It wouldn’t be a visit to Arizona without going to the Grand Canyon! This place has been on our list for years, and we were so happy to finally get to experience the beauty that is the Grand Canyon. We stayed at Grand Canyon Trailer Village RV Park, which is the only full hook-up RV park within walking distance to the South Rim. It was plenty big enough for our 41 ft. 5th wheel, and we loved the idea of being able to walk to the rim. Just remember that check-in is at noon, and not any sooner. We got there early, so we parked at the Grand Canyon Village Market and General Store and did a little souvenir shopping before heading into the campground.
Day 1 – Exploring the Area
We walked up to the rim, which was only about a 1/2-mile from the campground on the trail. Upon seeing the number of vehicles around the area, we were glad we could walk. There is a bus system, but due to COVID, there was only limited service. We walked along the rim trail to the Yavapai Geology Museum to learn more of the history of how the Grand Canyon was formed. Due to COVID restrictions, there were only a limited number of people allowed into the museum, but our wait wasn’t too long. We took advantage of being able to ask the ranger questions while we waited, and he told us where to go for the best sunset views. The Desert View Watchtower was currently closed due to COVID, but Lipan Point was open. We drove there that evening, and even with clouds partially obstructing the view of the setting sun, seeing play of light and shadows across the canyon while the sun was setting was well worth the drive.
Day 2 – Hiking to Ooh Ahh Point
We began our second day at the canyon by driving out to the South Kaibab Trailhead. We parked along the road and hiked in about 1/2 mile to the start of the hike to Ooh Ahh Point, aptly named for the amazing views and all the “oohing and ahhing” that can be heard from hikers along the way. This is also the location where you can take a mule ride down to the bottom of the canyon. As narrow and winding as this path is, I’m happy we didn’t meet any mules while we were there! Even though this hike is only 1.8 miles out and back, it is given a “moderate” rating because much of the hike is either descending or climbing. We highly recommend hiking shoes, water & snacks, and possibly hiking poles. We also wouldn’t recommend this hike after rain, because it could get quite slippery.
Exploring more of Grand Canyon Village
After we finished our hike, we went back to the camper to get cleaned up and have lunch. We’d heard rumblings of possible bad weather coming in, so we checked and indeed, snow was expected the next day. We decided to cut our trip short by one day and head south. The campground ranger was very accommodating, and didn’t charge us for the extra day.
Since we still had the village to explore, we drove over to where the lodges and train depot were. We were fortunate to find a place to park the F-350 behind one of the buildings and walk across the railroad tracks to the village. After a little more shopping and sightseeing, we took a couple more pictures and one last look at the canyon before heading back to the camper to get ready to move the next day.
From the looks of the traffic the next morning heading south, we were glad we got up early! While we were only at the Grand Canyon for two days, we felt we’d made the most of them. If we go back, we’d like to do another hike, and it would be after COVID where we could experience some of what was closed.
Jennifer Skinnell is the author of the Hope Springs Romance Series available on Amazon. Click here for all the details.