Since last winter went so swimmingly, let's try it again! TFS has very graciously opened her home in the west San Fernando Valley to me again. This time her daughter AS (and dog and cat) are there too. Two women + two dogs + two cats = not my usual solitary winter again. Huzzah! Place name links like Los Angeles, CA go to Wikipedia. Place name links like Los Angeles use a local tourism or government website.
< Previous
Petrified Forest National Park |
|
Start
........................................ |
|
Next >
Grand Canyon - Day |
| 2014.05.02 |
Grand Canyon - Evening |
Comment
|
| 1.5 hours to Flagstaff, AZ , gaining elevation and vegetation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Our route was counter- clockwise | |
|
|
|
|
|
There was still some driving to do. Flagstaff is 1.5 hours from the south side of the canyon, 3 hours to the north side. We'll do the south side.
Coming from the east, we followed AZ-89 to AZ-64. More rock, just not so red, and more trees. We're temporarily out of the desert, but it's not far away.
And we're fighting the clock a little: sunset is around 8 pm, but traffic is very light. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Very scenic, and easy to drive. Visiting off-season really pays. Now we ascend to the park. |
|
|
|
|
|
It's $25 for a 1-week vehicle pass, the cheapest option. |
|
|
|
|
|
The largest and most-developed viewpoint areas are at either end of the Canyon Road. Our first stop is Desert View (1) at the east end of the park, and features Desert View Watchtower while approaching the first view of the Canyon. More on that below. The sun is getting lower in the sky. Panorama time!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Looking up the circular staircase |
decorative murals | |
|
|
|
Desert View Watchtower is a four-storey stone tower completed in 1932. It's our second Mary Jane Colter structure: just a few hours ago we saw her Painted Desert Inn update at the Petrified Forest National Park. The tower is an oversize version of an Ancient Pueblo peoples watchtower. It contains a small gift shop and a circular stairway to two other levels for viewing. Interior walls are decorated with murals and other petroglyph-style decorations.
We don't linger for long - time for some other views while we still have decent sunlight. |
We head west for some other viewpoints. The lowering angle of the sun means there are dramatic views of the east-facing walls of the canyon, but the canyon floor is not well lit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I think this is Moran Point. It's the last and westernmost viewpoint we stopped at, and watched the sun set. I attempted to take pictures but my camera was no match for the sun's glare. People were perched on outcroppings, some with very fancy camera setups, all waiting for the sun to sink below the western horizon.
|
|
|
|
|
My camera wasn't so good at twilight shots. TFS's was much better.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
That was a small taste of the Grand Canyon . We'll have to return tomorrow. We drove the full loop back to Flagstaff, top down, battling a little traffic on a 2-lane road. This route seems to be more popular than we'd like. The sky was clear and full of stars. TFS got to watch them.
This isn't the first time that I've raced the sun to see the Canyon. Last time, 20 years and about a month ago, I raced the sun across somewhere but had to stop short when it looked like darkness would win. |
| |
< Previous
Petrified Forest National Park |
|
Start
........................................ |
|
Next >
Grand Canyon - Day |
|
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)