Grand Canyon News

Good morning to all – unfortunately must keep it short because my e-mail and voicemail are full of questions about the very subject of this morning’s entry, Grand Canyon West’s Skywalk Project.  Yes, folks, the Grand Canyon Glass Skywalk is for real, and will be ready for you brave souls bearing the price of admission* to walk on in 3 weeks time.   

As of this morning, the roll out of the massive steel and glass structure is complete, and YOU my friends, can see the very first video and photos of this innovative (and controversial) attraction at the official website of the Arizona Republic.  Click on this text link right now or go to www.azcentral.com (that [photo at right] is one of the original artist renderings of the glass platform suspended 2000’ above the Colorado River). 

Let me close with this: if you’re thinking of a visit to Grand Canyon West for your upcoming vacation, get the facts before you go!  Also, if you’re going on a Grand Canyon tour in the near future, we’re not sure yet how the Skywalk is going to factor in… like Grand Canyon West itself, it’s a work in progress. 

For more information, watch our brand new Grand Canyon Vacation Planning video by going to our homepage and requesting your e-mail link, OR go to Google Video and type in “Get the Most Out of Your Grand Canyon Vacation.”   It’s 80 minutes of valuable Grand Canyon vacation planning information, and it’s ALL FREE (but not for long). 

Another clip you may want to watch is our short video comparing two of this year’s most popular Grand Canyon Tours: the Colorado River Heli Adventure and the Canyon River Adventure (the comparison video is below the main tour video).  Two great tours, to two  very different areas. 

L8R – duty calls.  Alley Kaye

*Right now, the publicized price of tickets to the Skywalk is $25; this does not factor in the entry fee to the complex (which your America the Beautiful Pass will NOT cover), plus a few extra bucks for the park and ride shuttle from the Grand Canyon West Welcome Center in Meadview… get the facts at www.destinationgrandcanyon.com)

When folks ask what I do for a living, my answer can vary.  To some, I’m a “travel counselor.”  To others, I’m a “reservationist.”   Depending on when you catch me, I’m also a part time journalist, part time concert promoter and a part time bass player in a classic rock band (story for another time).  Some of you have called me an “educator,” others have called me a “lifesaver.”  This time of year, though, is when a lot of you call me something else: a “professional party pooper.”  

What’s up with that?  Well… ‘round springtime, I get a lot of calls from folks who’ve got it into their heads to just up and go to the Grand Canyon.  Great idea, right?  The days are getting longer, the weather’s getting nicer, we’ve been cooped up inside all winter… What’s not to like about a spontaneous jaunt to a beautiful place?   That’s something that’s about as American as apple pie.

Well, picture this: you’ve been driving through the desert for what seems like an eternity.  Up ahead, the lights of a town glisten.  Finally, you’ll be able to get a room and some much needed sleep!  Imagine your disappointment when the front desk clerk tells you that there’s “no room at the inn.”  So you go to the next motel – and the desk clerk says the same thing.  And so on, and so on… In fact, there are no rooms anywhere to be found because they’ve all been booked up for weeks.  Your best hope, says the desk clerk, is the next town up the road – 3 hours away. 

I know, because that desk clerk was me.  I’ve born that bad news to many people over the years, and I’ve been bearing that bad news to a lot of you lately.  So to all of you, let me say – I’M SORRY!  But Spring Break marks the beginning of peak travel season for the Grand Canyon and nearby attractions, and Grand Canyon hotels typically get booked up anywhere from 6 months to a year in advance.  If you want to come here next week, with all due respect, folks, don’t bother to ask which hotel is best or which one we recommend.  At this point, that doesn’t matter one bit.  Because it’s not a question of what’s best; it’s a question of what’s left.   

Just for giggles, I did a random query of Grand Canyon hotels for March 16th for a 3 night stay (though 2 nights is typical for most Grand Canyon family vacations).  I found that, miraculously, there are some rooms available at Yavapai Lodge, which is in-park at Grand Canyon South Rim, 1 mile from the Rim.  Outside the park in Tusayan (10 minutes from the canyon rim), I found some rooms left at the Canyon Plaza Quality Inn.  Other than that, it’s gonna be Williams, which is 1 hour South of the park, Flagstaff, which is 90 minutes away, or Page-Lake Powell, which is 2.5 hours away. 

