Grand Canyon

Days 10 and 11 were characterized by the impressions at the Grand Canyon: From Flagstaff we went to Tusayan, where we parked our car and took a shuttle bus - passing the long line of cars waiting in front of the park entrance - to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. From there, we hiked on the Rim Trail and enjoyed the indescribable views of the rock formations and the Colorado River flowing about 1,500 meters below. We couldn't get enough of this scenery. In the late afternoon, we took the shuttle bus westward on Hermit Road to the further away viewpoints. The setting sun offered us better lighting conditions, and we managed to drain the last reserves of our mobile cameras. Satisfied with the impressions, we drove back to Tusayan, where we relaxed at the hotel pool and fueled up for the next day at the buffet. Then it was time to go to bed and rest for the next day: sunrise at the canyon! We patiently waited at Yavapai Point at 5:00 am facing east. But a pesky cloud prevented the perfect romantic scene at 5:45 am. Nevertheless, it was an indescribable sight to see the dark gorge filling up with light. Getting up early was definitely worth it! On the subsequent drive towards the eastern entrance of the national park, we enjoyed the view points in the morning sun, thanks to the best lighting conditions. And all of this before the tourist rush. After leaving the park, the road took us down from over 2,000 meters above sea level into the Arizona plains. Along the way, we had a fantastic view of the steep edges of the narrow canyon of the Little Colorado River. Once again, the stops and walks to the edge of the canyon were worth it. We continued on the straight US Route 89 through the Navajo Indian reservations. Just before Page - our destination near the border of Utah - we made another stop at Horseshoe Bend, where the Colorado River forms a horseshoe-shaped loop in Glen Canyon. Arriving in Page, we looked forward to a refreshing swim in Lake Powell, which turned out to be the challenge of the day. The bathing areas at this reservoir in the middle of the Arizona desert are scarce and shade-providing trees are nowhere to be found in this barren rocky landscape. However, we found a sandy beach, but decided to postpone the swimming fun to the next evening, hoping that the temperature would be below 40°C. Finally, on this evening, we treated ourselves to delicious fajitas at a Mexican restaurant.