Andy Altman Photography

Notes from April, 2006 Trip to Central Arizona to Southern Utah

05/28/07

Phoenix to Grand Canyon National Park

We got an early start from Phoenix on our drive to the Grand Canyon.  Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings Time, adding an extra hour to the nominal two hour difference, so what felt like a lazy sleep in, saw us up, fed, packed and on the road by 8.  With 4 hours of driving ahead of us, and dinner reservations at the El Tovar dinning room, we decided to make only one side trip along the way.  After Flagstaff, we detoured to Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument and Wupatki National Monument.  Sunset Crater is the youngest of a string of volcanic cones in the area.  It erupted about 900 years ago, leaving behind 1000 feet of lava and cinders.  Hiking on Sunset Crater is prohibited, but a steep ½ mile hike up the smaller neighboring Lenox Crater provides views of Sunset , lava flows and the San Francisco Peaks.

View of the San Francisco Peaks from Lenox Crater

Sunset Crater from Lenox Crater

The lava field by the Lenox Crater trail parking lot does not have designated trails, but offers lots of fun scrambling over sharp lava and soft cinders. 

Lava Field across from Lenox Crater trailhead

Just up the road is parking for the 1 mile Lava Flow Trail.  The trail goes over lava tubes (now closed due to cave ins), skirts the base of Sunset Crater and has  but it still an interesting short hike.

 The drive from Sunset Crater to Wupatki National Monument is particularly scenic, passing through widely varied terrain and providing good views of the Painted Desert.

Painted Desert in background

With more driving ahead of us and dinner reservations, we didn’t have much time to spare, but made a quick stop and walk at the Wupatki visitor’s center.  A path from the center goes right to the largest collection of ruins dating from 1100’s BC that were used as recently as the 1940’s by a park ranger and his wife.  An interpretive guide, available at the trailhead, give information on the main ruins, ball court, community room and the people that lived there.

Wupatki Ruins

We drove into GCNP from the east, foregoing a stop at the Little Colorado Canyon scenic view and Indian flea market with our dinner reservation pressing.  From what we could see from the road, the kids were properly impressed and ready for something truly grand.  We made time for a stop at the first real point in the Grand Canyon, Desert View.  It provides the best views of the Colorado River, not yet the characteristic muddy color yet.

Grand Canyon from Desert View

The El Tovar Hotel and restaurant still maintains the classic park lodge charms from 1905.  The lobby and dining room are impressive with hewn wood beams and trim.  The gift shop has a large selection of matted photos to inspire every shutter bug.  During day light hours, many tables in the dining room have canyon views, which we enjoyed.  The restaurant food was good, but not quite up to the surroundings.  Parking is very limited by the hotel - the lot by the train tracks seems to be a better bet