Visiting the Grand Canyon in the Winter

Last year for Christmas, my spouse and I traveled to the Grand Canyon to have a remote, quiet Christmas vacation. The winter is a great time to visit Grand Canyon National Park because it is less busy than during the spring and summer. Located in Arizona, the park is a breathtaking example of erosion over time. With hotels, camping, and RV spots inside the park and more options at the small village of Tusayan right outside of the South Rim entrance, there are plenty of places to stay for all comfort levels.

We drove from the great state of Texas over to the park and stopped at the Painted Desert/Petrified Forest National Park along the way. Here you can drive a scenic route with regular pull-offs to see the surreal landscape of the Painted Desert, which is created by stratified layers of minerals that range in color from red and orange to purple and even occasionally blue. The Petrified Forest is full of petrified wood, which is made when minerals replace the organic material in a tree, leaving a rock that looks exactly like wood with various colors inside. This park also has short trails available to walk if you want to stretch your legs and get a closer look at the petrified wood. This is a must-visit if you are driving through the area!

During the winter, the Grand Canyon’s North Rim is closed due to it being higher in elevation and more likely to receive snow and ice, which makes it dangerous to drive and hike. The South Rim has two trails that let you hike down into the canyon and one that goes along the canyon. It is recommended to check the weather beforehand and pack accordingly, but also pack for more extreme weather. We brought a thermal layer, Yaktraks for our hiking boots in case we encountered ice, wool socks, lots of water, and plenty of shirts to layer. We ended up not needing to use the shoe spikes, as there was not much ice when we went. Once in the park, parking can be hard to find, so be sure to arrive early. There are free shuttles running all day to take you to various interest points, so which lot you park in is not as important. There are also multiple visitor centers where the rangers are happy to help answer any questions you may have.

Hiking down into the canyon is worth it but it is extremely strenuous. We went down the South Kaibab Trail and the switchbacks were significantly harder than we anticipated due to the general elevation being significantly higher than where we live, but the views were spectacular. When hiking, be sure to keep an eye out for the mules who bring supplies to the hotel at the bottom of the canyon. The workers who ride with the mules will give you instructions on where to stand so they can pass, or how to pass them. It is important not to interact with the mules, as there are steep drop-offs they have to navigate and if they get scared it can be incredibly dangerous to all involved. If hiking down steep trails is not accessible to you, staying along the rim is also full of incredible views.

At the South Rim there are plenty of things to do and see. There is the Trail of Time, which takes you back through the geologic history of the Grand Canyon one step at a time, pointing out how old different minerals are and leading you from the Yavapai Geology Museum to Grand Canyon Village. The museum is a great place to stop and learn about the erosion that created the Grand Canyon. I suggest grabbing a cup of coffee or hot chocolate at Bright Angel Bicycles and Cafe in the Visitor Center Plaza. In the same area is the Conservancy Park Store, which has souvenirs and books. The Market Plaza has a general store where you can grab a sandwich or purchase groceries if you have the ability to cook in your RV or while camping. There are also EV chargers for those of us with electric vehicles.

At Grand Canyon Village, there are several restaurants you can stop at. We ate at Harvey House Cafe for lunch one day and the food was delicious. The prickly pear margarita is a must-try for anyone who enjoys alcohol. While the prices here are high, the portion sizes were massive and we felt it was well worth the cost.

One day on our trip, we drove over to Grand Canyon West, which is located on the Hualapai Indian Reservation and is a four hour drive from Grand Canyon National Park. We chose to purchase the ticket that allowed for general admission into the reservation, a chance to walk on the Skywalk, and a meal. The Skywalk is a glass bridge over the canyon. I am terrified of heights, so while it was an incredibly scary experience, I would do it again for the view. You can also see an eagle shaped rock created by the erosion, which was neat. At their store, there are plenty of unique items made by the Hualapai tribe members. The Sky View Restaurant was a great place to eat a meal while overlooking the canyon. Driving back to the Grand Canyon made this day trip incredibly long, I highly suggest visiting if you are driving from west of the Grand Canyon instead of driving from the Grand Canyon.

Overall, the Grand Canyon was not very busy, we had no problem finding parking around sunrise when it is typically busiest, and had a great time and I highly recommend visiting during the winter.

-Kris S.

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