- Right after breakfast, I drove back to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center. Pausing only to buy a warm hat (it was cold, cloudy and windy this morning), I set off on a walk along the Rim Trail: an hour out and an hour back. It was not a strenuous walk -- the trail is paved and level (albeit icy in spots today), and I stopped often to take photos -- but it was refreshing. I guess that trail is packed with people during the summer, but I was mostly alone on it today.
- I departed around midday and drove around the eastern end of Grand Canyon. The road was excellent, with very little traffic on it, and the scenery was spectacular. The colors of the great rock formations are fascinating, and, of course, they change as the light changes. And then there's the sky...
- Just south of Page, Arizona, I stopped to visit Horseshoe Bend, upon the recommendation of one of Mary's nephews. [Thanks, Robert!] Horseshoe Bend is a hidden gem, one of the most spectacular sights in the area. From a nondescript parking lot beside the highway, a short trail leads to a cliff overlooking Horseshoe Bend. There is no tourist infrastructure, no guardrails at the edge of the cliff, no explanatory signs. As one approaches that cliff, there is no hint of anything special; it appears to be just another canyon. Then, at the edge, one suddenly faces the great horseshoe bend in the river. One is drawn to the sight, while conscious of the vertiginous drop just steps ahead.
- Just north of Page, I passed Glen Canyon Dam (completed in 1966) and Lake Powell behind it. The dam cannot compare with the natural marvels around it, but I paused briefly just to take a look at it.
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Views of Grand Canyon from the Rim Trail, west of Mather Outlook:
The countryside along the highways from Grand Canyon to Kanab:
A panorama shot:
Approaching Horseshoe Bend:
Horseshoe Band:
Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell:
Sunset near Kanab:
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