Located in Northwest Arizona, Grand Canyon National Park is full of majesty....and people. The park is one of the most visited parks in the entire park system. The views are unbeatable. And if you don't feel small when standing on the canyon's rim, then you've probably got issues. 

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Did I already say there are tons of people there? And with people comes traffic. And with traffic comes memories of big city life. I hate to say that I was disappointed. But for me, on this trip, the park wasn't as grand as I remembered. However, the popularity with tourist does dictate funding. The park was very well developed and the facilities were very nice. 

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Even with railings and signage, the park still can be a very dangerous place. The week I was there, three people died by falling into the Canyon. Some people get too close to the rim by accident (Darwin Award nominees) and others sadly think suicide is their best option. 

 

The highlight of the trip was a helicopter tour of the Canyon. Low and behold, an old high school friend, Bryce, is a helicopter pilot for Papillon, one of several heli tour companies operating out of Tusayan. The single best thing about the flight is that I wasn't killed. The second best thing is you get the absolutely best view of the Canyon from the air. If you come to the Canyon, you must schedule one. 

 

My visit was limited to only the South Rim of the Park. The North Rim is closed throughout the winter. It's also less trafficked and more difficult to access than the South Rim. My opinion of the park may have changed if I was able to explore it. 

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Most of my time in the area was actually spent in the Kaibab National Forest which surrounds the Park.  Although you certainly could find wildlife in the Park, the Forest is where I saw most of it, including elk, deer, turkeys, and wild horses. In fact, I was preparing dinner one evening when a herd of young, adolescent elk walked near my camp. Needless to say, dinner was put on hold until they moved on.

 

While driving the Forest's and Park's backroads,  I accidently found the Walden Trail Head. This trail starts on the rim and ends at the Colorado River. This is an all-day hike. If you want to experience the Canyon, but avoid the throngs of tourist, this is the hike for you.  

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All-in-all, my time in the Grand Canyon and in the Kaibab National Forest was well worth it. If I were to go back, I would certainly plan to visit when the North Rim is open so I could find respite from the masses.