Grand Canyon News

Some things about the Grand Canyon never cease to amaze me…. well, the Grand Canyon never ceases to amaze me, but that’s a given.   What amazes me is that in this day and age of information on demand, MapQuest, Google Earth, et al., I still continue to field questions from folks having difficulty locating Grand Canyon National Park on a map.  I guess it stands to reason in a way as the Grand Canyon lies in one of the last areas of the US to be mapped; Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument up near Lake Powell and Bryce Canyon is another such area.

In fact, in the news recently, you may have heard about the passing of a gentleman named Bradford Washburn.  He mapped the Grand Canyon using techniques that were unheard of at the time (the late 1970’s).  According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, he used “lasers and reflecting prisms to measure contour and depth” (read the full article), eventually producing two Grand Canyon maps, one of the inner canyon and one of the center.  But the fact that this was accomplished as recently as the 1970’s just goes to prove how challenging an environment the Grand Canyon is and always will be.  

Speaking of articles, last week, I posted an article on ArticleFeeder.com that addresses the lingering difficulty of locating the Grand Canyon and gives a complete list of my personal favorite tips and tricks to mapping the Grand Canyon accurately.  So am I gonna give ‘em all out here, too?  Actually, I already have.  Several times in fact.  If this sort of info is what you need right now, check out the article on Article Feeder.com under the “Travel and Leisure” section, or click here and you’ll get right to it.  Heck, if you just need a Grand Canyon map, there’s a ton of ‘em on our maps page.  If you want the Grand Canyon Village map, we’ve got that.  Want a map of Northern Arizona?  We’ve got that.  Las Vegas Strip?  Ditto.  Downtown Phoenix?  Got it. 

I will say this, though: my favorite mapping site is Yahoo! Maps.  Google Earth is pretty cool, too.  What I like about Yahoo! Maps (the new version) is the fact that mapping someone’s entire vacation from point A to B to C to D (and even E and F!) is really easy (especially when you know the local airport codes), and that’s important to me because I know so many of you are visiting the Grand Canyon as part of a Grand Circle Loop itinerary. 

Oh, here’s another thing: if you map your trip online, make sure you do a “reality check” of the roads you get routed on.  There’s a lot of dirt roads out here, and some mapping sites may inadvertantly route you down one because it’s simply the shortest route from point A to point B.  This happens frequently in our area with the Cottonwood Canyon Road, an unpaved road north of Lake Powell that follows the Paria River for a distance, eventually ending at the beautiful Kodachrome Basin. 

The Cottonwood Canyon Road is VERY scenic, and most of the time, not too terribly bad, though some washboard action is to be expected.  If you try to map the drive from Lake Powell to Bryce Canyon, chances are, you’d get routed down this road.  Unfortunately, this road is prone to washouts due to flash flooding, and it’s also not recommended for large trucks, busses, etc.  Apparently a few semis have had to be rescued from this road.  I’ve even rescued some people off this road who didn’t know what they were getting into.  So make sure you know what you’re getting into before you “ease on down the road.” 

WHEN IN DOUBT, CHECK IT OUT.  Learn that phrase and don’t be afraid to use it!

‘Til next time, Happy Travels! ~ Alley Kaye  

Hey, everybody, Alley Kaye here, back from beautiful Austin, Texas!  Want to hear about my trip?  I posted a full report on TripAdvisor.com; check it out here. 

Today, though, the big news is the weather.  Everybody is bundled up because it’s cooooooold out there!  Right now it’s 19 degrees F; tonight it’s expected to dip down to 0.  Mmm hmm…. 0… the big goose egg… the big nuttin’.  Zip-a-dee-doo-dah!  Don’t believe me?  Check out the 10–day weather forecast.  The good  news is it’s supposed to warm up toward the end of the week, but with a possibility of rain or snow.  At least the sun is out for now. 

Moral of the story?  Be prepared for ANYTHING weatherwise.  Having been here close to 20 years, I’ve seen blue skies on Christmas Day and 6” of snow in June (two years running, no less!). 

This will be a short entry as I’m still playing catch up.  For those of you enjoying a three-day weekend in honor of the Martin Luther King holiday, have a good one.  If you’re doing a little Grand Canyon trip planning while you’re at it, though, we’re here if you have a question.  Give us a call!   

L8R – Alley Kaye  

Beauty, culture, and history; these are features that everyone wants in a vacation. What better place is there to find these things than in Northern Arizona? If you’re looking for attractions that incorporate all of these characteristics then a visit to some of the Native American Indian Ruins of Northern Arizona should be on your travel itinerary.

