TDN Weekend December 2016 Issue 9
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1056824
The next morning, we got up for the sunrise and wandered to the main cottage to make hot tea and use the provided facilities, which were charmingly functional if not exactly high-end. With the gift of the sun, we could take in our surroundings. The date trees, formerly men- acing in the night as they swayed with net- ting around their fruits, were comforting. We got back on the road, ready to make our way to the Grand Canyon. We only made it a few miles before stopping the car. Driving up and out of what we had driven into the night before was stunning. Leaving the car parked next to the "Pavement Ends" sign at the top of the pass, we all wandered among the hauntingly beautiful rocks and lis- tened to the wind. Eventually leaving Death Valley behind us, we looped around Las Vegas and Hoover Dam. The Grand Canyon is accessible from multiple locations, but the most popular is the South Rim, which was our destination. Reservations are strongly recommended months, if not a year, in advance. Although we booked well ahead of our trip, we missed out on staying on park grounds. However, several miles out is where you will find all the other hotels and restaurants, and it is an easy commute. Even though we were there in the off season, the whole area was busy, leading us to wonder what the summers must be like. Our accommodations for this leg were far less adventurous than our tipi and came via a Holiday Inn Express. There is something to be said for heat and attached plumbing, though, and we were content travelers upon arrival.