So while that spur-of-the-moment road trip may sound great in theory, in reality, well… sometimes reality bites.  I say this to you from experience, having gone on a spontaneous spring break trip to the Grand Canyon in college, where me and 3 other girls barely lucked out on a campsite, froze our tookuses off ‘cause we didn’t know the Grand Canyon was at 7,000’ (which means nights get cold even in springtime), nearly killed ourselves hiking in the canyon because we didn’t realize we had to pace ourselves (it’s MUCH easier going downhill)… let’s say I’ve made a career of helping folks like you avoid the same pitfalls ever since. 

Speaking of things like dreams, reality, the two melding into one, etc., we here in Northern Arizona are anxiously awaiting what promises to be the event of the year, if not the century: the opening of the new Grand Canyon Skywalk over at Grand Canyon West.  Once considered an “urban legend” (I received many e-mails over the last two years asking about the “Grand Canyon Skywalk Hoax”), it finally looks like the Grand Canyon Glass Skywalk is poised to become a reality.  Today, construction workers at Grand Canyon West begun the “jack and roll” process, lifting the massive steel and glass structure off the ground and slowly inching it out over the canyon rim.  It will eventually be attached to footings anchored deep into the canyon wall at Eagle Point.  

For those unfamililar, the Grand Canyon Skywalk (pictured above right) is a cantilevered steel and glass walkway that will jut 70 feet past the lip of the canyon… those bearing the price of admission (and lacking the fear of heights) will be treated to the surreal sensation of floating high in the air, hundreds of feet above the Colorado River – TRIP-PYYYYYYY!  How this attraction will fare remains to be seen (understandably, it has not been without controversy).  Admission prices ranging from $25 to $75 a head have been bandied about all over the media, but still, I certainly intend to try and walk on it as soon as I possibly can!  I’ll let ya know if I chicken out. 

‘til next time, Happy Travels – Alley Kaye

P.S.  Hey!  Have you seen our brand new Grand Canyon Travel Planning Video?  Did I mention it’s got 80 minutes of GREAT information and it’s ABSOLUTELY FREE?  Hmm…. I just did.  Get yours now by going to Google Video and type in “get the most out of your Grand Canyon vacation,” or sign up on the homepage for your free e-mail link.  I promise you’ll get answers to all your Grand Canyon questions and then some! 

Good morning to all ~ sorry for being such a delinquent about keeping up the blog, but duty calls.  That duty, of course, is helping folks like you plan your Grand Canyon vacations, and lately, we’ve been doing that very thing in SPADES!  We’re having a ball helping you put together your spring break and summer vacations.  There are all kinds of exciting things going on this season, most notably, the long-awaited opening of the Grand Canyon Skywalk at Grand Canyon West.  More on that later. 

Y’know what’s really fun is talking with those of you fortunate enough to have a good long time to spend here in the beautiful American Southwest.  Yesterday I had the pleasure of helping a family from Dallas plan a week-plus-long scenic odyssey that they will surely never forget: fly to Las Vegas on an early flight, rent car, head over to Zion National Park for 2 days, from there, head to Grand Canyon North Rim for a couple of nights, then on to Lake Powell, Bryce Canyon, then back to Vegas, fly home. 

Surprised that they’re not spending the entire time at the Grand Canyon?  Don’t be.  Odd as this may sound, we wouldn’t want you to either!  It’s not that we don’t love the Grand Canyon, but the Grand Canyon is merely one incredible attraction out of literally dozens (heck, maybe hundreds!) in this area, and while you’re here, we recommend that you see as many of them as you can (without literally driving yourself crazy, of course!). 

Did you know that the average Grand Canyon visitor spends maybe 4–5 HOURS in the park?  It’s true.  Some even do just a quick “look-see” a la Chevy Chase in “National Lampoon’s Vacation.” The family that spends 2 or 3 days at the Grand Canyon is truly fortunate.  But unless you’re going to be doing a lot of hardcore hiking in the area, you really don’t need much more time than that.  If you’ve got a week or more to spend, you have plenty of time to see the Grand Canyon and a heck of a lot more. 

If you’ve got a map or road atlas, here’s where you might want to grab it.   Now, find the area known as “The Four Corners.”  For those a bit unfamiliar, the Four Corners is the area of the United States where four states join: Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico.  If you’re on Yahoo! Maps or Mapquest, pull up a place called “Teec Nos Pos, Arizona.”  Now, if you were to draw a big circle around that point, say 200 miles out from the center, you’ll discover something amazing: within that big ol’ circle are a whole bunch of cool places: National Parks, Monuments, State Parks, Recreation Areas, historical and cultural sites and more! 

