Grand Canyon: South Rim

Oh my goodness; now I know why people ride mules into the canyon!

I've been to the South Rim Trail in the past, so this time I planned to do some hiking down in the canyon.  There is no way to make it to the Colorado River and back in one day, and to camp overnight requires a permit- one that has to be applied for months ahead.  Yeah, had no idea when I was going to arrive so I just settled for day hikes. 

Well, I thought I "settled".  I was blown away from the views I got on my hikes!  The South Kaibab Trail gets pretty steep, but I figured it was the best way to see a lot in the daylight I had left.  The depth is just amazing.  I couldn't believe what I was seeing, or where I was for that matter.  The more you look down, the more times you realize that you won't see the "bottom", not from where I was anyways.  Orange and red walls, greenery, yellow trails--all desert-toned colors-- with the vast sky above... makes one feel so tiny.

 

I walked just passed the 2-mile mark before turning back I think.  I got shots of sunset and wanted to make it out before dark.  That wind started picking up too; it got really chilly.  But the sunset itself doesn't amaze you- it's the effect it has on the opposing wall of the canyon.  The tops of that stone were just on fire! 

Let me tell you why mountains are more ideal to hike than canyons:  when hiking a mountain, the hard work of getting to the top is rewarded by the view and by the easy way back down. 

 

When hiking into a canyon, it's all fun and easy walking as much as your heart desires while getting awesome views.  The strenuous part of going back at the end is easily forgotten during that part of the hike.  Then time to start upward, after you've already walked too far because picture-taking got out of hand.  But I made it out before the flashlight was needed.

I have also experienced an unforgettable sound.  On the hike upward, I stopped for a drink of water and just stood and observed the scenery.  Not a single sound, for the wind even let up.  Then a cricket starting chirping, and the chirp just echoed along those canyon walls like nothing I would have ever expected.  The little things :)