Grand Canyon Trip: Getting There

 

Lobby of the Hotel Monte Vista

So you want to backpack in the Grand Canyon?  That's a great idea and I highly recommend that you do it.  Now you ask, what's the best way to get there if you are planning to enter the canyon from the south rim?  Here's what we did and what I recommend: fly to Las Vegas and drive to Flagstaff.  I've been to the Grand Canyon twice before, both times after driving up from Phoenix.  It's a nice drive (and coming back off the Mogollon Rim offers some great views) which can afford a detour in Sedona (recommended).  However, for our trip Vegas had better flight options (Southwest from Austin to LAS was cheaper than to PHX) with the bonus of a fly-by of the canyon (sit on the starboard side of the plane on the flight to LAS).  We rented an Outback which provided ample room for 4 people and their backpacking gear.   We then drove from Vegas to Kingman whereupon we hit I-40 and headed to Flagstaff.  It was an easy drive.  

We decided to spend the night in Flagstaff before making the hour and half drive to Grand Canyon National Park.  As for Flagstaff:

• Flagstaff has a large, well stocked REI staffed by knowledgable people.  I recommend that you buy your stove fuel online and have it waiting for you when you roll into town.  
• I recommend a stay at the Hotel Monte Vista.  It's a cool old hotel with a lot of charm.  
• You can visit their website to read up on the old-school actors who stayed their while filming westerns in the area.  
• You can walk to many bars and restaurants in the adjacent blocks.  I recommend less drinking and more eating to fuel up for canyon hiking.
• Also, it's allegedly haunted (I had zero paranormal experiences whilst staying there, but maybe you will get lucky).
• On two previous trips to Flagstaff I visited the Lowell Observatory.  I highly recommend going to the observatory for a tour.  It was founded by Percival Lowell (yes, the very same gentleman who theorized that canals on Mars were probably build by an intelligent civilization) and it's where Pluto was discovered.
• The south entrance to the Grand Canyon National Park is 79 miles from Flagstaff.  Once you're in the park you'll still have to drive around to find a parking place.   We entered the canyon from the South Kaibab trailhead while leaving the car by the Bright Angel trailhead.  There is a free shuttle which will take you from Bright Angel to South Kaibab, but there may be a wait so factor that in as well.  

Now you're at the trailhead.  I'll follow up with more posts about the hike and about gear at some point, so stay tuned.