Like many visits to the Grand Canyon, my most recent trip began near the Bright Angel Lodge. While I've never stayed there (cost and it gets booked QUICK), it's a great jumping off point for the South Rim Trail. Also if you are feeling more adventurous it's near the start of the Bright Angel trail as well.
Past the Lodge and near the edge of the canyon you can look over to the aptly named "Lookout Studio".
Looking the other direction you can see the "Witch's Hat" at the El Tovar Hotel.
And looking through the trees is this view of the Canyon itself with the deep rocks and a bit of the Bright Angel trail down below.
A slightly different angle and a bit of zoom gives you a better picture of some of the features here.
Walking a bit further makes it easier to look up this arm of the canyon.
Leaning out a bit, we can look down at a section of the Bright Angel Trail winding it's way to the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon.
You can tell we're getting a bit further from the parking area here.
A look at some of the other features in the area here.
Continuing to walk along and it's time to either head back up for the Rim trail or head down the path that least to Kolb Studio and the Lookout Studio. On this particular day, I chose the second option.
At this point you're on a paved trail walking between buildings.
But eventually you're past them and looking at the canyon itself again.
And here we turn to begin the hike on the Bright Angel Trail. The signs warn us that trying to make it all the way to the River and back up in a single day can be deadly. I managed to get sick on my first trip just going down to the first rest area and then back up, so I have no plans to test my luck this time.
Of course this is one of the trails where you can get mule rides. They generally head down in the morning, so you're more likely to run into a guide bringing a string of them back up come afternoon. In any case, it's best to heed the sign's suggestion and keep out of their way.
Ahead and below is a section of rock with a short tunnel you pass through. Popular spot for pictures as the fellow here demonstrates. I just thought it was cool how the light was highlighting the tunnel.
We've already descended a good bit, and the trees we were walking among are now a good bit above us.
Taking another look at the tunnel from a slightly different angle, I noticed the tree above it which was curving as if to match it.
Passing through the tunnel, you then see this sign to warn you not to climb too far out given the steep drop off. Of course what kind of id...
... well, maybe he couldn't read the sign?
Walked back through and noticed that you could actually climb out, and go through the rock out there rather than the tunnel on the main trail. So suspect the person in the previous photo was trying to get to this using a slightly less dangerous approach. Of course it's only so by comparison.
Rather than go back through another time, I decided it might be best to walk back up to the rim trail. I heard a whistle up top, and went past the Lodge to see that the Grand Canyon train was getting ready for it's next trip (below) -
Again, something that might be fun to do if I had a few hours and a few hundred dollars.
Instead I drove back to the main visitor area along the South Rim.
This photo wasn't just to commemorate my visit. This is a seriously huge parking area and I wanted to make sure I could find my car again if I had to.
At the edge of the Rim, a somewhat different view of the Canyon.
While here I'm looking through the trees and across the Canyon.
And thanks to a decent zoom lens, a shot of the river at the bottom of the canyon.
Walking a short bit there's a nice vantage point, with the kind of crowds you generally have to expect here.
So I just kept walking, but took a shot of the crowd from just past the vantage point. Wow...
I walked past it again a few minutes later, and there wasn't that much thinning. But the different angle did make the rock formations a little clearer.
Walked a little more and then took this shot.
Then noticed these wildflowers growing just past the side of the trail.
Another shot of the river, but this time at a place where there appears to be a bridge.
Decided that was enough for one day given I had arrived in late afternoon from most of the morning spent driving. But there's more to see come day 2. Be sure to check that out as well!
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