The Trip
Date: Late June, 2013
Duration: 2 nights
Cost: campsite - $18 per night; entrance - $25 for 7 day pass, $80 for annual pass
Campsite: Mather - #276, running water, flushing toilets, outside sink for washing dishes
Mileage: 500 miles one way
Gas price: $3.59-4.00 per gallon
Wildlife: Lots of elk, and cheeky squirrels and ravens.
Camping level: easy. National Parks are developed to make traveling easy and comfortable. Highways to Grand Canyon are flat and easy to navigate. Forest rangers are helpful.
WTF factor: Huge grocery store with deli is located in the Village, as well as a Chase ATM.
This summer I forgone traveling abroad because of work. To make up for lost opportunities I decided to travel domestically. I've developed a keen interest in camping over the past year, and invested in camping gear which consist of a 2-person tent, inflatable mattress pad, portable stove, and two folding chairs.
My first trip to commemorate the summer was Grand Canyon. It's a 6.5 hour drive from my home. Tolerable. Mather is the only campground that accepts online reservations during peak season. Summer is peak season, therefore booking ahead is strongly advised. Desert View Campground is slightly cheaper, and less popular. The down side is that it is not part of the shuttle service route. However it is located next to a Chevron station in case you are low in fuel. This campground is located next to the Desert View Watch Tower on the East Side of the South Rim route. This site is walk-in.
My improvised itinerary:
Day 1: Arrived at campsite around 3pm. Relaxed after the long car ride. Drove to catch the sunset at Mather's point. Back to campsite to eat, sleep, and relax.
Day 2: Full day to explore the park. The shuttle system is quick and will take you to several points to get different views of the Grand Canyon. I started my exploration at 7am. The shuttle stop is a short walking distance from the Mather Campground. I took the shuttle west to the furthest stop, Hermits Rest, a nice place to relax and grab a cup of coffee. Then onward toward the east, all the way to Yaki Point. After the shuttle adventure (about 1pm), back to camp to avoid the midday heat. Around 5 pm, I drove east to the tower to catch the sunset at Desert View. There is no shuttle that reaches Desert View.
Day 3: Break down camp and drove back home. I stopped at a quirky-looking structure that looked like a giant golf ball. It turned out to be a former home of the mother of the man who runs the adjacent convenient store. I came home at around 3pm and took a wonderful nap!
Favorite view of the Grand Canyon...
What I would do if I came back...
Date: Late June, 2013
Duration: 2 nights
Cost: campsite - $18 per night; entrance - $25 for 7 day pass, $80 for annual pass
Campsite: Mather - #276, running water, flushing toilets, outside sink for washing dishes
Mileage: 500 miles one way
Gas price: $3.59-4.00 per gallon
Wildlife: Lots of elk, and cheeky squirrels and ravens.
Camping level: easy. National Parks are developed to make traveling easy and comfortable. Highways to Grand Canyon are flat and easy to navigate. Forest rangers are helpful.
WTF factor: Huge grocery store with deli is located in the Village, as well as a Chase ATM.
This summer I forgone traveling abroad because of work. To make up for lost opportunities I decided to travel domestically. I've developed a keen interest in camping over the past year, and invested in camping gear which consist of a 2-person tent, inflatable mattress pad, portable stove, and two folding chairs.
My first trip to commemorate the summer was Grand Canyon. It's a 6.5 hour drive from my home. Tolerable. Mather is the only campground that accepts online reservations during peak season. Summer is peak season, therefore booking ahead is strongly advised. Desert View Campground is slightly cheaper, and less popular. The down side is that it is not part of the shuttle service route. However it is located next to a Chevron station in case you are low in fuel. This campground is located next to the Desert View Watch Tower on the East Side of the South Rim route. This site is walk-in.
My improvised itinerary:
Day 1: Arrived at campsite around 3pm. Relaxed after the long car ride. Drove to catch the sunset at Mather's point. Back to campsite to eat, sleep, and relax.
Day 2: Full day to explore the park. The shuttle system is quick and will take you to several points to get different views of the Grand Canyon. I started my exploration at 7am. The shuttle stop is a short walking distance from the Mather Campground. I took the shuttle west to the furthest stop, Hermits Rest, a nice place to relax and grab a cup of coffee. Then onward toward the east, all the way to Yaki Point. After the shuttle adventure (about 1pm), back to camp to avoid the midday heat. Around 5 pm, I drove east to the tower to catch the sunset at Desert View. There is no shuttle that reaches Desert View.
Day 3: Break down camp and drove back home. I stopped at a quirky-looking structure that looked like a giant golf ball. It turned out to be a former home of the mother of the man who runs the adjacent convenient store. I came home at around 3pm and took a wonderful nap!
Favorite view of the Grand Canyon...
Desert View from the tower
What I would do if I came back...
Stop by the small town of Seligman.
Hike all the way down to the Colorado River, via the Bright Angel Trail.
Other important notes:
- During the summer, photos of the Grand Canyon will likely turn out hazy due to the smog.
- Monsoon season occurs from early July and ends in early September. Make sure your tent is rain proof if you are camping this time.
- Be careful of elk when driving. They are everywhere.
- Always check alerts before arriving.
To check alerts visit http://www.nps.gov/index.htm
For campsite reservations visit http://www.recreation.gov/
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| Finally here! |
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| Elk on the campground |
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| Desert View Watch Tower |
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| Inside the Tower |
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| Fiery effect of the sunset |
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| Another fiery perspective |
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| Switchbacks along the Bright Angel Trail |
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