The Grand Canyon

During the first week of March, Mom and I spent two days on the South Rim at Grand Canyon National Park. We stayed in the Bright Angel Cabins, about 20 paces from the Rim Trail. It had been roughly 20 years since either of us had visited the park, and we were both impressed and pleased with the greater and safer accessibility of the park since then.
We arrived early afternoon on Tuesday and enjoyed a picnic lunch near Mather Point,



and then we walked over to the Visitors Center before checking in to our cabins (dead center in the photo below).

After resting a little while and trying to acclimate to our recent ascent to 7,000 feet above sea level, we walked along the Rim Trail



to the El Tovar for a very nice dinner.

On Wednesday, we took advantage of the park's excellent, linked shuttle system. In the morning, we headed as far east as the shuttle system would take us, to Yaki Point,

then worked our way west, including stops at Pipe Creek Vista

and the Yavapai Observation Station.

It was a 200-yard walk from our cabins to the red shuttle, which took us west toward Hermits Rest in the afternoon. Some of the gusty winds that we experienced during the morning were back in stronger force during the afternoon, and both of us were grateful for the handrails at the overlooks.
Along the Hermits Rest route:
Hopi Point (where we had our first good views of the Colorado River)

Pima Point

Mohave Point

I arose early on Thursday and took the opportunity to walk the twenty paces to the rim to observe the sunrise.

After breakfast, we drove 25 miles east to Desert View,



then worked our way back to the Grand Canyon Village before our departure, stopping at Lipan Point,

Moran Point,

and Grandview Point.

A national treasure. A world treasure.