Grand Canyon, Desert View - 9/03/13

We arrived at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park from Utah at the East Entrance Station. Our first stop was at the overlook to the Grand Canyon at Desert View. And we felt the same emotion reported by almost everyone who sees the Grand Canyon for the first time: an overwhelming sense of awe.

The sheer size of the Grand Canyon (277 river miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and a mile deep) is hard to imagine even when you see it! The forms caused by erosion in the past 5 million years are dazzling to behold! It was designated as our nation's 15th national park in 1919. Today, nearly 5 million people visit the park annually.

Located at the eastern part of the canyon, there is a visitor center (where I got my Passport Book stamped, of course), campground (no hook ups), trading post, snack bar, and gas station. But the real attraction at this location, is, of course, the views of the canyon and the Watchtower at Desert View.

Designed by architect, Mary Elizabeth Mary Colter and dedicated in 1933, it is modeled after ancestral Puebloan towers found in the Four Corners region. Standing at 70 feet, the tower provides grand views of the canyon. The elevation at this point is 7,440'.

The interior walls of the Watchtower are full of paintings by Hopi artisans including this mural by the well-known artist, Fred Kabotie.

Check out the Colorado River.

Some additional views.

We then drove about 25 miles along Desert View Drive to check into the RV park in Grand Canyon Village. We spent the afternoon checking in, hooking up our RV, and settling in to our new home for the next two weeks.

Admission to the Grand Canyon National Park is $25/vehicle for 7 days. With John's Senior Pass, our admission is free. Check out additional information at their website.

Website:  www.nps.gov/grca