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John Cletheroe's
USA and Canada Holiday Hints |
"Just about a hundred years or so ago,
ten men rowed their way down the mighty Colorado,
and as I read about their journey
I couldn't help but feel
a very similar yearning to Mister Powell"
- Ozark Mountain Daredevils: Mister Powell (The Car Over The Lake Album) (John Wesley Powell led the first European expedition by boat through the Grand Canyon)
Since there are no bridges over the Colorado River anywhere near the Grand Canyon, the shortest distance by road between the South Rim and the North Rim is 215 miles. The hike down one side of the Canyon and up the other takes two days and a vast amount of effort. The temperature on the rim is often in the 90's in mid summer and increases quite considerably as you descend from the rim. Therefore the two rims must be considered as effectively forming two separate areas, although they are within sight of each other.
You can approach the South Rim by one of two roads, US180 from the south (from Flagstaff) or Arizona 64 from the east (from Cameron). The section of Arizona 64 in and near the Park is called the East Rim Drive or the Desert View Drive. From the central area of the park on the South Rim there is a dead-end road running west called the West Rim Drive or the Hermits Rest Road. The National Park Service has used different names for these roads over the years. The West Rim Drive/Hermits Rest Road is closed to cars in the summer but then a free shuttle bus operates along it (described in detail on the South Rim page). In other words, both the East Rim Drive/Desert View Drive and the West Rim Drive/Hermits Rest Road are on the South Rim.
The North Rim can only be accessed by Arizona 67 from the north, from Jacob Lake.
The South Rim is known as the Coconino Plateau and the North Rim as the Kaibab Plateau.
The North Rim is 1200 feet higher than the South Rim.
The approach roads to both rims pass through parts of the Kaibab National Forest.
In fact, it is about 270 miles by road from Las Vegas to the south rim of the Grand Canyon and about 260 miles from Las Vegas to the north rim. The route to the south rim crosses the Hoover Dam (also called the Boulder Dam).
I would also suggest that the Grand Canyon is worth rather more than "a quick visit".
If you only have a limited amount of time available during a stay in Las Vegas then instead of visiting the Grand Canyon by car, you may wish to consider these alternatives:
Seven Wonders Of The USA And Canada
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Most recently modified 3-Aug-04