This area is collectively known as “The Grand Circle” and here’s the best part: a big chunk of the Grand Circle is within easy access of the Grand Canyon.  “Such as,” you say?  Well… Lake Powell is 2.5 hours from Grand Canyon South Rim OR North Rim; Monument Valley Navajo Indian Tribal Park is 3.5 hours from Grand Canyon South Rim and 2 hours from Lake Powell; Zion National Park is about 1 hour from Lake Powell, 2 hours from Grand Canyon North Rim; Bryce Canyon is 2.5 hours from Lake Powell; Cedar Breaks National Monument is 2.5 hours from Lake Powell; the Paria Canyon Wilderness and Vermillion Cliffs National Monument are 2.5 hours from Grand Canyon North or South Rim, 30 minutes away from Lake Powell. 

See a pattern there?  Yup, thought you would: Lake Powell seems to be at the center of it all, which is why it is frequently (and appropriately) referred to as “The Hub of the Grand Circle.”  10 minutes from the shores of Lake Powell (which is actually a part of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area) is a small town called Page, Arizona (or “Page America” as it is known on the local radio station).  

Originally built as a “Worker’s Camp” for the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam, Page is now a tourism-centered town of about 6,000 people.  Great Lakes Airlines offers daily air service from Phoenix to Page Municipal Airport (PGA), and you can rent a car from Avis or Hertz on-site.  It does cost more to fly to a small commuter airfield such as Page, but it may be worth it to you in terms of cutting down on your drive time: the North AND South Rim of the Grand Canyon are located an easy (and pretty) 2.5 hour drive from Lake Powell.  Day trips can also be made easily to surrounding attractions.  By flying into Page, you can practically cut your driving time in half while doubling your sightseeing opportunities. 

So how’d I get started talking about the Grand Canyon and end up talking about Lake Powell, and why should you care?  Well.. if you’re coming out here for Spring Break and you don’t have Grand Canyon hotel reservations yet, I’ve got some bad news for ya: all the hotels in the immediate area of the Grand Canyon are either full or getting there fast.  There are other places to stay for your Grand Canyon vacation, such as Flagstaff, which is 1.5 hours from Grand Canyon South Rim, or Williams, which is 1 hour South.  Both are nice towns, but frankly, we’re partial to Lake Powell (and not just because we live here!).   Lake Powell has so much to offer not only in beautiful scenery (it looks like the Grand Canyon with water in it), but fun activities (like the Half Day Colorado River Float Trip, Antelope Canyon Safari Jeep Tours, scenic air tours), reasonable hotel rates, and being at the center of it all, it makes a great “base camp” from which to enjoy everything the Grand Circle has to offer. 

Want to hear more?  Give us a call and get it from “the horse’s mouth.”  Our phone number is at the top of your screen.  Thinking you need to get on making those Grand Canyon hotel reservations?  You’d be right.  If you strike out at the Grand Canyon, consider making a bit of a diversion to Lake Powell and enjoy the Grand Canyon for a day.  To check availability and pricing of hotels in both areas, visit the hotels link on our website, or call 1–800–916–8530. 

Happy Travels!  Alley Kaye

P.S.  GrandCanyon.com is also a member of the Grand Circle Association.  They offer an excellent free travel planner for the region that you can order via their website, www.grandcircle.org

Good morning to all.  Well, it wasn’t the moon that hit my eye like a big pizza pie this morning – it was the sun.  Spring just can’t wait to be sprung.  The days are getting longer, which means that I get a bit of a glare off Lake Powell as I drive to work.  Oh well.  A small price to pay for the what has to be the prettiest commute on the face of the earth.  

Well, here’s something that actually does my heart some good.  It seems that this year, a lot of you are interested in camping on your Grand Canyon vacations.  I’ve gotten lots of e-mails from you asking about your options at the North and South Rims.  Why does that give me a warm fuzzy?  Because lately it seems that interest in camping in our National Parks is on a bit of a “downswing.”  According to a recent article on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer’s Website,  the National Park Service’s latest statistics indicate that camping and backcountry stays were down by a figure of 24%….24%!!!! 

That is one sad state of affairs.  I remember childhood camping trips most fondly in and around Sequoia and Yosemite.  After graduating college, I spent almost an entire summer camping in several National Parks, including the Rockies, the Great Sand Dunes National Monument in New Mexico and Zion National Park in Utah.  I do believe that experience led directly to my career choice as a Grand Canyon vacation planner.  To this day, at *ahem* 43 years young, I still enjoy sleeping “al fresco,” particularly in places/circumstances where tents aren’t needed, just the stars and the crickets seeing me off to dreamland. 

