Grand Canyon National Park

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Grand Canyon Hiking with Zeb and Soapy Smith Duck

Let’s do some hiking today.   At Grand Canyon National Park there are so many opportunities to hike.   And so many great trails for our enjoyment.   Before we start down Bright Angel Trail, we visit two historical buildings in the immediate area.   First we enter Kolb Studio, built in 1904.

Kolb Studio built in 1904

This was the Victorian home and photography studio of the Kolb brothers, Emery and Ellsworth.  They were pioneer photographers and filmmakers.   Inside the studio today, you will find part gift shop, part museum and part movie theater (where you can watch their film that played continuously for 61 years).   Be sure to walk on the decks and balconies for fabulous views of the Grand Canyon.  Nearby is Lookout Studio.

Lookout Studio

For many years there was rivalry and mean competition between the two studios.   Lookout Studio was designed by famous architect, Mary Colter.   Lookout Studio was meant to blend into the walls of the canyon.   The studio does appear like part of the canon wall.   She also designed the building at Hermit’s Rest that we showed you last time.   Be sure to visit both studios.   Please take time to fully appreciate the views of the Grand Canyon from each studio.

View from Lookout Studio

We loved to sit and look for a long time.   After an ice cream snack, we are ready to hike Bright Angel Trail.   This trail descends 4,500 feet (1360 meters) in 7.8 miles (12.6 km) to the Colorado River.  Bright Angel is the most traveled trail in Grand Canyon National Park.     This is where we are going.

Bright Angel Trail from studio

We are not going to hike the entire distance, but we will hike part of the trail.   We soon go through this arch.

Archway on Bright Angel Trail

You can see, the canyon walls are steep.

Steep wall of Grand Canyon

Further down the trail, we look up to see Kolb Studio.

Kolb Studio from the trail

We were there, and moms, we have to hike back up out of the canyon and reach Kolb Studio again.   Of course we did it.   We are not still in the canyon.   We enjoyed the hike and the views looking into the canyon and the views looking up, out of the canyon, are beautiful.   We would love to see your Grand Canyon photos also.   Back to the top of the canyon, we take the shuttle bus to Pima Point.   Leaving the shuttle bus, we again hike a section of the South Rim.   We will hike 1 mile or 1.6 km to Hermit’s Rest.   Hermit’s Rest is the end of the South Rim trail.   There are many stops for us to gaze at and admire the beauty of the Grand Canyon.   Five or six million years ago, the Colorado River cut through the rock and carved the Grand Canyon.   Here is the Colorado River, still changing the landscape of this canyon.

Colorado River cutting the canyon even deeper

However the geology of this canyon tells of a time when the tectonic plates moved slowly across the earth’s surface.   Some rock at the bottom of the canyon is almost two billion years old.   Each time we stop we are in awe of the grandeur of the Grand Canyon.

Every view is magnificent

Continuing along the South Rim Trail, we reach Hermit’s Rest.

Hiked to the end of Rim Trail. Arriving at Hermit’s Rest

And one of the official greeters is here enjoying a snack.

Elk, Official Greeter at Hermit’s Rest

Tonight we ride the shuttle bus back to Maswik Lodge for dinner.   The humans had Navajo tacos and spaghetti with meatballs and garlic bread.   We ducks also liked the dinner.   While visiting The Grand Canyon, sampling food at the various lodges and shops is also fun.   There are many things to see and do here.   You can come for a few hours and see the canyon or you can stay for weeks and never be bored.   This is a great place.

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Exploring the Grand Canyon’s South Rim with Zeb and Soapy Smith

Leaving Williams, Arizona.

Williams, Arizona

Driving north on Route 64, through beautiful tall pine forests, we reach Grand Canyon National Park.   We are entering the park through the South Rim entrance.   This is the most developed area of the park, and provides the most amenities for visitors.

Grand Canyon National Park

First stop is always the Visitor’s Center, then a short walk to Mather Point.

Mather Point, Grand Canyon

This canyon is huge!

Panorama can’t begin to cover it all

It is rather crowded here, so we begin following the Rim Trail.   A very short distance, and we found a new friend.

Our new friend, the elk

This park is full of elk.   It is spring, and the male elk are just sprouting new antlers.   Hard to know if we are seeing male or female elk, but they don’t seem to have any fear of humans, or ducks.   Of course, they are protected in the National Park.   Continuing along the Rim Trail, we must stop for many photos.

Like the red here

Soapy’s mom is holding us.

Every view is breathtaking.

If we fall, we are gone forever.

If we fall, we are gone

This canyon averages 10 miles wide (up to 18 miles across, or wide, at places) and 277 miles long.  And it averages one mile deep, but deeper in places.   We reach Yavapal Point and Geology Museum.   Geologists decided this was the best location for the museum.   This is a great view from the Geology Museum.

Beautiful canyon

They appreciated the view, showing several layers of rock.   Private cars are not allowed on these roads during main tourist season, so we ride the free and frequent park shuttles.   Cars are only allowed to lodges and camp grounds.  We leave our shuttle at The Abyss and hike more of the Rim Trail.   There are very few humans on our trail.   Although there are over 5 million visitors each year, the park contains 1,217,403 acres.   Avoiding the crowds is really not that difficult.  The Grand Canyon was carved by the Colorado River over several million years.   As you notice, the erosion process in still happening.

Watch for falling rocks

When will these huge rocks fall?   And these pretty wildflowers can grow in this rocky desert climate.

Cheerful wildflowers

Aren’t they beautiful?   This is Hermit’s Rest.

Hermit’s Rest

The shuttle buses end here and Hermit Trailhead will guide climbers to the bottom of the canyon.   We hiked a short distance on this steep trail.

Rather steep trail

This trail is recommended for experienced desert hikers only.  We didn’t go very far.   Only about 15 minutes down the trail.   The inside of the lodge is beautiful and huge.

At Hermit’s Rest

This photo should give you an idea.  Hermit’s Rest is a National Historic Landmark.   The gift shop was nice.   We purchased ice cream from an outside window.   So good!  On the way back to Mather Point and our car, we stopped at Yavapal Lodge for dinner and these delicious pies.

We loved these pies

Hiking and admiring the Grand Canyon makes humans and ducks hungry.   We will show you more of our Grand Canyon experience next time.