Grand Canyon News

Good morning friends, and what a beautiful morning it is – Shoot, it’s afternoon already!  Time does fly when you’re having fun.  Well, the days are getting noticeably shorter and mornings rise with a little nip in the air.  This is the time of year we Arizonans both love and hate: summer wants so badly to surrender to fall, but it’s not quite ready to give up the ghost yet!  Here in Page, Arizona, where GrandCanyon.com’s office is located, afternoons remind us of that as temperatures continue to “ooch” up toward the century mark.  Later in the week, the summer monsoons threaten to make one of a few final stands.  Bring it!  Right now at the Grand Canyon it’s a balmy 86 degrees.  Aaaaaaaaaah! 

As summer winds to a close and the schoolkids around the world get back to the grind, most of you who we’re on the phone with right now are planning for future trips to the Grand Canyon (for which we salute you!).  Many of you are fortunate enough to be able to pick and choose when to take your Grand Canyon vacation, which leads to this week’s QOW:

Q.  When is the best time to visit the Grand Canyon?

A.  Here’s a hint: it’s right around the corner! 

At GrandCanyon.com, our favorite time of year is early fall (mid-September to early October).  Grand Canyon weather is about as close to perfect as it gets with daytime highs also in the 65-75° range.  Late September is prone to occasional afternoon thunderstorms, but in general, sunny, breezy days predominate.  The crowds also tend to thin out as the school year resumes.  Grand Canyon South Rim and Grand Canyon West are open year-round, so fall is a good time to visit both of these areas. 

However, early autumn is prime time for a visit to the Grand Canyon’s quieter, cooler and prettier side: the North Rim.  At 8,000’, Grand Canyon North Rim supports plant and animal life that the drier South Rim cannot.  In addition to Ponderosa pine trees, the Kaibab National Forest on the North Rim has oaks, birches, aspens and even some trees in the maple family.  In about mid-September, the forest breaks out in a dazzling array of autumn color that has to be seen to be believed.   Late September of 1989 was when I accomplished one of the proudest feats of my life: hiking the Grand Canyon from rim to rim.   Like an idiot, I did it in 2 days (it is most comfortable to do it in 3) and was one hurtin’ unit having hiked for 14 miles downhill one day and 10 miles uphill the next.  But it is an experience I’ll never forget as the colors of the leaves on the trees towards the beginning of the North Kaibab Trail were absolutely brilliant.  On another visit, the staff of GrandCanyon.com drove to the Grand Canyon Lodge to enjoy dinner in their world-famous dining room.  It was raining cats and dogs!  But the views of the canyon, with autumn leaves in full color and storm clouds providing a billowy cover, were absolutely stunning. 

If you’re visiting the Grand Canyon in the fall, and you’d like to take us up on the suggestion to visit the North Rim, first priority is to reserve your lodging, and I mean PRONTO!  Visitor services at the North Rim are fewer in number and smaller in scale.  It’s reminiscent of what the National Parks might have been like in years past – which is really the whole point.  The only in-park lodge at the North Rim, the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, has a couple hundred cabins and some motel rooms.  It is administered by a company called Forever Resorts, who also manage concessionaires at some other parks, most notably Lake Powell.  For more information visit www.grandcanyonlodgenorth.com or call 877-386-4383 within the U.S., 480-337-1320 from abroad. 

Out-of-park lodging is also limited at the North Rim, with two small facilities situated within an hour of the park: the Kaibab Lodge and the Jacob Lake Inn.  Both are charming, rustic retreats nestled at the foot of tall Ponderosa Pines.  Both lodges have on-site restaurants serving up fresh home-made fare, including delicious baked goods and milkshakes.  But they are relatively small, so here again, timeliness is key.  For the Kaibab Lodge (5 miles outside the park) visit www.kaibablodge.com or call 928-638-2389.  For the Jacob Lake Inn (45 miles North of the park) visit www.jacoblake.com or call (928) 643-7232. 

The next nearest lodging is about 90 minutes from the park in Kanab, Utah, a small town rich in Pioneer heritage and Native culture that was once known as “Little Hollywood.”  Another popular gateway city for both North and South Rim visitors is Page-Lake Powell Arizona.  Page is well-situated in that it is a 2.5 hour drive from either the North or South Rim.  For hotel reservations in either city, visit GrandCanyon.com’s hotel booking page, or call our worldwide hotel hotline at 1-800-916-8530. 

