Question of the Week: “When is the best time for a Grand Canyon vacation?”

Aug 20

Question of the Week: “When is the best time for a Grand Canyon vacation?”

Point Sublime Grand Canyon North Rim

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.

Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim 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 Kanab Utah 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.

Grand Canyon National Park in winter 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!