Watchtower of Grand Canyon

Posted on June 28th, 2008 in Place of interests, Road Trips, Travel by yeehan

Driving towards the east from Grand Canyon Village brings you to another unique overlook. Along Desert View, you can see this amazing Watchtower built in early 1900s.The Indian Watchtower is at the eastern end of the south rim of the Grand Canyon. From a distance the building’s silhouette looks like the Anasazi watchtower it was meant to mimic. In actual size the tower is considerably larger than any known Anasazi tower. In plan the structure is composed of one enormous circle at the north, a small circle at the south, a gently arced forms connecting the two. The largest circle and the arced portions are the sections of that building that is just one story in height. The smaller circular plan is for the tower itself, more than five stories high. The building sits out on a promontory overlooking the Grand Canyon.

If you drive to Grand Canyon South Rim, you should pay a visit to this Watchtower. I found it quite a pleasant sight.

After my hike down the canyon, I was in a more relaxing sight-seeing mode. In the picture below, you can see the magnificent Grand Canyon from Desert View. The view is simply stunning.

Be sure to reach there before 4.30 pm (I think so during winter) to go into the Watchtower and you’ll see some interesting drawings on the wall.

Before I left Desert View, I managed to capture one of the best photos which truly showed the essence of Grand Canyon. Such a tranquility and sacred place. There was this guy who was meditating on a rock just over the cliff!! Here’s the picture to share with you guys- Meditating at Grand Canyon

My last stop was driving along Hermit Drive before I left to spend a night in Vegas. Hermit Drive wasn’t that appealing to me. Maybe I was too tired to enjoy the view. Nevertheless, Grand Canyon has been one of the most amazing places that I have ever been. Next stop: Death Valley National Park.

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Mule Ride

Posted on June 4th, 2008 in Place of interests, Road Trips, Travel by yeehan

Hiking down Grand Canyon was a memorable experience. Given that I went hiking alone, it was definitely challenging. I have hiked Half Dome which is quite a strenuous hike in Yosemite National Park. That was the longest hike- almost 12 hours. One of my senior, Shao Rong sent us this email:


So, people have been asking me, after conquering Half Dome, what’s next?
Try this: Grand Canyon Rim to bottom hike. It’s been called many things, among which:

“Every year, 250 ppl have to be rescued by rangers from the canyon”
“A challenge that will humble even seasoned marathoners”
“Running up and down the empire state bldg twice is easier than this”

This REALLY involves preparation. The permit for the hike itself needs to be applied for 4 months in advance.

I didn’t hike all the way to the bottom of the Canyon. That would really take two days. I only did half of the hike in 6 hours. Rushing all the way because I would want to get to other attractions before the sun sets pretty early in winter. That’s just me. I would definitely want to avoid camping in the cold. And I would say, I was actually too daring. No preparations for such hikes and also that I did a hike in Zion National Park just one day earlier. But this was something that I won’t be really be doing again, so might as well go for it.

Another method to go down deep into the canyon is through the mule ride. I actually considered taking the mule ride since I wasn’t sure if I could complete the hike down. But the price was just not right for me. So I decided to keep $150 for myself. And I hiked faster than taking mule rides. So I did not encounter any mules along the trail. I only saw lots of sh*ts along the trail. You can find out more about Mule Rides here.


They said that Mule Rides are available on a limited basis. If you do not make reservations at least 6 to 8 months in Advance, it is less likely that you will be able to secure a reservation on the Mule Ride. Could be true but when I went there in February 2008, there are plenty available. Maybe not so many people in winter. I considered going for the 1-day mule ride to Plateau Point. There is another one: 2-Day Trip to Phantom Ranch.

One-Day Mule Trips to Plateau Point:
“The one-day, 7-hour Plateau Point ride departs daily from the Stone Corral at the head of Bright Angel Trail and is a challenging trip. Brief stops are made to rest the mules every 30-45 minutes, during which time it is possible to take pictures but not dismount. Water and restroom facilities are available at Indian Garden, about 2½ hours down the trail. Following a 15-20 minute rest stop at Indian Garden, the trip proceeds across the Tonto Plateau to Plateau Point, offering riders a dramatic and panoramic view of the Canyon and the Colorado River 1,300 feet below. The trip returns up Bright Angel Trail requiring another 2½ to 3 hours. You will be back to the Stone Corral by mid-afternoon. A box lunch is included. $148.35 including tax, per person (Feb 2008 price)”

Finally at 1pm, I reached the starting point again. What a tiring day. During my lunch break in Bright Angels Restaurant, I gave my sister a call. She was shocked when I told her that I was at Grand Canyon- ALONE!!! She didn’t give me any ‘lectures’ but instead advice for me to really take good care of myself. But I knew she was a bit upset because I was really risking all out. Plus driving my 10 yr old-150,000 mile Toyota. However, this would definitely be my unforgettable experience for a long long time.


This is the view of Grand Canyon before I drove to Desert View where the Watch Tower is.

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