The Grand Canyon is hands down a transcendental force of nature. Visiting in the winter makes it even more dreamy than it already is.
The enormous gorge of the Colorado River that lies in northern Arizona plays hide and seek with you, masking itself behind the mystic fog and hazy clouds. When it finally decides to show face, your jaw can easily drop to the bottom of this deep, deep basin. You can’t help but let out a gasp of air as you look out onto this picturesque formation, beaming with so many swirls of colors and small pockets of snow you would think it was a painting. Its one of those moments when you think pinch me, this can’t be real. This was my first time visiting the Grand Canyon South Rim, which when you think of “The Grand Canyon,” this is the side you want to get to. A couple of years ago, I visited Horseshoe Bend which is quite often lumped together with the Grand Canyon, even though it is 3 hours away. Although divine in its own right, and definitely a must-see, I didn’t get my full Grand Canyon fix, so my tribe and I escaped for the long Martin Luther King weekend. We rented a car, packed our bags, and 7 hours later were slapped in the face with, 20 degree weather, and the most breathtaking views of this remarkable natural wonder of the world.
- Where we stayed: The Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon lies just a mile from the south entrance of the South Rim. 100 percent recommended. Its very cozy and close to everything you would need.
- Where we ate: Canyon Star Steakhouse which is located inside The Grand Hotel. There isn’t a huge variety when it comes to dining around the Grand Canyon, but this one was conveniently located in our hotel and also had live entertainment. I had the lamb with mashed potatoes and vegetables which I found to be very satisfying.
- What we did: At sunset we drove to the Yavapai Point along the South Rim to soak in the view. This is the only viewpoint we drove to, but there are several along the path so definitely check them out by grabbing a map at the visitor’s center.
We hiked Bright Angels Trail which I highly recommend. It was my favorite part of the trip! You can get great views here as well. While hiking towards the 3 mile rest stop we discovered this viewpoint off the trail and spent some time there, sitting off the edge of a cliff admiring mother nature’s beauty.
The great thing about visiting the Grand Canyon during winter is you are able to experience its enormous beauty on your own. No selfie sticks from other tourists obstructing your view because it is their low season. We were met with just a handful of other visitors during our hike and it made it that much better. I really enjoyed and appreciated having the serenity and intimacy with this vision. The Grand Canyon can definitely make you feel like a speck of dust in this huge world of ours, especially with very little people around. It just puts everything into perspective revealing that there is something out there that is so much greater than you. I felt like the Grand Canyon reset me and I felt like I reconnected with myself. Nature always has a way of doing that.
Overall it was the perfect girls’ trip and if you haven’t checked out my vlog here it is:
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Outfit Details (If they aren’t linked they are no longer available)
Pancake PJ Top Forever21
Uniqlo Heattech Black V-neck
Banana Republic Grey Knit Turtleneck
Uniqlo Black Puffer
Urban Outfitters Denim
Vintage 90s patterned cord jacket
H&M Black Turtleneck
Cream Beanie w/ Double Pom from Nordstrom Rack
Black +Red Striped Beanie w/ Pom from Forever21
Zara Call Your Mother Grey Sweatshirt
Nike Leggings
Vasque Hiking Boots
Lululemon Blue/Purple Zip Hoodie
Fleece Ear Warmer
