Things to do in the Grand Canyon

If you have always dreamed about visiting the Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA and wondered what you could do there, here’s a chance to find out. One of the top tourist spots in the entire United States, the Grand Canyon has captivated visitors for ages.

The canyon stretches for over 277 miles and is more than 10 miles wide at places. Its more than a mile deep as measured by the National Parks Service and consists of bright orange colored rocks that jut out in sharp contrast to the plain terrain of the surrounding regions. But if you think there are only the rocks to look at and explore at the site, you are greatly mistaken.

Need to Know Information: Before you decide on visiting the Grand Canyon, plan on how you intend to make the trip. There are several ways to reach the Grand Canyon and you can travel by any mode of transport, be it flight, car or by bikes.

The National Park Website has useful information about the directions to the park and the nature of the terrain which would make it easier for you to make the necessary arrangements.

A good option would be to drive to the canyon either in your own car or on a rented vehicle. This enables you to drive around the canyon and stop at certain places you would like to explore. The visitor’s centers at the North Rim and the South Rim would provide you with necessary information regarding car routes and maps.

The best ways to explore the canyon apart from cars are through hikes and mule rides. If you decide to hike, you can choose from various trails that start off from both the North Rim and the South Rim. Information about different trails, their accessibility options, difficulty and routes can be found on the National Park Service Website.

Mule rides are also quite popular with a fair number of visitors choosing this form of transport rather than hiking across the canyon. Mule trips again start from the North and South Rims respectively and can range from simple 1 hour trips to trips that carry on over the night.

The other ways to explore the canyon include helicopter tours that take you throughout the canyon at a safe height; rafting tours that enable you to ride the rapids of the Colorado River that courses through the canyon; and guided tours that are undertaken by the Grand Canyon Field Institute.

Activities in the Grand Canyon: As mentioned above, there’s so much more to do at the Grand Canyon other than just exploring rocks all day. A very interesting course organized by the National Park Service is the Ranger’s Program for both adults and kids.

These programs feature a ranger who accompanies a group of visitors to certain interesting areas within the canyon. These include visits to the remains of the Pueblo Village and other such ancient sites.

Children have their own Junior Ranger Programs where they are required to pick up an activity book at a shop or a ranger station and complete the tasks mentioned in the book to become Junior Rangers.

If you prefer a more scenic view, you can opt for the Grand Canyon Rail Tour that takes you through the Canyon on a century old train. The trip starts from the city of Williams in Arizona and extends to the Grand Canyon.

On the way, guests can view some remarkable desert lands, forest lands and prairies. The trip takes about 2 hours and is an enjoyable fare for the entire family.

Another fun way to explore the canyon is to take a helicopter tour around the area. Operated by Maverick Helicopter Tours, these trips last for 3 and half hours and take you over Las Vegas, Hoover Dam, Fortification Hill and Lake Mead before moving over to the Grand Canyon and landing in the Hualapai Indian Territory. These trips start off from the areas of Southern Las Vegas, Arizona and Phoenix and guests are served snacks and beverages on board the flight.

Other notable attractions: While you are visiting the Grand Canyon, don’t miss out on the Grand Canyon Music Festival that takes place every year in the fall season.

Celebrated from as early as 1980, the festival focuses on traditional American music in addition to classical and chamber numbers. The concert if usually followed by smaller music events that take place in the surrounding regions around the same time.