I tried to be there early, leaving my hotel in Flagstaff at 7 am. After two involuntarily rounds around town trying to find the right exit (I already had gotten lost the night before on the way back from the supermarket to the hotel), I headed north to Grand Canyon (South Rim). The sun already was shining brightly. Highways 180 and 64 are quiet roads within pretty surroundings.

Arriving at the gate of the park after 1.5 hours, I had to pay an entrance fee (per car) of 25 dollars - the highest amount I've paid in the US to get into a park or other attraction. I parked my car in Grand Canyon Village, and from there I had my first look at this enormous crack in the earth.

From the village, I started the Rim Walk westward, to Hermit's Rest. The Rim Walk is quite flat: I heard a German tourist say 'Grandmother could have come with us'. The height and the dry air do wear you out though, walking here is much harder than at sea level. The trail follows the edges of the canyon, so you can have a look down at the wonderfully carved rocks all the time. This easy walking is a very pleasant way to experience the park, smell, and see its nature.

Hermit's Rest at the end of the trail is a small souvenir and snack stall (with a great old fireplace). From there, the free shuttle bus took me back to the village.

Exiting the park I took Desert View Drive. This has some more viewpoints (from a different angle) on the Canyon. A lot of them were crowded with people and their cars though. Even on a Monday in late September the Grand Canyon attracts many, many visitors from all over the world (over 4 million yearly).

In retrospection, I had a good time but I think it's more convenient to stay overnight inside the park. That way you can beat both the sun and the crowds, and have a more in-depth experience of the site.