QtownDave

Only 3 days at the end of March / beginning April but will be with my 11 year old daughter and am wondering what else we can do other than seeing the the canyon and driving around Sedona. We are staying in flagstaff and have rented an suv.

Thoughts?

Lost

Deleted due to post below

QtownDave

Oh crap. Sorry. End of March / beginning of April.

Lost

Walnut Canyon national monument is interesting if there's no snow. The hike down and back up is a bit steep.

Go hiking in Sedona. There's many beautiful trails. See the Coconino National Forest website and visit the ranger station on highway 179 just south of the Village of Oak Creek.

The Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff is an interesting half day or evening.

QtownDave

Not living near there, will weather and snow be an issue?

Lost

You shouldn't see any snowstorms that late in the spring. The Flagstaff area and South Rim (both elevation 7000 feet) may have some snow remaining on natural surfaces. The San Francisco Peaks will likely have snow and the ski area will probably still be open.

Sedona is 2000 feet lower than Flagstaff so snow is much less likely there.

Paved roads shouldn't be a problem anywhere, save for some possible ice early in the morning if overnight temps are below freezing.

Typically we get our winter storms in February through mid March, but April is one of our driest months.

Lost

Also, there's several other national monuments in the area; figure out which ones you want to go to and add up the entrance fees. If it's more than $80, then get an annual pass at the first park you go to. The annual pass also covers the red rock permit for forest service lands in the Sedona area. And any other national parks you may visit in the next year.

If you daughter is a 4th grader this school year (2017-18), check out the "Every Kid in a Park" program for free national park entrance.

SWCPHX

https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-...82119227043001

Pretty good article by the Arizona Republic staff summarizing what's available and how things operate at the Hualapai Reservation area Grand Canyon West.

QtownDave

So far we are thinking the following in addition to a half day at the GC

half day ATV rental in Sedona
Lowell Observatory one night
Meteor Crater

Lost

That sounds good. I would recommend planning a full day (or most of a full day) at the Grand Canyon if you've never been.

Most people that post here way overdo their time at the Canyon by trying to spend a full week. For people who have never been and are not planning on hiking down into the Canyon, two full days is ideal, but one full day is workable if there's other things in northern AZ that you want to do.

A half day may be a little short. Remember it's a 90 minute drive each way from Flagstaff to Tusayan, and from Flagstaff to the east entrance west of Cameron. It takes about 45 minutes to drive from the Grand Canyon Village to the Desert View Watchtower without stopping, and you'll stop. A lot.

On that note, since you'll be there Easter weekend, I'd recommend entering GCNP using the entrance west of Cameron. The Tusayan entrance is the "main" entrance, and you've never seen so many rented RVs drive so slow lol.

Flagstaff is a college town so there are a lot of boutique shops and restaurants downtown and just across the railroad tracks to the south towards NAU. Your daughter might be interested in a couple hours of shopping.

Day 1: Meteor Crater in the morning, Lowell Observatory in the evening
Day 2: Grand Canyon
Day 3: ATV in Sedona

Do you need to drive in/out from somewhere else on any of those three days?

QtownDave

I've been to the area once before for a quick look see but will take your advice about allocating One Day for the GC and will look up the recommended entrance. We have no other place to be as this is just a quick Spring Trip with the kid, who thankfully is still too young to care about shopping. Although I'm under no illusion that this will last too much longer

Lost

^ For the east entrance from downtown Flagstaff take Route 66 or I-40 east about 5 miles, then take US 89 north to Cameron, then AZ 64 west into the park.

You can make a loop if you want by taking this route to the park, drive through the park, then exit through Tusayan and take AZ 64 south and either US 180 or I-40 east back to Flagstaff. They take about the same amount of time, but US 180 is more scenic. If you come back after dark watch for elk, especially on 180.

puchong

We have reservations at the Holiday Inn Express Grand Canyon and there is one person in our party who is unable to hike or go on long / steep walks. What would be the best way to spend 24 hours at the GC?

beachmouse

The shuttle bus route between the main village and the Hermit's Rest gift and snack shop has many stops with excellent viewpoints, and the trail that runs parallel to the road is flat and very easy to walk.

Tanic

Concur with the shuttle buses. There are several different routes that connect at the park Visitor Center.

HIX is in the town of Tusayan AZ outside the park gate. Leave the car parked at the hotel, get your park pass at the hotel next door and ride the Purple shuttle into the park past all the traffic. https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvis...ute-purple.htm