Grand Canyon North Rim is best visited outdoors-minded people seeking a quiet getaway, especially those who’ve already been to the South Rim.  Visitors traveling in the fall, particularly late September, should seriously consider at least a brief visit to the North Rim to experience the spectacular fall colors of the Kaibab National Forest.  Because of its high altitude, Grand Canyon North Rim is not recommended for those with cardiac or respiratory ailments.  It is also not recommended for families traveling with younger children, especially those who have a high requirement for sensory stimulation.  Many of the area’s hotel rooms have NO TV’s – EEEEK!

But seriously, folks, anytime is a great time to visit the Grand Canyon.  Of course, if you possibly can, try to avoid summer.  It’s hot and it’s crowded, unless you go to the North Rim.  Spring is nice.  In late March and early April, Grand Canyon weather can run the gamut from sunny and crisp, with daytime highs in the 50 to 60°F range, to blizzard conditions with highs below freezing and lows below zero!  Breezy afternoons are the norm (as they are year-round), and wintry weather tends to resurface occasionally, but in general, the spring break crowds have yet to arrive (unless Easter occurs in April, like it did this year and will do in 2010) so the park is still relatively peaceful.  Grand Canyon North Rim is not open until mid-May, therefore you would be limited to visiting either Grand Canyon South Rim or Grand Canyon West in the springtime. 

And – don’t laugh – but a winter visit can also be a very fulfilling experience.  November through February is unquestionably the quietest time of year at the park, with only 15% of its annual visitation occurring then.   Since Grand Canyon North Rim closes from mid-October to mid-May, you would want to choose between Grand Canyon West and Grand Canyon South Rim for a wintertime visit.   Winter, as you can imagine, is very cold, with average daytime highs ranging from 35-50°F.  Grand Canyon West will be slightly warmer.  Nights are even chillier, typically getting down to the teens and even below zero on occasion.  And of course, snow is a contingency one always has to plan for.  But, if you’re seeking peace and solitude, and a photo opportunity like no other (above left [does that bring tears to your eyes or what?]), winter is a wonderful time to visit the Grand Canyon.  And the cool part (forgive the pun!) is that most of the popular Grand Canyon tours are still operating, including those that go to the bottom.  You can also save money by scheduling your trip between November 1^st and March 1^st, when Grand Canyon hotels discount season can mean anywhere from $10 to $40 a night savings!

So there you have it – we hope this post has helped you choose which time of year is the right time for you to visit Grand Canyon National Park.  And if you though this tip was helpful, wait till you see the 30 others we’ve got in our Grand Canyon Travel Planner!  Have you ordered yours yet? 

‘til next time, have a “grand” day! 

President Barack Obama’s Grand Canyon vacation wasn’t too dissimilar from that of other families: they came, they saw, they left.  But along the way, they thrilled visitors from all over the globe who lined the streets of Tusayan and Grand Canyon Village to get a glimpse of 2009’s most distinguished Grand Canyon visitor.  Check out the Flagstaff Arizona Daily Sun for some great photos of Air Force One landing at Grand Canyon National Park Airport (GCN) and locals and visitors waiting for the Presidential motorcade to pass by – click here: “Obamas at Canyon a big hit”  Like a lot of busy families, they had to cut their visit short, but hopefully the time they had was quality time – enough for the Grand Canyon to get into their blood and become a treasured memory.

GrandCanyon.com would like to thank our customers whose Grand Canyon vacation plans were disrupted or altered for your understanding.  Each and every one of you was a good sport about the situation and we appreciate that whole-heartedly! 

Those of you planning Grand Canyon vacations for the near future, stay tuned to learn what time of year is the best time for a Grand Canyon vacation.

‘til then, make it a “grand” day! 

Good morning friends ~ Although the skies are slightly overcast this morning, we’re not letting it dampen our excitement – company’s coming this Sunday!  And very special company it is: none other than President Barack Obama and his family.  The local news media is of course “all abuzz” about it, so no need for yours truly to try to rehash things.  What I do wish to tell our valued customers is that, depending on what you have planned, your Grand Canyon vacation plans might be affected somewhat by the First Family’s visit. 

