Native American dedication ceremony at the Grand Canyon.

If you’re going to visit the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona this summer make sure to stop by the Mather Point Amphitheater and Landmark Feature. The new area will allow people an opportunity to view the canyon from seats of native limestone. I highly recommend sunrise or sunset for all your mental picture needs — it’s breathtaking. Actual photos should be pretty cool then, too.

This above photo is from the dedication of said amphitheater and landmark feature, which honors the native peoples affiliated with the Grand Canyon National Park. Pictured is Diana Sue Uqualla of the Havasupai People.

This post is supposed to be a Wordless Wednesday entry, but I’m a talker.

Photo by Grand Canyon NPS via Flickr

The Transept, Grand Canyon North Rim

The Grand Canyon gathers the most visitors at the South Rim, probably because it’s the easiest to get to. Though it’s only ten miles away if one could fly across the canyon, driving from the South Rim to the North rim is a 215-mile trek via car. However, there are benefits to visiting the North Rim that you might not be aware of.

1. Less crowds. The North Rim gets only a fraction of the visitors that the South Rim does. So there is no competition for the best viewpoints, and you can really take your time to appreciate your surroundings.

2. Unique photographic opportunities. Everybody and their uncle have photographed the views of the Grand Canyon from the South Rim. But the photographic opportunities from the North Rim are less common. Point Imperial and Cape Royal are easily accessible, whereas Point Sublime requires a bit more determination and a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

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The Grand Canyon

Late Friday afternoon, depart from Phoenix and drive two hours to Flagstaff via I-17. Arrive and settle into your hotel (may I recommend the Hotel Monte Vista?), then go explore Historic Downtown Flagstaff. Indulge in some of this stuff.

Early Saturday morning, depart from Flagstaff and drive the additional two to two and a half hours to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Enjoy a late breakfast or early lunch in El Tovar’s dining room. If you’d like to stay at El Tovar, plan your trip early and make your reservations well in advance. If you can’t stay right on the rim, chain hotels such as Best Western and Quality Inn are five to ten minutes away from the South Rim entrance. Take the afternoon to explore the short day trails such as the Rim Trail and the Bright Angel Trail. Enjoy the sunset over the canyon, and linger outside the lodge to see the stars come out.

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The Really Big Canyon doesn't have the same ring to it.

I grew up in Arizona, but I never bothered to visit the Grand Canyon until I was in my late 20s (which is longer ago than I care to admit). I figured I saw it on the Brady Bunch (For the record, beans in the flashlight? Brilliant, Bobby!) and National Lampoon’s Vacation, what could I possibly be missing?

See above.

This post is a Wordless Wednesday entry. The words below the photo are optional.

Photo by Joel Hernandez via Flickr