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ADVENTURE IN THE GRAND CANYON AREA
If you like adventure, then Grand Canyon National Park and the surrounding regions in Arizona, Utah, and Nevada are for you! Hike or backpack hundreds of miles of trails that provide unmatched scenery and panoramic views. Float a stretch of the Colorado River that awaits you at the depth of the 1-mile-deep Grand Canyon.
Don’t have the legs for the long hikes into the Canyon? No problem. Book a mule ride and let the mule do the work. Other activities include camping inside Grand Canyon National Park, and in the regions surrounding the park, where national forests and National Recreation Areas abound.
And for yet one more vantage and perspective of the #1 natural wonder in the U. S., enjoy a helicopter tour over the vast Grand Canyon.
Or, venture out on the Skywalk, which has a clear floor and takes you out to a perch where you are suspended over 4,000 feet of carved canyon below you.
Regardless, your Grand Canyon vacation will be one filled with adventures that will provide a vacation of a lifetime! Dig into these pages of MyGrandCanyonPark.com and find an adventure (or two or ten) with your name on it.
Most of Grand Canyon National Park’s 5 million annual visitors only get out of the car to stand at the various overlooks. Although these are awe-inspiring views, we encourage visitors to immerse themselves in the Grand Canyon. There is no better way to explore, and truly experience, this national park’s wonders than to hike its trails and explore its many layers and hidden treasures. From short to long, easy to difficult, hundreds of miles of trails that explore and offer unique perspectives of the Grand Canyon await you. Here, we share lots of our favorite hikes for visitors to Grand Canyon National Park, and the surrounding regions. > See MoreOne of the most authentic ways of experiencing all of Grand Canyon’s wonders is to spend a night or more camping! Whether it’s at a campground, or in a secluded remote backcountry campsite that is only your own, camping is one of the best ways to experience this natural paradise. Families love camping because it gets their loved ones back to nature. Young kids will marvel at the small wonders that only a camping/nature experience can provide and are delighted to be able to expend some pent-up energy while looking for cool rocks, digging in the dirt, exploring and having s’mores by a campfire. Parents who are young at heart can act like kids again, or just sit back and listen to nature’s sounds with little in the way of man-made distractions. > See MoreWant to see the depths of Grand Canyon but don’t have the legs or lungs for it? No problem. Ride a mule. Mules have been providing access into the depths of the Grand Canyon since the early 1900s. So, let mules do the work, and be treated to the same astounding views the hardy hikers and backpackers on foot are soaking up below the rim. And please note, just because you’re riding and not hoofing it, a mule ride into the Grand Canyon is not for the faint of heart, as your trusty mule follows what are very exposed, narrow and rugged trails. > See MoreSo you’ve seen the Grand Canyon from the rim(s) and have explored its depths and interior. Haven’t seen enough? You can tour the Grand Canyon by air, by reserving a scenic flight on either an or a helicopter. Either adventure is based out of the Grand Canyon National Airport, in nearby Tusayan, near the park’s South Rim South Entrance. Most airplane tours are 40-60 minutes in duration and helicopter tours are about half the time and twice the cost. But a helicopter will give you a glimpse that’s lower into the canyon, closer to the rim than an airplane. Either adventure should be embarked upon early in the day to ensure a smoother ride.
Another great way to tour the Grand Canyon region is via railway. Try the historic Grand Canyon Railway for an unforgettable experience that takes you from Williams, AZ, to the South Rim. > See MoreWhether you’re a river rat, or just someone who wants to experience the Grand Canyon by floating on the river that runs through it, the Colorado, this region delivers. There are several different types of Colorado River trips visitors can enjoy. Choose between half-day, full-day and multi-day adventures, whitewater or mellow scenic float, motorized or non-motorized rafts, commercial or non-commercial river trips. The shorter duration river trips are more affordable and easier to book. Longer trips are another story. Hopefully you’re patient. The wait list for 3- to 18-day professionally-guided raft trips through the Grand Canyon book 1-2 years in advance. Or, for you more self-sufficient river trippers, 12- to 25-day noncommercial, self-guided adventures are available to the public through a weighted lottery. > See MoreMountain bikers and bicyclists will have plenty of two-wheeled opportunities in the greater Grand Canyon region. Whether it’s enjoying the many dirt access roads inside Grand Canyon National Park or enjoying some phenomenal trails in Flagstaff and Sedona on your knobby tires, or taking in the views at all the great overlooks from the paved Rim highway or on any of the long scenic stretches of highway in this multi-state region, bikers will get their fill. > See MoreWhile people don’t typically visit Grand Canyon National Park to go fishing, there is some good fishing to be had… if it’s your top priority. The best spot to fish inside Grand Canyon Park is on the Colorado River, which is located, ahem, at the bottom of the deep massive canyon. So, you either have to hoof it all the way down or fish during breaks on your river trip. To fish the Colorado River, visitors must first purchase an Arizona Fishing Permit. Outside of Grand Canyon Park, there are many national forests and recreational areas that provide phenomenal fishing opportunities. > See MoreYes, you read correctly. Even though this is desert country, there is great cross-country skiing and snowshoeing along the Grand Canyon’s rim during winter, and alpine skiing in Flagstaff, about 75 miles south of the South Rim. Winter presents you with a unique, different vantage of this 1-mile-deep, 227-mile-long canyon landscape. > See MoreTo be sure, the Grand Canyon region is one tremendous adventure playground. But in addition to the country's most famous natural wonder, this region is home to National Recreation Areas, so named for their bountiful recreational opportunities. But this region is also home to two huge National Recreation Areas that are outdoor playgrounds. We provide a brief overview of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Mead National Recreation Area. > See More > See More
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