Of course this isn’t the first time an American President has visited this crown jewel of the National Park system (for a fascinating read on Presidential park visits, read this article by Linda Updike in the Examiner.com).  When it does happen, every effort is made to cause as little disruption as possible to people’s enjoyment of the Grand Canyon.  For the most part, it works for those of us who stay on the round.  What tends to be most impacted by a modern Presidential visit is the airspace in and around the Grand Canyon. 

The Obamas will arrive at the Grand Canyon Sunday August 16th in Air Force One (yes, Grand Canyon National Park Airport can handle Air Force One!).  Once Air Force One readies for landing, and until the time it takes off, the airspace around Grand Canyon National Park Airport will become highly restricted.  This means that Grand Canyon air tours will be somewhat curtailed.  For most of the day, this will mean shortening of the normal tour routes.  For example, if you have an Imperial/Grand Kingdom Helicopter tour booked, that will be shortened to the 30-minute North Canyon/Majestic tour.  If you have a Grand Discovery Airplane tour that may also be shortened.  Tours booked for times when AF1 is on approach or preparing for take-off will need to be either rescheduled or as a last resort measure, cancelled.

GrandCanyon.com is in the process of trying to notify all Grand Canyon air tour customers booked for Sunday August 16th about the anticipated changes in their flights.  Those of you who didn’t book your Grand Canyon air tours with us but have happened upon this post should call their air tour companies immediately to find out what their alternatives are. 

Contact information for Grand Canyon air tour companies based at the Grand Canyon National Park Airport (GCN) at the South Rim is as follows:  Grand Canyon Airlines – 928-638-7121; Papillon Helicopters – 928-638-2419; Grand Canyon Helicopters – 928-638-2764; Maverick Helicopters – 928-638-2622; Scenic Airlines – 702-638-3200

Those of you who’ll be around for the President’s visit, be sure to say “hail to the chief” in “grand” style for us! 

Good morning friends and if you’ve got kids, hope they’re ready to go back to school.  Seems that schools are starting earlier and earlier around the country, so those of you taking advantage of Grand Canyon National Park’s last freebie weekend of the summer are most likely going to be of the more “chronologically gifted” persuasion.  Naturally, lots of you want to jump on this last opportunity to visit Grand Canyon sans the usual $25 entrance fee and lots of you are inquiring about different Grand Canyon tour options to help you get the most out of your Grand Canyon vacation.  Well, let me tell ya something folks: you’re not going to enjoy any of them if you don’t have a place to sleep! 

Which leads to this week’s QOW (Question of the Week): “What should I book first for my Grand Canyon vacation, my hotel or my tour?”

Answer: Hotel – most of the time anyway.

It’s kinda like the old “chicken or the egg” question, or maybe the one about the “cart and the horse.”  See, most Grand Canyon vacationers who plan an overnight visit are doing so with nary a thought to any kind of guided Grand Canyon tour.  Their loss, but the reality is that most of them only have one night and maybe half a day to spend at the Grand Canyon.  They couldn’t work a guided tour in if they wanted to, therefore they’re going to do self-guided touring of some sort, either by foot, by car, utilizing the bus tours offered by Xanterra South Rim LLC or taking advantage of the free shuttles that run around the Grand Canyon Village area or the Hermit’s Rest Road.  As a result, Grand Canyon hotel rooms get snatched up pretty quick – 6 to 8 months in advance inside the park, 3 to 4 months in advance for the gateway communities in the immediate area of the South Rim, including Tusayan (10 minutes South), Valle (30 miles South), and Cameron (60 miles East). 

