The Best of America's National Parks

 

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Best for getting to the bottom of things

There are as many different ways to experience the Grand Canyon as there are visitors. For some, the best choice is to book a room at the classic El Tovar Hotel, which has perched on the canyon’s South Rim since the railroad started bringing in passengers in the early days of the last century. For many guests there, strolling along the canyon rim and attending ranger-led interpretive programs are sufficient pleasures. Bright Angel Lodge is the place to stay if you have booked a mule ride down to the canyon floor, since it is the check-in point for the journey. Folks who choose to hike down to the canyon floor also tend to favor the Bright Angel Trail, as water is available en route, and you can rest under the shade of cottonwood trees at the pretty Indian Gardens Campground about halfway down. Some very tame deer there are likely to try to befriend you (rangers request that you not feed them). The Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch offer rustic accommodations on the canyon floor. Phantom Ranch provides separate, 10-bunk-bed dorms for women and men and 11 private cabins.