We have been staying at the Grand Canyon Railway RV Park for
3 days and have been exploring Williams. That is a blog for another time … today
is day 2 of our 30 day adventure … it is dedicated to our first of three train
rides on this caravan and the tour of the Grand Canyon. We watched the Wild
West shoot out, before we boarded the north bound train this morning at the
Grand Canyon Railway Depot.
Here is a bit of the history on the Grand Canyon Railway. The
train first started carrying passengers to the 7th natural wonder of the world
in 1901. The train currently operates 364 days a year, the only day it does not
run is Christmas day. The railway continues to celebrate the history of vintage
rail travel by operating a steam engine. The steam powered locomotive runs to
the Grand Canyon on the first Saturday of each month and on special holidays or
events. The Grand Canyon Railway is very green! They use recycled vegetable oil
for fuel, and reclaimed rain and snow melt (collected during the the winter and
northern Arizona’s rainy season) are used in the boiler for steam. The railway
offers six classes of restored passenger service on these vintage cars.
When we boarded the train, we had our own first class rail
car with an attendant. Our seats were over-sized, reclined, offered ample leg
room and grand windows for viewing. We had complimentary fresh fruits,
pastries, coffee, hot chocolate and juices. Bloody Marys or other morning beverages
could be purchased to enjoy on our 65 mile train ride. We were able to sit back
and relax during our two and a half hour ride. The old-time rail only travels
at a maximum of 40 miles per hour!
When the train left the depot the first thing we passed was
a prairie dog village area, we could see the little guys peaking their heads
out! We traveled into the pine forest, which is part of the world’s largest
ponderosa pine forest. When the pines cleared there was the wide-pen prairies
with views of the mountains. The Santa Fe Mountain range offers the highest elevation in Arizona.
In 1908, President Roosevelt declared the Grand Canyon a
national monument under the Antiquities Act. Eleven years later, Congress
declared the Canyon a national park. Three years later the National Parks
Service was established. The Grand Canyon covers a total of 1,900 square feet,
is 1-mile deep, 277-miles long and home to over 350 mammals, birds, reptiles
and amphibians.
We visited the South Rim after we enjoyed a buffet lunch at
the Maswik Lodge. Our first stop along the South Rim was at Yaki Point. We were
not there at the right time, but this point one of the best spots to watch the
sunrise. But, the views were breathtaking! There were spots with railings and
some viewing areas for the adventurous with no safety rail. I stood at a few of
them … but not close to the edge, for sure!
Our second stop was at the Yavapai Geological Museum and Observation
Station. At this point, we saw several panels that described the canyon, its
history and the formations. We learned that these panels are part of the “Trail
of Time” located along the South Rim. It is an informative walking timeline
that focuses on the rocks, vistas and encouraging visitors to ponder, explore
and understand the geological grandeur of the canyon.
At this site, we
discovered a few very brave souls … one was a young man that walked out and sat
on the edge of a peninsula … the second was two ladies also sitting close to
the edge of the canyon. Yikes … to close for me … I love life way too much! 
It
was from this vantage point, that we located the suspension bridge that carries
the mules and their riders to the Phantom Ranch for their overnight adventure
at this historic oasis at the bottom of the canyon! We could also see some of
the trails that crisscrossed the canyon.
The third stop was at Bright Angel Lodge. It is a place where
visitors can get information, shop in the gift shop, go to “The Fountain” and
enjoy some snack food or dipped ice cream. There is also great opportunities to
see additional views of the Grand Canyon. Some of us chose to get the hand
dipped ice cream (I know shocking ….)
We were able to see some wildlife here, a squirrel or two and a blue bird.
We also took in the views and walked to a
few other buildings in the area. There is the El Tovar, which is one of America’s
historic hotels, famous for luxury accommodations, spectacular views and fine
dining. This hotel has been open since 1905. Next to the El Tovar is the Hopi
House. The Hopi House is on the National Historic Registry. Today, it houses a
gift shop specializing in Native American jewelry and arts.
Also, near the
Bright Angel Lodge, is the Buckey O’Neill cabin. I share this with you, because
we traveled to the Grand Canyon on the Buckey O’Neill car. I know, I know … you
are asking who the heck is Buckey O’Neill? Well, he was an energetic young man
who is credited with being a key force in promoting the development of the
Grand Canyon. O’Neill tried his hand at mining, while he roamed the Grand Canyon
area, befriending locals. During his time at the Canyon, O’Neill built two log
structures: a cabin beside the early Bright Angel Hotel which he used as an
office, and a bunkhouse a few yards back among the Ponderosa pines. He recognized
the economic potential of the area and helped organized locals in an attempt to
improve transportation and access to the Canyon. He was not the first to
envision a railroad to the Canyon, but previous schemes had failed due to what
seemed like insurmountable costs. O’Neill put his energy and enthusiasm to good
use, lobbying tirelessly for funds to get the railroad built. In the meantime
he attracted new miners and other business interests, giving an economic
incentive to start a railroad.
Speaking of the railroad, we had to make our way back to the
train depot at the Grand Canyon, in order not to miss our ride home! Our journey back on the train, was much quieter than the ride up (most of us were dozing) …
except when we were boarded by the Lee brothers from the Cactus Creek gang.
Naturally, we were robbed! But the train’s Marshall was able to capture them
before we arrived back into Williams!
It was a great day to view one of the seven natural wonders
of the world! I am still inspired by the beauty God has created here … I can’t
wait to see what our caravan adventure has in store for us tomorrow!
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