Seems as though that sort of experience is losing its appeal on a multigenerational scale.  If you’re a proud member of the Baby Boomer generation, you may be dealing with things like a back that doesn’t take too kindly to sleeping on a rock (which on occasion I’ve done out on Lake Powell!); today’s twenty-somethings don’t seem interested in spending ANY time in a place where their cell phones don’t work and the nearest Starbuck’s is a 3 hour drive away.  Such a pity! 

Let’s hope the trend in my e-mail box is an indicator of renewed interest in camping in our National Parks.  When I was writing our newest round of Grand Canyon Travel Guides (have you downloaded yours yet?), I debated whether to include an extended camping section, but now, I’m sure glad I did!  

As to whether it will make a difference remains to be seen, but here’s an excerpt for those of you considering making a tent and sleeping bag your lodging of choice on your Grand Canyon vacation:

• At Grand Canyon South Rim, trailer and tent sites are offered at Trailer Village, which is managed by Xanterra South Rim LLC (www.grandcanyonlodges.com , 888/297-2757 or 303/297-2757).  Tent sites and limited trailer sites are also offered at Mather Campground, which is near Trailer Village.  Mather Campground does not have hook-ups for trailers, but does have a dump station, pay showers and a Laundromat at the Camper Services building.   

  At the North Rim, the campground is open from mid-May through mid-October.  There are no trailer hook-ups, but a dump station is available.  In-park campgrounds for both North and South Rims are administered by the National Park Reservation Service.  Advance reservations are strongly recommended for Grand Canyon camping during peak travel periods.  Reservations for Grand Canyon and other National Park campgrounds can be made by phone at 877-444-6777 or on-line at www.Recreation.gov 

  First-come, First-Serve Camping

  There are a few Grand Canyon campgrounds which are operated on a first-come, first-served basis.  2 miles South of Tusayan, the U.S. Forest Service’s 10-X Campground  offers “dry camping” from May through October.  There are no utilities or hook-ups at individual campsites, but pit toilets and cold water spigots are located throughout the campground.  26 miles East of Grand Canyon Village is the Desert View Campground.   Run by the National Park Service, it is also open to tent campers and trailers, though there are no hook-ups.  

  In Valle, 30 miles South of Grand Canyon South Rim, a remnant of true-blue American roadside kitsch still stands: the Flintstones Bedrock City.  Built in 1972 (under the official auspices of Hanna-Barbera, no less), you can’t miss Bedrock City.   Here, campers can park their trailers or tents next door to colorful replicas of Fred and Wilma’s house (or Barney and Betty’s if one prefers).  There’s a theatre on-site that plays (what else?) Flintstones cartoons, a diner that serves up Brontosaurus Burgers and a “kiddie train” that tours a “volcano.”  Though showing its age according to recent visitors, many still get a kick out of Bedrock City’s unabashedly cheesy character.  Located at the junction of Highway 64 & 180.  For more information, call (928) 635-2600.

  At the North Rim, the Tuweep  (also known as Toroweap) Campground is located in the remote Arizona Strip on the Northwest side of the canyon.  The National Park Service oversees this facility, which is known as a “primitive campground:” picnic tables, fire grates, and composting toilets are provided, but no electricity or water is available.  Sites may fill during spring months, especially on weekends.

  The Jacob Lake Campground  is run by the U.S. Forest Service 44 miles North of the park.  Drinking water and flush toilets are available on-property, plus this campground is within easy access of the town of Jacob Lake where gas and other supplies may be purchased.   All North Rim campgrounds are open from mid-May through mid-October, weather permitting.  

  On both the North and South Rims, “dispersed camping” or “camping-at-large” is permitted within National Forest Lands as long as one’s vehicle is situated ¼ mile or more from the main highway.  Some restrictions may apply, particularly at the North Rim.  

  Grand Canyon West does not have camping on-site, but there is a campground and RV parks in Peach Springs at the Grand Canyon Caverns Inn (www.gccaverns.com, 928-422-3223).  The Place Motel on Pearce Ferry Road has dry RV spaces (928) 564-4040.

  The gateway communities of Williams, Flagstaff, Page, and Kingman also have many fine RV Parks and Campgrounds.  For more information, visit www.rvpark.com.  Insider tip: Before you commit to camping, remember that nights still get cold at the South and North Rim!  Overnight lows in the 20’s are reported as late as Memorial Day.  Bring a good sleeping bag!