Las Vegas - The Grand Canyon

I was a bit uncertain whether a trip to the Grand Canyon would be worth the effort. As mentioned elsewhere, it is a VERY long way from Vegas. Eventually I reached the canyon and I can say that it was well worth the trip.


The first thing to remember about the canyon, is that it is big. Really big. So big, that you could easily spend two weeks wandering around all the nooks and crannies of the big hole. I only had two hours, so I had to make do.

The canyon, as you probably already know, is formed by the meandering of the Colorado river. That’s the same river that’s dammed by Hoover Dam. The river has cut through what was once the bottom of an ocean or lake. Over time, the land was built up in various layers. These are clearly visible in the canyon. This is what gives the canyon it’s distinct look – it’s all those layers of dirt and rock.

I stopped at the first viewing platform. Be warned, the Grand Canyon is a popular place. There are loads of car parks, but there are also loads of cars. In the end, I had to stalk out a family that was leaving in order to get my park. It was worth the wait – I was right on the edge of the canyon.

After a stop to gawk at the canyon with everyone else, I came up with a plan for how to best use my limited time. There is a free shuttle bus that drives around the rim of the canyon. I jumped on near my car and rode it all the way to the end, then walked back. I figured that was more sensible than walking both ways.


The view from the rim of the canyon is spectacular. It’s a massively big hole with edges of varying shades of red. Very pretty. As you walk along the rim, however, the view does not change a great deal. It’s pretty much the same bit all the way along. That’s not a problem though, as it’s very pretty.

The track itself could not be easier to walk along. It’s covered in asphalt, so there are no random lumps and bumps to trip you up. There’s even wheelchair tracks if you want to walk along a totally flat path. I was a little surprised, that there were no barriers between the track and the edge of the canyon. The track sits about five metres or so from the edge, but there’s nothing to prevent you from walking right up to the edge and peering over. I suppose the track is so long that it’s not practical to out a fence up the whole distance, not would you want to. There are a few lookouts where fences have been put up, so it’s a good mix. If you really want to go jump off the cliff, there’s nothing stopping you.

The people on the track were a pretty fair sample of the entire population. There were lots of families with whiny kids and quite a few outdoor types. There were also a number of morbidly obese people on scooters rolling around. I had to laugh at one couple. They were both enormously large, on scooters and gulping down huge amounts of candy, chocolate and fizzy drinks. I guess they have a gland problem...

It was a shame that I only had a few hours to look at the canyon. I went to the south rim, which is the most popular. It also has the most facilities – everything from hotels, shops, restaurants to an IMAX theatre. The north rim is less visited, but harder to get to. The macho thing would have been to hike to the bottom of the canyon and back again, but it is a LONG way. A very long way. You can always ride a burro down, but I’ll wait until they introduce sedan chairs. That would be the ultimate hike!


Despite the heat, the time it took to get there and the crowds, the trip was well worth it. Next time, I think I would stay overnight, or maybe a few nights. There’s a lot to see and do here, so it would be time well spent.