We have arrived at the Grand Canyon National Park. We’re staying inside the park at the RV Trailer Village. It was a 279-mile drive from Las Vegas, south past Lake Mead (we didn’t stop at Hoover Dam) into Arizona, east across a mainly barren plateau to Williams and then north to the Grand Canyon NP.
After spending more than a week embracing the natural wonders of Utah’s five national parks, it was a major letdown to spend a day in Las Vegas on Wednesday. The glitz, chaotic pace of walking up and down the strip and through the hotels and casinos, taking in the ever-present scents of cigarette and marajuana smoke, and being asked to have pictures taken with showgirls for $50 a pop — it was too much. We did have excellent appetizers and drinks at Morimoto’s in the MGM Grand and a dinner buffet covering eight kitchens in Caesars Palace. But the rest was a worthless use of our time and energy — we walked 11 1/2 miles (more than 23,000 steps on my fitbit) throughout the afternoon and evening and by the time we took an Uber back to our KOA campground, we were stuffed and exhausted!
We wanted to see Vegas — now we have — and that’s where the story will end. For the record, here are two images of walking down the Vegas Strip at night:
It was with much relief and peace of mind to be back in the majestic arms of still another of this country’s greatest wonders. We drove out to Mather Point and took a shuttle bus to Yavapai Point, spending time at each, just walking along the rim of the canyon and watching the shadows move across the rock formations as the sun began to set.
After dinner, we drove back out one of the rim roads to find some good viewing of the night sky.
I’m still experimenting with time exposures of the stars.
This is an image from our campsite at Zion at 2 a.m., just before the moon came through the clouds:
Tomorrow will be largely spent taking shuttles throughout the park, exploring many of the sites and perhaps doing a little hiking — but not too deep into the canyon, We’ll be taking mule rides into the canyon on Saturday morning — we have to be at the corral at 6:30 a.m. It’s supposed to be in the low 30s!
T&C Southwest Adventure 2021 
What a profound and insightful post. It is 4 hours but a million miles from Las Vegas to the majesty of the Grand Canyon. If it is open there is a wonderful art gallery/gift shop on the edge of the canyon near Bright Angel Lodge
that is worth seeing. Also there is a building dedicated to native art work somewhere to the left of the El Tovar hotel. Enjoy your dinner at the El Tovar is has a slightly different vibe than Caesar’s Palace! I see things are beginning to form in Albuquerque…. up, up and away.
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Oh, what wonderful memories you are invoking with this blog. I so want to be with you on your ride into the canyon. I am so glad you had this opportunity to visit this place. So sorry Las Vegas was a let down. You could have spent another day in Zion. You are missed back here in Scarborough, but November will be here before you know it. Safe travels.
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