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.