And here’s a little factoid that might blow your mind: it doesn’t matter one bit that there’s a recession going on!   The hotel infrastructure at the Grand Canyon – including 6 hotels inside Grand Canyon Village (managed by Xanterra South Rim LLC) and the 6 hotels in Tusayan – is hard-pressed to accommodate 2 million annual visitors.  The year prior to my arrival at the El Tovar Hotel, annual visitation had passed the 3 million mark for the first time.  All the hotel employees in the area were scratching their heads wondering why we were busy in February, and scrambling to find beds for those unsuspecting travelers who had rolled into the park without reservations.  In the years immediately following, visitation approached and eventually surpassed the 4 million person mark, peaking at 4.5 million in 1995.  Naturally, not all of those people will want to stay overnight at the park, but a goodly number of them do. Can 12 hotels handle them all?  NOPE!   That’s not to say that the current economic challenges haven’t had an impact on Grand Canyon visitation – they have – but have they reduced visitation to pre-1986 levels?  NOPE!  

So that means that the more things change, the more they stay the same.  You absolutely must reserve your Grand Canyon lodging well in advance, recession or no recession!  If your visit is 4 to 6 months away, you might be fortunate enough to secure in-park lodging through Xanterra South Rim LLC.  And if you’re booking that far out, and aren’t picky about where you end up staying, then you can base your plans around the tours you want to take. 

But as our pal Mr. Monk is fond of saying, “here’s the thing:” the majority of you aren’t making your plans that far out, especially not this year.  Most of you are planning your vacations when you’re absolutely certain that your job is going to be there for you when you get back.  That means 3 months out tops, usually less.  So for you, Grand Canyon lodging is going to be the absolute lynchpin of your vacation plans.  All of your plans – tours, activities, itinerary, etc. – are going to revolve, and evolve, around Grand Canyon hotels and when you can get a reservation.  And most of the time that’s OK.  Most Grand Canyon tours, with the notable exception of those marvelous mule rides, have availability 2-3 months out, so you can secure your lodging first, then book your tours.  Or here’s a thought: if you want to be absolutely certain that the tour you want is available on your preferred date, just give us a call and we’ll happily check it for you.  We’ll even let you know if you can call us back in a couple of days and be OK, or if you need to get your ducks in a row by close of business. 

Your Grand Canyon lodging is NOT something you want to leave to chance – trust us on this, we live here and we’ve seen it happen too many times!  If you figure you’ll book your tour and figure out your where you’re going to stay when you get here, I’ll give you a word of advice: DON’T.  Because you might find yourself driving anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours from the park in order to find a room, and when you just got off an all-day tour that wrapped up at 6:30 PM, you aren’t going to be a happy camper at the end of the day.  What’s worse, your memory of the wonderful Grand Canyon tour you just took could be soured by the ordeal of finding a room afterwards.  Who needs that?  You sure don’t. 

So repeat after me: “room first, tour second!” 

This, by the way, is Time-Saving Secret #2 to an Incredible Grand Canyon Vacation – and if you think that bit of info is good to know, wait ‘till you hear the other 9!  Have you signed up to receive all 10 Secrets?  It’s no secret where it’s at – GrandCanyon.com! 

P.S. OK, so to every rule there is an exception, and there is actually one particular time of year where you can sometimes – not all the time, but sometimes – roll into the park and get a room.  And – dare I say it? – maybe even get on a mule ride!  When does this rift in time occur?  Find out by ordering our Grand Canyon Travel Planner – it’s got more insider secrets than Dr. Phil!  Learn more –>: The Grand Canyon Travel Planner.

Good morning friends, and what a beautiful morning it is ~ Hopefully most of you are planning to take your Grand Canyon air tours this morning as this afternoon is expected to bring more monsoon rainstorms.  Over the weekend, the rain got so bad that it washed out the road to the Grand Canyon Skywalk!   A rare occurrence, to be sure, but hey, we’ve said all along that you shouldn’t drive that road unless you a. have the right vehicle (i.e., SUV with a high clearance and preferably not a rental) and/or b. absolutely no other alternative. 

On our last post, we discussed the absolute best Grand Canyon tour, the Canyon River Adventure.  Reaction to the post was divided into two distinct camps: 1. “sign me up” and 2. “the trip sounds great, it really does, but we’re going to Las Vegas and we just can’t spare the time to come over to the South Rim to do the Canyon River Adventure.”  Which leads to this week’s Question of the Week:

Q.  “What is your best Las Vegas Grand Canyon Tour?”

A.  “The Canyon Escapes Helicopter Tour.”

Mind you, coming up with the answer did take a bit of deliberation because statistically, the Grand Voyager Tour is our most popular Las Vegas Grand Canyon tour.  But when you weigh all Las Vegas Grand Canyon touring options by the criteria applied to the Canyon River Adventure – comprehensiveness, ease of accessibility, and value – the Canyon Escapes helicopter tour, for now, comes out the winner. 

