Flagstaff Campers

Every American (okay, all human beings for that matter) he owes to himself at the head of Arizona and visit the Grand Canyon at least once in their life. It's truly amazing to see how a small trickle of water turned into the Colorado River, which eventually dug the Grand Canyon.

You can contact your trip to the Grand Canyon in a couple of different ways. One way is to stay in the park at one of the pavilions on the south shore and take time to discover all the different things the park has to offer. The other way is to stay in one of the surrounding cities and Arizona take a day trip to the Grand Canyon for a hit and run "view of the Canyon. Both have their good points.

Part of the Grand Canyon's South Rim is the part of the Grand Canyon most people are familiar. It is located on the Arizona side and can be accessed throughout the year. The north shore is closed from mid-October to mid-May, and is also visited the south shore.

The advantage of staying in the park is the ability to take your time to visit the magnificent Canyon from different points of view, which you can easily walk the rim trail or take a shuttle from point to point. For those of you staying for several days, a trip to the northern bank of the Grand Canyon would be a nice addition, if the drive is about 4-5 hours. For those who do not want to drive, there is a shuttle that provides service to the rim to rim in mid-May to mid-October.

For those who stay on the south shore, there are numerous trails along the canyon, and a trail along the top of the canyon called the "Rim Trail." If you stay in one of the lodges and planning a day hike in the canyon interior, just be aware that you probably can not do it down and back in one day. In fact, each year about 250 people were rescued from inside the canyon, most of them are employable young men aged 18 to 40 who tried to walk down and back in a ay. Do not be one of them. A good day hike is a few hours down and then up. The climb will take longer than the hike down. Also, be sure to wear hiking shoes, although some trails can be rocky.

Some people choose to walk down one day either side and bottom or remain in the Phantom Ranch. Be aware, however, you have to make arrangements well in advance of your trip if you choose to stay at the bottom. Campers need a backcountry permit, and Phantom Ranch is usually booked months ahead. The permits are sometimes available that day, but why take the risk? For reservations at Phantom Ranch, you can call 888-297-2757.

Some people prefer to stay outside the park and visit the Canyon for a few hours and move on. There are many areas in northern Arizona, where you can stay and make a detour to the Grand Canyon, Sedona and Flagstaff as. Although these places are still drives long-term (one hour from Flagstaff, Sedona two), it is still close enough for a day trip. Both Sedona and Flagstaff are beautiful places to stay, with Sedona being the most "touristy" of the two cities. Flagstaff, for me, is the most curious of the two, perhaps because it is a "university city" home to Northern Arizona University.

Sedona and Flagstaff are also visually different. Flagstaff is surrounded by a pine forest, while Sedona is "red rock" country. Sedona is full of upscale resorts, galleries and expensive restaurants. Flagstaff is less expensive all around, with cheap accommodation and restaurants. The two are close enough for a day trip to the Grand Canyon.

Of course you can always opt for a bus trip even faster, from a tourist stop to another. But why not learn from this little trickle that started it all? Take your time and enjoy the view.