Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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including a couple of major rapids. From here you can also view the Grand Canyon
supergroup: several strata of rock tilted at an angle to the other layers of rock in the
canyon. The red, white, and black rocks of the supergroup are composed of sedimentary
rock and layers of lava.
The
Tusayan Museum
(daily 9am-5pm) is the next stop along Desert View Drive.
This small museum is dedicated to the Hopi tribe and the Ancestral Puebloan people
who inhabited the region 800 years ago; inside are artfully displayed exhibits on various
aspects of Ancestral Puebloan life. Outside is a short self-guided trail through the ruins
of an Ancestral Puebloan village. Free guided tours are available.
Next along the drive is
Moran Point,
from which you can see a layer of red shale in
the canyon walls. This point is named for 19th-century landscape painter Thomas
Moran, who is known for his paintings of the Grand Canyon.
The next stop,
Grandview Point,
affords a view of Horseshoe Mesa, another interest-
ing feature of the canyon landscape. The mesa was the site of the Last Chance Copper
Mine in the early 1890s. Later that same decade, the Grandview Hotel was built and
served canyon visitors until its close in 1908. The steep, unmaintained Grandview Trail
leads down to Horseshoe Mesa from here. This trail makes a good less-traveled alternative
to the South Kaibab Trail, although it is somewhat steeper.
The last stop along Desert View Drive is
Yaki Point,
which is no longer open to pri-
vate vehicles. The park service would prefer it if you parked your car in Grand Canyon
Village and took the Kaibab Trail Route shuttle bus from the Canyon View Information
Plaza to Yaki Point. The reality is that people passing by in cars want to see what this
viewpoint is all about and now park their cars alongside the main road and walk up the
Yaki Point access road. The spectacular view from here encompasses a wide section of the
central canyon. The large, flat-topped butte to the northeast is Wotan's Throne, one of
the canyon's most readily recognizable features. Yaki Point is the site of the trail head for
the South Kaibab Trail and consequently is frequented by hikers headed down to Phan-
tom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon. The South Kaibab Trail is the preferred down-
hill hiking route to Phantom Ranch and is a more scenic route than the Bright Angel
Trail. If you're planning a day hike into the canyon, this should be your number-one
choice. Be sure to bring plenty of water.
GRAND CANYON VILLAGE & VICINITY
Grand Canyon Village is the first stop for the vast majority of the nearly four million
people who visit the Grand Canyon every year (though I recommend coming in from
the east entrance and avoiding the crowds). Consequently, it is the most crowded area in
the park, but it also has the most overlooks and visitor services. Its many historic build-
ings add to the popularity of the village, which, if it weren't so crowded all the time,
would have a pleasant atmosphere.
For visitors who have entered the park through the south entrance, that unforgettable
initial gasp-inducing glimpse of the canyon comes at
Mather Point.
From this overlook,
there's a short paved path to the Canyon View Information Plaza, but because you're
allowed to park at Mather Point only for a maximum of 1 hour, you'll have to hurry if
you want to take in the views and gather some park information.
Continuing west toward the village proper, you next come to
Yavapai Point,
which
has the best view from anywhere in the vicinity of Grand Canyon Village. From here
you can see the Bright Angel Trail, Indian Gardens, Phantom Ranch, and even the sus-
pension bridge that hikers and mule riders use to cross the Colorado River near Phantom
Ranch. Oh, yes, and of course you can also see the Colorado River. This viewpoint is a
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