Grand Canyon Attractions
Grand Canyon Attractions
 | Bright Angel Trail Grand Canyon National Park, AZ • 928-638-7888 If you have time to hike into the canyon on only one trail, the Bright Angel Trail, though popular and steep, is a good pick. When my son was seven, we hiked 1.5 miles in the July heat down to the first rest house and then headed back up. The path rewards hikers with sightings early on of fossils of branchiopods (ancient shelled creatures), corals, sharks and sponges in the canyon walls. The further down you go, the more the crowds thin out. With older kids, continue on, but on a summer day heed the rangers' advice to turn around at Indian Garden, 4.6 miles. Remember to tote lots of water. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Desert View Drive Grand Canyon National Park, AZ Stretching east for 25 miles from the Canyon View Information Plaza, South Rim, to the Watchtower and the park's east entrance, Desert View Drive offers dramatic canyon overlooks. Popular places to pause are Grandview Point, for a sweeping canyon vista; Navajo Point, for a wide canyon and river shot; and at Yaki Point, a favorite sunset viewing spot. From the 70-foot-high Watchtower at Desert View savor a 360-degree view of the canyon, the Painted Desert and the San Francisco Peaks. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Flightseeing Grand Canyon National Park, AZ Experiencing the canyon in a helicopter or a small plane provides unforgettable, if costly views. Only from the air is it really possible to obtain a sense of the canyon's size. Typical tours depart from the Grand Canyon Airport, outside Tusayan, and showcase the Zuni Corridor, the Desert Watchtower, the Painted Desert and the North Rim's Kaibab National Forest. Outfitters also offer flightseeing tours from Las Vegas that highlight the western Grand Canyon. For a list of outfitters, contact the Grand Canyon Chamber & Visitor's Bureau. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Grand Canyon Field Institute South Rim Grand Canyon National Park, AZ • 520-638-2485 This educational institute offers single and multi-day classes that include information and interpretive hikes about the park's geology, archeology and Native American history. The Learning & Lodging classes for families with children ages 8 and older feature two days of hikes above and below the park's rim and two nights of lodging. With "Meet the Canyon: A Family Hiking Adventure," you pick a date for a private all-day tour (pack your own lunch) of morning hikes, picnic lunch and an afternoon tour of the South Rim's historic village. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Grand Canyon North Rim Grand Canyon National Park, AZ Less than 10 percent of Grand Canyon visitors explore the North Rim, open mid-May through mid-October. While some expert hikers trek across the canyon for 21 miles from the South to North rims, most of the North Rim's visitors arrive by car. For some families, especially those with young children, seeing both the North Rim, 220 miles from the South Rim's information village, is not worth the five-plus extra hours of car time. Once at the North Rim, an easy trail, suitable for children in strollers, is the half-mile, round-trip Bright Angel Point Trail, a paved path ending in a scenic overlook. With older children, try the first section of North Kaibab Trail to Coconino Overlook, 1.5 miles round-trip. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Grand Canyon Railway Williams, AZ • 800-843-8724 Every morning, before the train departs Williams, Ariz., kids can watch a rough-and-tumble shootout between a gang of outlaws and the local sheriff. (Hint: The good guys always win.) Then the train departs with two-hour and 15-minute rides to the Grand Canyon through Ponderosa Pine forests and scenic desert landscapes. Musicians conduct sing-a-long during the ride, and the train may encounter robbers on horseback trying to stop the train. (Good thing the sheriff is on board!) The train brings the family to the Grand Canyon, even providing add-on packages where you can do Jeep tours of Sedona, a Colorado River float or helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon, among other fun add-ons. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12) |
 | Grand Canyon Skywalk Grand Canyon National Park, AZ • 702-878-9378 Atop the Skywalk, you stand 4,000 feet above the Grand Canyon on a horseshoe shaped walkway with a glass floor that projects 70 feet from the canyon rim. Dramatic canyon vistas spread out on either side of you, as well as below. Look down and you feel as if you are "hovering" atop the canyon. The Skywalk is situated on the Hualapai (WALL-uh-pie), Reservation at the western end of the canyon, about 250 miles -- five hours by car-- from the South Rim and 60 miles northwest of Peach Springs, Ariz., the tribal headquarters. An on-site cafe sells snacks and sandwiches. Park at the Grand Canyon West Airport Terminal and take a shuttle to the site. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Grand Canyon South Rim Grand Canyon National Park, AZ Start your tour by gathering information about trails and ranger-led activities at the Canyon View Information Plaza. The easy, mostly flat South Rim trail stretches for several miles from the village area to Hermit's Rest, affording scenic canyon views. At selected South Rim spots, the National Park Service offers dial-up, two-minute cell phone "tours." These ranger narrations detail information about the geology of Yaki Point, the history of the Bright Angel Lodge and stories about the Native American history and the night sky. You can download these talks ahead of time onto your MP3 player or iPod. Whether you trek for a short or long distance, use hiker sense. It's imperative to remember that as you descend, temperatures rise. Typically it's about 20-degrees Fahrenheit warmer at the bottom of the canyon than at the rim. For summer hikes, rangers suggest you carry ample water (even though certain trails have water access); wear a hat; use sunscreen and avoid hiking between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. from June through September when temperatures can soar to extremes. Remember, that hiking back up to the rim takes more time than hiking down -- about twice the time especially with young kids. That's why it's important to start your trek up well before your kids are tired. The blue route shuttle buses operate between the Information Plaza and Maswik Lodge. Should you tire, you are never far from designated pick-ups points. Note, however, that in 2010 as new parking is constructed, shuttle access points and routes may change. In summer, only red route shuttles access the far western section of the rim trail from Hermits Rest to Hopi Point. Best For: Tots (0-2)•Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12) |
 | Mule Rides Grand Canyon National Park, AZ Descending into the canyon atop a mule is a classic park experience, combining Old West tradition with superb inner canyon sightseeing. The popular South Rim mule trips book quickly. These may be reserved up to 13 months in advance. The overnight trips are best for 'tweens and teenagers who can sit atop a critter for 5 to 7 hours a day for two days and not mind saddle soreness. Riders lodge at the rustic Phantom Ranch overnight. Participants must be at least 55 inches tall and weigh no more than 200 pounds with clothing. In October 2009, the park began offering an alternative: the Abyss Overlook Mule Ride. Instead of exploring the inner canyon, these three-hour rides follow the canyon rim to the Abyss, a scenic overlook. Rides depart at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Participants must be at least 55 inches tall and weigh no more than 225 pounds with clothing. The less-visited North Rim offers mule trips from mid-May to mid-October. Outings include one-hour rim trips (ages 7 and older; 220 pound weight limit), half-day rides into the canyon along the North Kaibab Trail (ages 10 and older; 200 pound weight limit ), or a one-day inner canyon trip to Roaring Springs (ages 12 and older; 200 pound weight limit). Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Yavapai Observation Station Grand Canyon National Park, • 520-638-7888 A 3D topographical map of the canyon is among the highlights of the Yavapai Observation Station's exhibits, renovated in 2007. The colorful model plus panels explain the geology behind the canyon's formation in ways that school-age kids can appreciate. The site also has scenic canyon views. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
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