map points out, one could even hear the Colorado river!
Then we went back to the hotel for breakfast. The plan for the rest of the day was to checkout from the hotel, do a rim trail, drive to the watch tower and get back to Phoenix for the flight back to DFW. There was no complimentary breakfast but we got some ready to eat Indian breakfast and my daughter was on pureed food.
 |
| Sunrise at the Grand Canyon with the Colorado river in the background |
The rim trail is a must if you are short of time to do the other trails. Since this was a first long trip and a one with trails after we had a baby, we weren't much comfortable to take the other trails. It starts from the Hermits Rest but we started the trail at the Mather Point and ended it at the Bright Angel Trailhead. The trail is unpaved from Hermits Rest to the Maricopa Point and the rest of the trail is paved. The trail is very scenic giving different views of the canyon. It took us a total of 2 and half hours. There is a museum in between after which the trail of time begins. There are explanations about the various layers and how they were all formed, how old each layer is and many other interesting facts all through the trail. Also, in the Trail of Time, there are samples of each layer of the canyon. If I am not wrong, the base is the Vishnu Schist and then its in the order of Tapeats Sandstone, Bright Angel Shale, Mauv Limestone, Redwall Limestone, Supai Group, Hermit Shale, Coconino Sandstone, Toroweap Formation and Kaibab Limestone. The Kaibab Limestone is 270 million years old and the Vishnu Schist is 1745 million years old! There are also fossils found in the Grand Canyon that indicate of a sea life. The Grand Canyon is amazing with a lot of facts and interesting finds. If you are short on time be sure to check out the museum and the Trail of Time.
 |
| The oldest rock layer, Vishnu Schist |
 |
| The top 4 layers of the Grand Canyon |
 |
| Can you spot the top 4 layers? |
After completing the rim trail, we took a shuttle bus back to the parking near the visitor centre.
From there we planned to go visit the Desert View Watchtower. There were a few view points on the way to the watchtower but since we had an evening flight to DFW from Phoenix around 9pm, we decided to skip the view points. The watchtower was designed by the architect Mary Colter in the style of Puebloan towers. The tower has murals representing certain aspects of Hopi life. The top deck of the tower is from where you can see panoramic views of the canyon and the Colorado river. The tower also has a balcony. Being short on time, we had a quick view of the tower, grabbed some refreshments from a store near the tower and we were on the way to Phoenix.
 |
| The murals on the inside of the watchtower |
 |
| The roof of the watchtower |
 |
| A closer look at the Colorado river from the watchtower |
We were hoping to find some vegetarian options at some restaurants in Tusayan but again because of the time shortage, we managed with fruits and bread. On the way we stopped at a Subway near a gas station, got some food for us and the car! We somehow just managed to catch the flight with 15 mins left for the boarding to begin!
Back home we were greeted by a turbulent weather near DFW and we longed to be back at the Grand Canyon!
No comments:
Post a Comment