Things To Know:
Grand Canyon Information

Canyon Dave's Opinions about Weather, Hotels, Restaurants, Driving, and More

1. South Rim Weather. The South Rim, at 7,000 ft altitude, is open all year. The weather here is tolerable most of the year. It freezes at night from November through March, but the days are sunny and F 40's or 50's more often than not. Snowstorms are not uncommon, but they make the Canyon glorious, and the park service plows the roads promptly. However the wind can be biting on a snowy day. Clouds can fill the Canyon in winter, and during the scattered rains especially in mid July through August. The clouds can render the Canyon completely invisible at these times, but usually only a couple days per year.

  Spring and fall are nicest, although winds are more likely in spring (and early summer), so my very favorite months at the South Rim are September through late October. Summer at the South Rim is not really hot by Arizona standards, with average highs in the low F 80's to low 90's, rarely making it to F 100, even in July. Humidity is low (bring lip balm) and rain is scarce at about 14 inches per year. May and June are driest.

2. Sunsets. There is no bad place to watch the sunset at Grand Canyon. Is there a best place? Opinions differ, converging on Mohave or Hopi Point, Inspiration Point (near Yavapai Point), Grandview and Lippan Points, and Desert View. All these draw crowds. I am happy seeing a Grand Canyon sunset from wherever I happen to be.

3. Photography. Shoot early or late in the day, when shadows bring out the shapes. Colors are most intense in morning and evening, but the best flat light for colors can be an overcast day. Rain brings out the colors, and puffy clouds really enhance a photo. Try framing your shots naturally by shooting between a couple trees, or with rocks or cliffs in the foreground. The air is clearest in winter.

4. Driving and Parking. People originating in Phoenix or Las Vegas will usually drive on state route 64 for their last 50 miles. This is a two-way highway that has more than its share of accidents. Sometimes it is dangerous to pass a slow vehicle, so think of it as an opportunity to exercise patience. At night, watch carefully for deer or elk crossing the road. Once you are in the park, be sure to drive safely--the park police are serious and unsympathetic about seemingly innocuous violations like slightly blocking the road to watch a deer.

  At the entrance station, get a copy of the free newspaper, The Guide. It has useful maps of the often-confusing roads. It is best to arrive at the Canyon with a nearly full tank of gasoline. Prices are steep here. Fill up in Flagstaff (coming from Phoenix) or Williams (coming from Las Vegas). Drive into town where it is cheaper. Currently there is only one gas station near the Grand Canyon National Park, at Tusayan, with outrageous prices.

5. Hotels. There are two main and separated hotel areas to choose from. One is the in-park hotels, all run by the park concessionaire, Xanterra. The other is the village of Tusayan right outside the park's south entrance. Each hotel cluster has different advantages--mainly the closeness to the Canyon of the Xanterra hotels versus more modern accommodations in Tusayan.

The Tusayan hotels are the Grand Hotel (shown here: 888-634-7263), the Best Western Squire Inn (800-622-6966), the Canyon Plaza Hotel (877-424-6423), the Holiday Inn Express (888-473-2269), and the Red Feather Lodge (800-538-2345).These are more modern and less cabin-like than the Xanterra hotels in the park, having swimming pools, air conditioning, and other amenities. Tusayan is ten minutes from the Canyon rim.

  The Xanterra hotels (888-297-2757) are nearer to the rim, especially the lovely, historic El Tovar (shown here), the somewhat dorm-like Thunderbird and Kachina, and the rustic Maswik, Yavapai, and Bright Angel Lodges. Maswik Lodge is a quarter-mile walk to the rim, and Yavapai Lodge a short shuttle ride or drive. Bright Angel Lodge is right at the rim. These hotels (and all hotels in March through October) must be booked way ahead.

6. Restaurants. Again, the restaurants are either in the park or in Tusayan just outside the park entrance. Here is how they line up in my own very personal opinion. I would be remiss if I didn't tell you that no restaurant at Grand Canyon is like New York's finest. Food and service can be spotty. If you don't find the restaurant here, I probably don't much like it.

Fine Dining: The El Tovar Dining Room is best inside the park, with a beautiful setting and "casual elegance." Dinner reservations are difficult to obtain at last minute--try to reserve ahead. Breakfast and lunch don't require reservations, and you must try their hand-made hot chocolate in a silver pot. In Tusayan, it is the Coronado Room in the Best Western Squire Inn. The food rivals the El Tovar, but the atmosphere doesn't compare.

Nice Dining: For nice dining at the Rim, the Arizona Room is my favorite, with Canyon views if beside a window. The Bright Angel Restaurant in Bright Angel Hotel can be good but service is very spotty. In Tusayan, I love the We Cook Pizza if you are in the mood for great pizza or Italian food and if you can enjoy a pizza-parlor atmosphere on benches. Has beer, a salad bar and Carvel Ice Cream next door. I enjoy eating at the Tusayan Cafe, though I've heard of bad experiences. I recommend against any Mexican food restaurant in Tusayan--I've tried both.

Fast Fill Up: In the park, cafeterias at Maswik Lodge and Yavapai Lodge have a wide selection and large portions of your average cafeteria food--great for starving hikers. The deli in the Canyon Village Marketplace has excellent sandwiches. In Tusayan there is a clean Wendy's fast food restaurant, and, of course, a McDonald’s.

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