 A visit to northern Arizona would not be complete without exploring Grand Canyon National Park. Over a mile deep and 277 miles long, the canyon is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Most people visit the canyon from the South Rim at Grand Canyon Village. In 2000, the Park Service opened the brand new Canyon View Information Plaza, which houses the new Visitor Center. More changes are planned over the next two years. Facilities below the rim are limited. Phantom Ranch provides the only lodging outside of camping, and reservations must be made well in advance. Located on the north side of the Colorado River, it has two types of buildings: individual cabins and dormitory-style cabins. Meals are served boarding-house style, and showers are available for guests. Bright Angel Campground offers primitive camping facilities. Today’s visitors view the canyon in several ways. For an intimate visit, hike the Bright Angel or Kaibab Trails to the bottom. Permits are not required for day hikes, but overnight stays require a permit from the backcountry office or reservations at Phantom Ranch. Be forewarned; although people hike these trails year-round, the heat of summer is very dangerous. Consult with  Park Rangers before hiking down. The canyon’s famous, sure-footed mules offer a less strenuous journey. A guided, narrated 12-mile round trip to Plateau Point ends at a promontory 1,000’ directly above the Colorado River. Or try riding one to Phantom Ranch, returning the next day. Hire a helicopter for a narrated air-borne journey; keeping well away from the normal hiking routes, they provide a very different perspective. For white-knuckle fun, take a rafting trip; the rapids are some of the most exhilarating in the country. Outfitters use rubber inflatable rafts or wooden dories, feed passengers massive amounts of food, and offer hiking trips up beautiful side canyons.
Shuttle buses drive the Rim all summer long, dropping and picking up people at scenic overlooks along the route.
For a leisurely day trip, schedule a train ride on the Grand Canyon Railway, which starts its journey at Williams, "Gateway to the Grand Canyon," less than a half-hour drive from Flagstaff. The train stops for over three hours of sightseeing and shopping at the South Rim, then returns you safely to Williams in the afternoon. Williams also has a Gary Panks-designed, 18-hole championship golf course; a historic district that includes remnants of famous Route 66, the "Mother Road" traveled by many during the ‘50s and ‘60s; fishing and camping among the pines, and even a family skiing area just outside of town. To the west, between Williams and Kingman, the communities of Ash Fork and Seligman are also showcases for Route 66. Restaurants and shops still sport the style and memorabilia of the time. Twenty-five miles west of Seligman are the Grand Canyon Caverns, a living limestone cave 210’ down; its two main rooms could each hold a football field.
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