The Last Adventurer

What to Watch for: Animal-Jams: The Grand Canyon has a pretty simple road network on the South Rim. Most of the roads are straight not curvy, as in other national parks. Plus, it also has an excellent bus system that should obviate the need for most vehicular transport within the park. But, should one be driving in the park, be prepared for the car in front of you to slam on their brakes. They might be slamming on their brakes because an animal might actually be crossing in front of them. Or, more likely, they’re slamming on their brakes because the animals are five to ten cars in front of them, and the line of traffic has come to a screeching halt.

This isn’t just a Grand Canyon traffic problem. I once sat in a car for two hours on a Yellowstone park road, because people were driving past a Grizzly Bear at .5 miles per hour. There aren’t Grizzlies in the Gran Canyon, as everyone knows; but if you’re lucky, you could see some elk, or more likely, mule deer. But don’t worry – people are just as enthusiastic about stopping for deer as they are for bears; or stopping for the sunset; birds; or sometimes, stopping for other people. The point is, be ready for the odd driving habits of your fellow visitors, and be ready for these animal jams. And, if it’s a bad animal jam like I experienced in Yellowstone, eventually the Park Service will arrive and put a stop to the Jurassic Park behavior of your fellow guests, so eventually, even though it may not seem like it at the time, you will get out of the traffic jam.

Equipment: I’m going to keep this section short and sweet, because this list should really be broken down into constituent sections by season. I’m not going to do that; I feel that what a person carries and wears is really a matter of personal choice. Do bring lots of water on extended hikes – at least four to six liters, would be my recommendation. (For the mathematically challenged, 1 liter=32 ounces; and a “cup” of water is eight ounces.) Do bring solid shoes. Don’t bring a pair of thirty year old boots to the canyon. Because if you do bring a pair of really really old boots, the soles will probably get worn off or peel off during the hike. And if that happens, you are in a very uncomfortable situation, unless you happen to be within fifty feet of a bus stop! As for other gear, be prepared. Over the course of a two day span, I watched the weather go from clear, to cloudy, to rain, to sleet, to snow, to sleet and rain, to sunny with temperatures in the mid-sixties with an occasional passing thunderstorm. Also be aware that in the summer, it is very hot in the Canyon, with temperatures increasing as you head down toward the river. As such, plan accordingly, and be sure to have a good time!