Planning both a Grand Canyon & Monument Valley visit - questions & advice

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Aug 10, 2023, 7:52 am

#31

DELee

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Quote:

Originally Posted by kale73

There is indeed a lot to see and do in The Grand Circle.

So you gotta pick accordingly. Unless you want to live there. And still ya gotta pick.

FWIW, Bing's image of the day:

David

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Aug 10, 2023, 8:57 am

#32

djp98374

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Quote:

Originally Posted by bryanwallace

great-thanks! i see you canhave a bbq in the grand canyon NP but need a permit...sounds a great idea-but thinking may be more hassle than its worth..dont know if anyone has tried it?

starting very early souinds great...regarding the buses do these go from tusayan as well or is it best just to drive in if early?

just going by the comments,is there no real benefit to hiking down into the canyon? should we go for a rim walk instead?

also,many thanks for everyone in patiently answering my questions-please let me know if it becomes annoying..

Quote:

Originally Posted by bryanwallace

thanks-you have all been wonderful kind sharing your knowledge... is going down into the canyon not that necessary then if the best views are at the top and trails also available aorud the top?
would we not be missing out on anything?

also ,could people advise what to do on the way back (we have extra day as not doing MV) presume the sedona-flagstaff area..? oak creek canyon? is slide rock the same place?
i hear a lot about this-but is it worth trying -seems easy to get injured there!!

you should go down a bit just for a different perspective but know your hiking condition for the return up hill.

similarly walk rim trail in between view points where few go to.

west of lodges is bus only to points during most of the year. If you stay in tusayan you get shuttle bus access.

there are 4 lines

west of lodges area
visitor center to lodges
east of visitor center to a few points
tusaysn to visitor center.

far east view points sre not bus access

Chemystery likes this.

Aug 10, 2023, 12:17 pm

#33

Chemystery

Join Date: Feb 2015

Posts: 184

Quote:

Originally Posted by djp98374

you should go down a bit just for a different perspective but know your hiking condition for the return up hill.

similarly walk rim trail in between view points where few go to.

Agreed on getting below the rim, even if only for a short ways, if everyone in your party is able to. We did that, descended just a short ways and then turned back (we were visiting at the height of summer) and it's a very different experience that helps you appreciate the canyon in a different way.

Another thing we really enjoyed was ascending Desert View Watchtower. We lucked out and saw a very localized downpour during a thunderstorm while there, it was incredible. Running back to our vehicle during the storm, not so much, haha. But it was very worthwhile to visit there just for the view.

maybemaybenot likes this.

Aug 10, 2023, 12:22 pm

#34

Chemystery

Join Date: Feb 2015

Posts: 184

Sharing the above image which was taken just steps from one of the cabins at The View in MV. We did not have great weather when we were there, it was stormy (we visited during monsoon season) so no iconic sunrise and sunset photos to be had, but it was really an experience to go to sleep and wake up with this view right outside the front door.

SPN Lifer and econ like this.

Aug 12, 2023, 9:03 pm

#35

bryanwallace

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look at all these pictures -fantastic!thanks all!\looking forward to it...we plan to go for frist trip to grand canyon around 3pm or so on fri 1st sept.. will there be long lines then>
the next day we will go in very early as staying in tusayan
thanks

Aug 16, 2023, 5:51 am

#36

kale73

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Quote:

Originally Posted by bryanwallace

...we plan to go for frist trip to grand canyon around 3pm or so on fri 1st sept.. will there be long lines then>
the next day we will go in very early as staying in tusayan
thanks

Friday afternoon at the start of a long weekend? Hard to say. It’s been decades since I’ve entered the park thru the South Entrance. Because of where I live, it makes more sense for me to enter at Desert View.

It’s possible that you might have a longer wait Saturday morning, with loads of people angling to get in before dawn to watch the sun rise.

Aug 21, 2023, 12:12 am

#37

bryanwallace

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oh wow-ididnt know that..we were planning to go in early before 5am or so.... for watching the sunrise is it a bad idea to start a hike before then?(should the sunrise be seen from top of the canyon?)

Aug 28, 2023, 10:10 pm

#38

kale73

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Next weekend's South Rim forecast:

Friday
Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 73. South wind 9 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Friday Night
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. South wind 9 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Saturday
Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 72. South wind 8 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Aug 29, 2023, 8:22 am

#39

djp98374

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Quote:

Originally Posted by bryanwallace

I use special software called photographers ephimeris.

this gives you from a point on a map thr angle of where sunrise/ sunset would occur in your viewing horizon. Some places in the park are better for sunrises at some times in the season.

Aug 31, 2023, 6:32 am

#40

bryanwallace

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thanks-i saw the forecast! worried about what to do! we cannot change the dates as returning overseas..any ideas?is the wind too high for hiking?would going out early on the saturday work?

Aug 31, 2023, 5:37 pm

#41

bryanwallace

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any hikes anyone could advise in these conditions?presume top of the rim..

Aug 31, 2023, 10:16 pm

#42

Lost_Luggage_in_SEA

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Quote:

Originally Posted by bryanwallace

any hikes anyone could advise in these conditions?presume top of the rim..

I'm not sure there's anything you can plan except to show up and see what the weather is like when you arrive. One issue you could have is that you might not be able to see much of the canyon because of low cloud. Sometimes the cloud clears later in the day (at least enough to see something) and other times it doesn't. Personally, if this happened to me, I'd get the shuttle bus to Hermit's Rest and get off at any stop where there looked like there was a view.

Sep 1, 2023, 1:25 am

#43

kale73

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Really lousy weather in the forecast for today and tomorrow. Sunday looks a tad better.

OP, I would strongly advise not hiking below the rim under these conditions. Heavy rain increases the risk of rockslides.

Sep 1, 2023, 7:22 am

#44

bryanwallace

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understood-will stay on the rim,,,

staying in tusayan tonight flagstaff sat night phoenix sun night before early flight... cant change bookings but is it worth going back from flagstaff to grand canyon on sun morning for better weather?

staying in tusayan tonight flagstaff sat night phoenix sun night before early flight... cant change bookings but is it worth going back from flagstaff to grand canyon on sun morning for better weather?

also would a rim hike on friday be ok *maybe to hermits) or is weather too bad?

Last edited by cblaisd; Sep 1, 2023 at 8:54 am Reason: merged poster's three consecutive posts