Montezuma’s Castle

What better place to start than Montezuma’s Castle.  Montezuma’s Castle is one of the most accessible ruins in Northern Arizona; it lies just off Interstate 17 right outside of Camp Verde, Arizona; just take exit 289 and follow the signs. You can use your Annual National Parks pass to get in, or the fee is $5 per person for a 7 day pass.

This is one of the most impressive cliff dwellings you may ever see. The structure known as Montezuma’s Castle was named so because it was originally thought to be an Aztec ruin, it was later discovered that it was in fact a dwelling of the Sinagua (Spanish for “Without Water”) Indians. The cliff dwelling is the main attraction of Montezuma’s Castle; however, there are other ruins below the Castle on the ground. There is a short paved footpath that can be taken to view all of the ruins. You can’t actually go into any of the ruins so this site is more for just taking pictures and learning about the culture of the ancient peoples at the visitor’s center. Ease of access and the beauty of the place make this a worthwhile stop.

Montezuma’s Well

Montezuma’s Well is sort of a companion site to Montezuma’s Castle.  The well site is located just 11 miles from Montezuma’s Castle; about 3-4 miles just off Interstate 17 (just follow the signs). There is no fee required to visit Montezuma’s Well. There is a series of paved footpaths that will take you to different areas of interest at the site.

The “Well” portion of the site is actually a sinkhole that is fed by an underground well. The well itself is about 80 feet down into the sinkhole. Ruins surround the well on the corresponding cliffs. There is a well-established but steep path leading into the sinkhole that will take you to the water’s edge and to a site where ruins were built inside a natural cave. Be careful because rattlesnakes frequent the area.

Another place of interest at this site is called the “outlet”. Below the well is a natural spring coming out of the rock that is fed by the well. This spring was utilized by the Sinagua Indians to feed water to their crops. A canal was built by the natives directing the water to various crop fields. In my opinion a stop at Montezuma’s Castle is not complete without a stop at the “Well”.

-Ron

Good afternoon from the Grand Canyon. I realize that this is a redundant post but a recent article in the Grand Canyon News reminds us that there may be a shortage of rooms at the Grand Canyon South Rim again this Spring.  Xanterra South Rim LLC is renovating the cabins and guest rooms of the Bright Angel Lodge.  Construction is expected to be completed by April 30th.

The main building at the Bright Angel Lodge will remain open so that you can visit the restaurant, coffee shop and history room as well as their front desk, transportation desk and gift shop.  The Arizona Room retaurant has a seasonal closure thru the end of February.

If there is no availability through http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com, you may want to plan to stay in Tusayan which is only a short drive from the rim.  Or you may prefer to make Williams, Flagstaff, Sedona or Page, Arizona your base. 

Spring Break is a busy time at the canyon and requires some advanced planning to make sure you have a relaxing vacation.  The main idea is to get your lodging set as early as possible to avoid sell-outs and dissapointments. 

Enjoy your visit ~ Sandy

Hey, everybody, Happy New Year! 

So what are YOU resolving to accomplish in the New Year?  Get organized?  Get thinner?  Get richer?  Whatever it is, I wish you the best, BUT, if your family is visiting Grand Canyon National Park in 2007, let me strongly suggest this: resolve to get on the stick with your Grand Canyon lodging reservations, like, NOW.  From what people are saying on travel forum sites like TripAdvisor, Fodor’s, etc., many Grand Canyon hotels are already getting full, and not just for upcoming holidays like spring break.  Summer’s shaping up to be busy, too.  All perfectly normal – getting your Grand Canyon hotel lined up is probably the most important element of your vacation.  It’s pretty much the “linchpin” around which the rest of your plans will revolve. 

So – get on it, pronto!  Trust me on this.  Like they say on “Monk” (USA’s having a marathon), “you’ll thank me later.”

For in-park hotels, you want to check Xanterra South Rim LLC, www.grandcayonlodges.com 888-297-2757 (toll free in US) or 303-297-2757 (outside US).  If you can’t find lodging in-park, check Tusayan (7 miles away), Williams (60 miles away) or Flagstaff (85 miles away).  For availability and pricing of hotels in those areas click here or call 800-916-8530. 

If you’re saying “hooooooooold on, I haven’t gotten that far and I don’t know where to begin!” take a look at our newest contribution to the world’s largest, most useful ‘How To’ Manual, wikiHow.com: “How to Plan a Grand Canyon Vacation.”   It’ll break down the process of planning your Grand Canyon trip in 10 steps! 

Oh, yes, we are technically closed today.  But this information was too important not to pass on via the miracle of modern technology.  :) 

Talk to ya tomorrow, folks!