If you’re looking for the ultimate in dining and innkeeping at the Grand Canyon, then of course you’re going to look to the El Tovar Hotel, the showpiece of the South Rim. I worked at the El Tovar, and it is still one of my very favorite classic National Park Lodges. It’s beautiful, elegant, and a little funky at the same time.

It’s also a little pricey for national park fare, so I recommend experiencing the El Tovar dining room during breakfast, especially early in the morning, when it won’t be as crowded and you can enjoy the canyon views from some areas of the restaurant. You can enjoy a hearty, gourmet breakfast for a fraction of what you’d pay for dinner, and you’ll still be able to experience the ambiance of the room and its history.

For a real treat, ask to sit in the “Canyon Room.” This special dining room off the main room is used for special events and during the busy season, but often, they’ll allow you to sit there if the rest of the dining room isn’t too busy. You’ll get the best views of the canyon from this room, and the tables are a bit more private and intimate, as well.

After breakfast, enjoy a hot cup of coffee in front of the huge fireplace in the hotel lobby, while you read about the history of this beautiful old lodge. Built in 1905 of Oregon cedar logs shipped to the site, the lodge has been rennovated several times, but still enjoys its original charm and appeal. The lobby area, with its large stone fireplace, and two-story central area is much the same as it was when the lodge was first built.

Take some time to enjoy the El Tovar hotel, it’s one Grand Canyon experience you shouldn’t pass up!

At its deepest point, the Grand Canyon is about a mile deep. Unfortunately, many people who don’t really think about it, think this means the hiking trail into inner canyon is a mile long. Well, that’s not the case, unless you roll straight down!

Actually, the shortest trail out of the canyon is almost 8 miles long, and the longest is about 12, which is why it’s not a really good idea to attempt to hike into and out of the canyon in one day. Yet, every year, thousands of visitors do just that, and a lot of them don’t make it. They have to get “dragged out” by a mule (oh, the humiliation!) or airlifted out by helicopter, and neither of those options are cheap by any means.

If you’re planning on hiking into the Grand Canyon, you have to realize that it’s not your average hike. You have to do the hardest work at the end of the hike, when you’re on your way out, and temperatures inside the canyon can reach well over 100 degrees in the summertime, making it very dangerous to hike on the hottest summer days.

Don’t underestimate the canyon when you’re planning to hike there. Every year, people die, just trying to enjoy the Grand Canyon on a hike. Don’t be one of them! Plan ahead, carry lots of water, and make sure you’re in the physical shape to endure a 20 mile hike.

Most of all, DON’T try to do it in one day. Unless you’re a VERY well-trained athlete who understands the nuances of the canyon, chances are you’ll get stuck, and then, anything could happen. Check with the National Park Service at the Visitor’s Center when you visit the park for complete hiking and weather information before you head out on a hike!

If you only give yourself an hour to visit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, don’t bother. I can’t tell you how many people I talked to when I worked there who said “I only have an hour, what should I see?” If I could only “budget” an hour out of my life to visit one of the world’s most beautiful natural wonders, I think I’d sit in my car and cry.

Visiting a national park isn’t like driving thru McDonald’s. To really see the park you need to get out fo your car and walk on some of the trails, breathe the fresh air, and actually look at the vistas around you. An hour at the Grand Canyon is like 5 minutes at McDonald’s - you can say you’ve been there, but you haven’t really done anything out of the ordinary at all.

Part of the Grand Canyon’s charm is the way the buttes, mesas, and side canyons change color throghout the day. Take a look at the same view at sunrise, midday, and sunset, and it will look completely different, even though you’re standing in the same spot. You can’t experience the Grand Canyon in an hour, any more than you can experience anything profound or life-changing in a few minutes.

So, do yourself a favor. If you’re in such a rush that you can only devote an hour to visiting a national park like the Grand Canyon, just drive right on by. You’ll never know what you missed.

I had the distinct priviledge of working at Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim for two years, and I would recommend working in the National Parks to anyone. It gives you a chance to really get to know a park in all its’ seasons and temperments, and it will give you a deeper appreciation of what wonders our national parks really are.

If you really want to see the canyon, see it in winter. Sure, the roads are a little more difficult to navigate, but there won’t be nearly as many people there, and your visit will be completely different than a summertime jaunt.

In winter, the canyon is quiet, and the sounds of birds and animals just seem to magnify in the cold, clear air. A view from the rim on a snowy day helps pick out the many layers that make up the inner gorge, it’s a real look back in geologic history. Take a walk along the rim, enjoy the view, and spend some time just enjoying the solitude of the canyon in winter.

A visit in winter will make you never want to go back in the crowded summer season!