It was holiday time in Arizona and the weather had turned unseasonably warm in the high country. We had four days off, no guests arriving until New Year’s, and we were determined to use the time to explore Arizona. We thought about a stay at a golf resort in Prescott or traveling to Sedona for a Pink Jeep Tour , but once we found out that there were rooms available at the Grand Canyon South Rim, our minds were made up. At any time of year, whether you come for a day or the week, you’ll find more than enough to fill your hours. The Grand Canyon is a seasonal wonder offering an abundance of activities for all ages and interests! Spring comes late at the canyon but there’s no mistaking its arrival. Winter, a grand time to see the Grand Canyon.
We climbed out of the white Lincoln Navigator ready to be thrilled. The two-hour ride from the Red Rock country of Sedona was behind us, and the alien grandeur of the Grand Canyon was just yards ahead. It was early December and beyond chilly, but we had prepared for any weather eventuality. Or so we thought. My friend's husband, our two teenage daughters (one of whom was furious that we weren’t in the Caribbean) and I walked toward the South Rim at Yavapai Point, where there’s an indoor observation station with a scale model of the canyon. We passed a couple heading back to the parking lot.
I first saw the Grand Canyon by the light of a winter moon. A handful of the canyon's snow-topped buttes shimmered under its gaze; ethereal and serene, they seemed to float above the darkened canyon floor. Under a blanket of snow, the Grand Canyon lay mysteriously, almost terrifyingly, still. Grand Canyon in winter. Hotels are virtually deserted, trails are empty of hikers and the visitor can see the canyon stripped of tour buses and sightseers. Like explorers of old, one can experience the canyon in a more isolated, and even primitive, state. Grand canyon skiing in winter is amazing.
The months from December through March are an ideal time to visit the canyon and enjoy its solitude and snowbound beauty. But there is a tradeoff: the winter visitor can expect reduced services, limited access and, sometimes, even diminished visibility.
Walk the rim path along with the deer and elk and big horn sheep. Have dinner. Go to sleep. The altitude and fresh air will wear you out. You'll want to wake up early to catch the sunrise. I bet you'll be asleep by 10PM. The grand canyon is amazing world of adventures. Check out...
I first saw the Grand Canyon by the light of a winter moon. A handful of the canyon's snow-topped buttes shimmered under its gaze; ethereal and serene, they seemed to float above the darkened canyon floor. Under a blanket of snow, the Grand Canyon lay mysteriously, almost terrifyingly, still. Grand Canyon in winter. Hotels are virtually deserted, trails are empty of hikers and the visitor can see the canyon stripped of tour buses and sightseers. Like explorers of old, one can experience the canyon in a more isolated, and even primitive, state. Grand canyon skiing in winter is amazing.
The months from December through March are an ideal time to visit the canyon and enjoy its solitude and snowbound beauty. But there is a tradeoff: the winter visitor can expect reduced services, limited access and, sometimes, even diminished visibility.
Walk the rim path along with the deer and elk and big horn sheep. Have dinner. Go to sleep. The altitude and fresh air will wear you out. You'll want to wake up early to catch the sunrise. I bet you'll be asleep by 10PM. The grand canyon is amazing world of adventures. Check out...
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