The breakfast spread at the Grand Depot Cafe was every bit as extensive as dinner the night before. We ate heartily and then walked down to the end of the train platform to our car. Before we boarded, we watched the “shoot-out,” a little Wild West skit put on for the entertainment of the passengers. It was mildly entertaining, but apparently a little too realistic for one young child who shrieked and sobbed when Slim got shot the first time. He later revived sufficiently to get shot twice more, so one child’s theatrical education is now a bit more complete.
We arrived at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon shortly before noon. Another extra for our AAA package was a bus tour, which took us west along the edge of the canyon, as far as Mohave Point, about 3-4 miles west of the Village. We were awed by the splendor of the views at this stop and several others on the way back. This part of our package ended with a late lunch at one of the lodges, after which we were on our own until we had to catch the train the next afternoon for our ride back to Williams.
Following lunch, we made our way along the canyon rim to the Bright Angel Lodge, where we had booked a couple of cabins. Our bags had already been delivered to our rooms (yes, another service included in our great AAA package), so all we had to do was check in and pick up our keys. Our cabins were perfect! Rustic but very comfortable and completely charming. The two "cabins" were actually adjoining rooms in our own private structure, just steps from the rim of the canyon. We even had partial views of the canyon from our windows! These cabins were built in the 1930s but have been renovated with modern bathrooms and furnishings.
After we had unpacked and rested a bit, we set out to explore. This time, we walked several miles east, passing first the historic El Tovar Hotel and continuing along the rim all the way to Mather Point. The “trail” is level and paved, but extremely scenic. Part of the area we covered is called the “Trail of Time.” It has samples of all the types of rock layers in the Grand Canyon, beginning with the oldest igneous rock layers (1.7 billion years!) and progressing upward through the more “recent” sedimentary rock layers to today. The views were stupendous along the way. We had timed our walk to catch the sunset, and the late afternoon light and shadows threw all the formations below into high relief. We also saw some of the local wildlife, including a big flock of turkey vultures (we think) wheeling slowly overhead, and a young elk (we think) that seemed completely oblivious to us. The Trail of Time ended at a little geology museum at Yavapai Point, but since it was growing late, we didn’t check it out. Instead, we continued on to Mather Point, where we caught a free shuttle bus back to our cabins, where we uncorked a bottle of wine, opened some crackers and cheese, and enjoyed a brief happy hour.
Soon, it was time to walk back over to the El Tovar Hotel for dinner. The El Tovar opened in 1905, right after the railroad started bringing tourists to the Grand Canyon. It aimed to attract a wealthy clientele and was modeled after luxurious European hunting lodges popular at the time. No expense was spared – the hotel even had its own greenhouses to grow fresh fruits and vegetables for its guests! It is still the premier (and most expensive) place to stay on the South Rim. Its dining room is also the only place where you can make a dinner reservation, which is one reason we had planned to eat there. We had a lovely dinner, enjoying the ambiance of the old building as well as the delicious food.
Walking back along the rim to our cabins after dinner, we were dazzled by the moon and stars, which were much brighter and clearer that we usually see them. The chilly night air was refreshing. We turned in fairly early that night, as we had an early start planned for the next day.
All Aboard!
First Impressions
Bright Angel Cabins
Evening Rim Walk
Inside El Tovar
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