Canyon Ministries

How to See the Grand Canyon

Every year, millions of visitors from around the world come to see the Grand Canyon, and there are many ways in which they do so.  For many, the canyon is just a short stop along their route as they are traveling through the region.  They will see it only briefly from a few vantage points at best. Others may spend an entire day, or more, driving around taking in the different views.  This may be a fine way to visit this natural wonder, but it’s only scratching the surface at best (no pun intended).

A better approach would be to take advantage of the many interpretive opportunities provided by park rangers and commercial guides.  Whether your interest is in geology, biology, archaeology, or history, there is much to be learned.  To not absorb some of these fascinating accounts is to truly miss out on a much greater experience.  Yet, once again, this is only the beginning.

A small portion of visitors find the courage to venture below the rim of the canyon.  This daunting endeavor requires no small level of determination and preparation.  Even the shortest of hikes entails a steep, strenuous, nerve-testing trek back to the top.  And while few venture even a short distance, even fewer attempt to explore the greater depths of this magnificent ditch!

To journey to the bottom of the Grand Canyon is to experience a level of beauty, awe-struck wonder, and humbling immensity that words cannot describe.  The canyon holds secrets of grandeur that can never be fathomed from a simple visit to the rim.  From the top, one sees a giant hole made of barren rock.  From within its depths, one experiences the splendor and majesty of a Creator who brings forth abundant life amid what might otherwise be a desolate wasteland.  What a mighty God we worship!

Recently, I had the privilege of co-leading a group of individuals not just to the bottom of the canyon, but across it and out the other side.  In canyon-language this is referred to as a Rim-to-Rim hike.  Included are a few pictures to give you a small hint of the experience.

On our first day, we descended nearly 5,000 feet to the Colorado River.  It was a cloudy, drizzly day.  But in this enormous expanse, when the sun peeks through even the smallest window between the clouds, it shines an incredible spotlight on the magnificent formations, edifices, and ramparts of the canyon.  We saw numerous rainbows that day, and the moisture brought out amazingly vivid colors in both rocks and vegetation.  Around every corner was another mural created by the Master Artist.

We spent our first night at Bright Angel Campground near the river.  After dark, the rain picked up significantly, inspiring much gratitude for the rock shelter in which we had pitched our tents.  Equally inspired by the storm’s driving rain, more than a few rocks leapt from their high perches and crashed to the canyon floor below.  It was difficult to gauge just how close (or distant) they may have been, but several times that night, our attention was drawn to the sound of rockfalls that sounded like locomotives crashing through our campground!

The second day required a climb of about 1,600 feet through an area known as “The Box.”  As the name implies, this is a narrow region surrounded by towering, near-vertical cliffs rising more than a thousand feet directly above our heads!  On our first day, we had crossed various fault lines where city-sized masses of rock were shifted in multiple directions, resulting in a giant, sunken-in region known as Cremation Graben (German for grave). 

During day two, however, we traversed directly up a fault line through what was essentially a massive crack known as Bright Angel Canyon.  Clearly something catastrophic on a massive scale had happened here.  We saw hundreds of feet of rock bent and folded as if it were playdough.

The sky cleared on our second night, revealing a magnificent blanket of stars.  It’s one thing to view the night sky from a rural setting, but light pollution is completely non-existent in the bottom of the Grand Canyon.  The heavenly lights are all the more magnified in this spectacular place!

Our third and final day of hiking took us on a nearly 4,200 foot climb up and out to the North Rim.  At the bottom we had spent much time talking to a ranger about the weather forecast, carefully considering our itinerary.  At 8,000 feet in elevation, the North Rim receives significantly harsher weather than the South Rim.  There was the potential for a foot or more of snow on the North Rim that day, which could have prevented our later departure by vehicle and required us to hike all the way back across the canyon to the south side.  That prospect weighed heavily on our minds as we set out.  Nevertheless, we pressed on and were not disappointed. 

The sun shone brightly throughout the morning.  We followed Bright Angel Creek for some time, enjoying waterfalls, colorful fall vegetation, the “usual” towering cliffs, and continually changing layers of rock.  Thick clouds rolled in swiftly during the afternoon, however, and as we reached the rim, suddenly we found ourselves in a winter wonderland.  But rather than hampering our trip, the beautiful snow made for a wonderful grand finale as we finished this great adventure!

The diversity of weather, scenery, beauty, and terrain on this trip was astounding.  It was a joyous time of outdoor recreation for the whole group.  But most importantly, it was a time of reflecting upon our awesome Creator who is so magnificently revealed through His creation.  The Grand Canyon is amazing to view from the top.  But to venture into the depths is to embark on a deeper understanding of who God is and how He has worked in this world. 

This experience reminds me of the choice each of us have regarding what sort of relationship we will have with our Creator.  We can spend our lives admiring God from a surface level, or we can go “below the rim” on a journey far more enlightening!  Oh the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! Romans 11:33

If you have enjoyed this brief description of our trip, then I hope soon you will join me on a similar adventure into the canyon! More importantly, it is our prayer at Canyon Ministries that you will resolve to go “below the rim” in your relationship with Christ.  You will not be disappointed!

ADAM HUFF

Manager of Rim Tours
and Hiking Guide