Winter a quieter time to visit Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon National Park’s winter visitors enjoy most of the same activities and facilities available to those who experience the park in other seasons without the crowds typically drawn to this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Also, winter creates frosty landscapes and snowy calendar scenes that visitors the rest of the year will miss.
The park’s North Rim closes from Oct. 15 to May 15, but the more accessible South Rim remains open year-round.
The Grand Canyon is about 275 miles from Las Vegas by way of good highways. Follow U.S. Highway 93 across the Colorado River into Arizona. In Kingman, take Interstate 40 east toward Williams. Turn north at Williams onto state Route 64 to access the South Rim. Except during heavy winter storms, the roads are kept plowed and open to traffic. It is about 60 miles to the park from Williams.
Many visitors opt to park their vehicles in Williams and take the scenic Grand Canyon Railway to the park. The train will drop off passengers at the historic log depot at the South Rim, where they will have a few hours to see nearby attractions and viewpoints on foot or by shuttle. For Southern Nevadans, this excursion usually means an overnight stay in Williams to catch the once-daily morning train. Some train packages include staying overnight or longer at the rim in one of the park’s hostelries. Find more information online at thetrain.com.
The highway runs through a district of motels, RV parks, restaurants and businesses at Tusayan as it approaches the park’s south entrance about 4½ miles from the rim. It may be easier to find available accommodations just outside the park. Those visitors who prefer staying inside the park should make reservations in advance for lodgings or campsites. Visitors are more apt to find available rooms at El Tovar Hotel or one of several South Rim lodges or in the park’s campgrounds in winter than at any other time of the year.
Visitors pay a $25 fee to enter the park. The South Rim’s free shuttle system reduces the number of vehicles using the narrow park roads to access viewpoints, trailheads and other attractions near the rim. Parking areas are close to major visitor facilities in several areas.
The shuttles run at about half-hour intervals along three routes most of the year, eliminating the need to find parking during a day of sightseeing.
The South Rim’s Grand Canyon Village, a National Historic Landmark District, includes many of the park’s first buildings, erected by the Santa Fe Railroad during the early decades of the 20th century. Even if you don’t stay in one of the lodges or the hotel, plan to go see them. They are near the rim with splendid views from porches and public rooms such as the lobby, lounge and dining room at El Tovar. Other popular sites include the multistoried Victorian Kolb Studio, built right into the rim, where the annual Grand Canyon Celebration of Art continues through January. National Park Service visitor centers, various museums and well-stocked book and gift shops compete with the gorgeous view along the Rim Trail for visitors’ attention.
Winter visitors to the Grand Canyon will enjoy their visit more if they are properly prepared. It will be cold. Dress in warm layers. Wear heavy pants or long underwear. Cover your head, ears and hands. Wear sunblock, for the rays reflecting off the snow can give you a skier’s sunburn. Most important, wear sturdy shoes or boots with heavy treads to keep you from slipping on icy walkways and socks to keep feet and ankles toasty. Stay hydrated and take breaks indoors for warm beverages.
Margo Bartlett Pesek’s Trip of the Week column appears on Sundays.