How to See the Grand Canyon - 24 HOURS

Although we only had 24 hours at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon we were able to do quite a bit. Below are my recommendations for what to do during a short visit.

1. Get Up Early (To see animals and beat the rush)

It’s not easy for me to get up early, but getting out ahead of the crowds at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon was well worth it. After a quick trip to the local McDonald’s we headed into the park, and on our way, we saw what I believe were elk. However, I do not claim to be a semi-arid desert animal expert, so please comment if you know for sure what these beautiful creatures are.

We didn’t get great pictures because we were driving, BUT then saw MORE elk when we started walking in the park, hence the above pictures. They were in a wooded area just off the rim trail. I didn’t see any in the area once the crowds came, so the quiet morning may be your best chance at a sighting.

2. Grand Canyon South Rim Trail

I cannot stress enough how perfect the Rim Trail is in the early morning light. The first picture of this post was also taken on our early morning Rim Trail walk. So let me just put it this way. Pros of waking up early and walking along the rim: 1) Fewer People 2) Peaceful Experience 3) Get an Early Start to Hikes (less hot) 4) More Animals. Enough said.

3. Hikes South Rim Grand Canyon – Bright Angel Trail

I am going to be honest. We were not prepared for this hike. But maybe you all can learn from our mistakes. With that being said, we both had the time of our lives during this hike. If you want a challenging hike and an experience like none other, do this hike. While hiking around the rim in the morning we saw this trail going out on a plateau and thought it looked neat… so the story begins.

Here’s the situation. We didn’t know how far we were going when we started (not smart) because this is an out-and-back hike, a choose your own adventure if you will. At the start of the hike you descend into the canyon via several switchbacks, each breathtaking, and it eventually flattens out. *Side note* – You could just do the beginning of the hike down a few switchbacks for some amazing views if that interests you. From my understanding you can take this trail all the way to the Colorado River. But, that is not recommended as a day hike by the Park Service.

Well in our case, we just kept saying, “lets go a little farther”. And before we knew it, we were at the Havasupai Gardens, nicknamed “the Oasis”. The nickname fits because it’s essentially trees, greenery, and water in the middle of the desert landscape. So, naturally, as one does in 100+ degree dry heat, we soaked our clothes and hats in the ice cold water. I still don’t quite understand why this water was so cold, but it was heavenly.

The Havasupai Gardens are 4.5 miles down the Bright Angel Trail. This may not seem like that much, but remember its an out-and-back, but this time with elevation gain. So, after finishing the last of our food and feeling like we could take on the world, we headed out for Plateau Point which was 1.5 miles farther on a completely exposed trail.

Getting to the point was an incredible feeling. There was one other couple, but not too many people venture this far, so that was neat. I will skip to the end now and sum the rest up in one sentence: we struggled back up to the top of the rim. The way down was sunshine and rainbows and the way up was grueling.

To better prepare definitely bring: 1) More food and more electrolyte packets than you think you need. 2) Decide how far you are going ahead of the hike. 3) Consult the National Park Website for the trail because they detail all the resources such as water stations (VERY IMPORTANT) along the way. 4) Bring Camelbaks or something to carry at least 1.5 liters, ideally 3 liters each of water per person.

Another thing to note: as you descend into the canyon the temperature increases, but it’s a dry heat so you may not notice. Just be aware so that you drink enough water.

4. Reward Yourself With Grand Canyon Ice Cream

There is a cute ice cream shop near the trailhead so definitely stop by. I got the Peanut Butter ice cream and it was some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had. But to be fair I had just hiked 12 miles, so it was likely just regular ice cream. Thanks for reading the Bright Angel Chronicles. Comment if you’ve ever hiked this trail and what you thought! P.S. I’ll end with a few more animals we saw throughout the day.