Stop #2: The Grand Canyon

The second stop of the road trip was the the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  Lodging at the canyon was limited (reservations need to be made far in advance) so we stayed about an hour south of the canyon in Williams, Arizona.  Historic U.S. Route 66 runs through this small town, which seems to have been frozen in time.  Little bits of history pepper the small town, especially one particular antique shop called "Lonesome Dove Antiques."  There were a few lodging options in town but restaurants were limited.  We ate in town at Cruiser's Cafe 66 Bar & Grill, which had typical diner food that went along with the "50's feel" of the place.  In the future, I'd like to stay at one of the lodging facilities within the park.  A list of lodging facilities can be found here.  Williams is about an hour south of the canyon.  The drive is scenic and enjoyable but traffic was very heavy in the evening, which is why I would like to stay closer to the canyon if I'm able to visit again.

As for the canyon, the pictures speak for themselves. The canyon appears like a movie screen with a massive landscape painted on it. The canyon dwarfs everything and is deadly still. The only movement you can see are the shadows from clouds passing above or an occasional bird gliding through the air. See for yourself...

 South Rim Sunset

 Bright Angel Trail

 South Rim Sunset

 Canyon from Bright Angel

 Sunset over South Rim