May 30 - Visiting the Grand Canyon the Old Fashioned Way

We’ve just barely browsed the surface of Sedona, but we were up and out early today for our drive to Williams, AZ where we will take the Grand Canyon Railway to the Grand Canyon.  We took a chance and ventured out of town on Highway 89A instead of taking the interstate. It was a small, winding road that snaked along stunning walls of red and white rock formations that seemed to reach to the sky. We caught glimpses of a stream meandering along the way and neat cabins and retreats tucked away in coves of trees and rocks. We all agreed, we should have spent more time in this area!

 We boarded the train, formerly the Santa Fe line which was established in the 1800’s for the mining industry, for our 2 hour and 15 minute trip to the Canyon. We were entertained by a guide in our car and later by a young man that played the banjo. The scenery from the train ranged from forest like to barren. Our guide told us it takes 80-100 acres of land to feed one head of cattle. I can understand why!

 

 We were treated to two Antelope sightings along the way. They were a long distance from the train and it was moving, but hopefully you get the idea. They watched us go by, just as we watched them.

We arrived at the Grand Canyon and boarded a tour bus. We stopped at three overlooks: Mohave, Hopi, and Maricopa Points. The size of the canyon is just more than the mind can grasp. The colors and structures are unlike anything you can imagine. Pictures cannot begin to capture its beauty and grandeur. We caught glimpses of the Colorado River. It is almost 300 ft across in some places, but it looks like a tiny stream from our vantage point.

I’ll leave you with pictures from the day. It’s Thursday morning and we are headed back to explore on our own.

Cultural Demonstration at the Hopi House

On our way home we were "attached" by bandits.