Let’s break it down:

Comprehensiveness: having been to the bottom of the Grand Canyon the hard way, it still blows my mind that you can do all this in less than 2 hours on the Canyon Escapes tour.  Check it out: after getting picked up at your hotel and being transported to the Boulder City Municipal Airport, you’ll board a state-of-the-art Eco-Star EC130 helicopter.  You’ll fly over Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and the Western Rim of the Grand Canyon.  Since you’ll be in a helicopter instead of a plane, you get to fly a bit lower, giving you a “close encounter” with these majestic landmarks.  Then, time for a change of direction as your chopper descends 4,000 feet all the way to the very bottom of the Grand Canyon!  You’ll touch down near the bank of the mighty Colorado River where you’ll enjoy a light picnic meal (cheese, crackers, fruit, beverages) under and authentic Indian “ramada.”  You’ll have about 30 minutes on the canyon floor to walk around, take pictures and explore before re-boarding your helicopter for the return flight to the Boulder City Airport and shuttle transport back to your hotel (complimentary pickup and dropoff is offered to most major hotels on the Strip and Downtown).  Talk about the ultimate “bada-boom bada-bing” – on the Canyon Escapes you will do what was once considered impossible: get to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back by lunchtime!  Tour time from take-off to landing is 1 hour and 45 minutes; time for the whole experience from hotel to hotel is about 4 hours.  

Ease of accessibility: This is truly where the Canyon Escapes trumped the Grand Voyager.  Now the Grand Voyager is a great tour, however, it involves a little hiking: when you chopper to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, you have to descend a rocky, unpaved trail (photo on left) and 2-3 flights of stairs from the helipad to the boat dock.  After the pontoon boat ride is over, you then have to ascend the same staircase and trail.  It’s equivalent to about 5-6 flights of stairs.  It’s manageable for most people in good health, but maybe not so for your grandparents, very young children, someone with bad knees or anyone who’s sensitive to extreme heat (gotta remember, it’s flippin’ HOT at the bottom of the canyon most of the time!).  The Canyon Escapes doesn’t involve any strenuous activity – once you land at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, you’re on a fairly flat, level surface and that’s where you stay.  Since you’re on the canyon floor for only about 30 minutes, it’s less likely that you’ll become overheated or dehydrated (especially since plenty of water is provided).  Also, because there is no pontoon boat component to the Canyon Escapes tour, no stair/trail climbing is involved, which makes this tour appropriate for just about all ages and physical fitness levels. 

Value:  although the Grand Voyager tour is a great value at $309 inclusive per adult, the value of the Canyon Escapes is beyond great – right now, it borders on sheer insanity!  Logistically, the Canyon Escapes is exactly the same tour as the Grand Celebration, but as indicated previously, it takes place aboard the newer, fancier Eco-Star EC-130 helicopters (photo on right).  These helicopters – built specifically for sightseeing and nothing else – are highly advanced in comparison to the standard Bell Helicopters: bigger seats (and they all face forward), 25% more cabin space, larger windows, and a “fenestron” or “fan” tail rotor which substantially reduces noise output, which pleases our friends with the Hualapai Tribe and National Park Service.  Normally, upgrading to the Canyon Escapes and the Eco-Star helicopter would run $50-60 per person more than the Grand Celebration with Bell heli service.   But right now, GrandCanyon.com is offering the Canyon Escapes and the Eco-Star upgrade for just $289 inclusive per adult – just $10 more per person than the Grand Celebration!  That’s literally a “giant step” up in comfort for a “baby step” up in price! 

Not only is the Canyon Escapes the ultimate “bada-boom bada-bing,” right now, it’s also the ultimate bargain!  But ultimately it won’t last forever, so make your reservations today for the ultimate Las Vegas Grand Canyon experience, the Canyon Escapes Helicopter tour   

‘til next time, make it a “grand” day,