Grand Canyon 7, 8 May

  

   We left Sedona for the Grand Canyon via the lovely Oak Creek Canyon Road.

  

  On the way we stopped at a few National Parks.  This is a trail at Walnut Canyon.  More than 800 years ago, many Native Americans sheltered in the cave dwellings along the ridges of these rocks.

   During spring and summer they built pit houses on the rim, so they could grow crops.

  A desert horned lizard.

     Indian paint brush

Next stop, Sunset Crater Volcano which erupted most recently around 1040.  There are lava fields as far as the eye can see.

  

    A  Mormon Tea bush containing various stimulating alkaloids.  Mormons used it as a substitute for coffee and tea, which they were not allowed to drink.

  Wupatki Pueblo, a multi level, high rise dwelling with about 100 rooms.  There are many other dwellings on this land, dating from about the 1100s when many puebloan people came together to build a vast farming community.

  By early evening we had arrive at the Grand Canyon via the east entrance.  This is the watch tower at Desert View.

  The mighty Colorado River is but a speck from this distance. The canyon is 277 miles long and approximately 10 miles wide.

  Our hotel, El Tavor, an historic park lodge, opened in 1905 when the Santa Fe railroad reached the Grand Canyon.

  We spent all the next day walking as much of the rim trail as we could.  You can see the extremely steep trail down.  It takes hours down walking and double that time up again.  That's why we decided to stick to the rim.

  On the edge!

  There is great variety in the colour of the rocks.

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   Looking way down to the Colorado River, you can see part of the trail and the bridge at the bottom, as well as some boats.  Boat travel is strictly controlled by the National Park people.

  A chipmunk.

 

  Bill at Hopi Point.

  

  Hopi point with the Colorado River way below.

 

  Lots of mule deer around the camp grounds here.