Nov trip to Grand Canyon area - any tips??

1039 Views 14 Replies 9 Participants Last post by lauraleellbp, Oct 8, 2009

Lnb

Discussion Starter · Oct 1, 2009

We're in the mist of planning a trip to the Grand Canyon - Sedona - Boulder Dam - Vegas and what have you area. This may be during Thanksgiving week, 5 - 7 days. Not looking to spend a ton of money but don't want to stay in dump either. I guess you would call it middle of the road.

We thought about flying into and staying in Vegas but it's a 3 hour drive to the Canyon so we decided Flagstaff may be a better town to stay in.

Anyone here from the area with any ideas or tips. Will it be really cold at that time of the year??

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airborne_r6

· #2 · Oct 2, 2009

Just looking at google maps has the drive from Vegas to the south rim at 275 miles which will take 3 1/2 to 4 hours. I have only driven that route as far as Boulder Dam, so I cant say for sure.

Temperatures at the Grand Canyon should range from low 40's to low 50's during the day. It will get much colder at night, low 30's to low 20's. You can figure about10 degrees colder than that, for both the high and low, if a cold front comes through.

You definitely want to plan on staying at the canyon long enough to watch a sunset. There are also plenty of short hikes and other things to see. My wife and I spent 3 full days there a couple years ago.

Lnb

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 2, 2009

Yep, just checked out the climate report. A bit on the nippy side.

Lymore

· #4 · Oct 2, 2009

I used to go white water rafting every year, usually on the Hudson River in upstate NY, but one time I went to Las Vegas a few years ago, great trip. We stayed on the strip and then went rafting in the Grand Canyon. The boats were motorized though... I prefer using paddles, but still a great tour with stops where you could get out and swim, explore a water fall inside a cave, and they provide lunch. They even pick you up at your hotel in Vegas. You can choose a plane ride to the canyon on a small propeller plane (which includes a great aerial view of the hoover dam, canyon and desert landscape, or you can choose a ride by SUV which goes over the hoover dam. I went by plane.
At the end of the trip you fly in a helicopter from the bottom of the canyon to the top.

Recently they have opened their new sky walk thing, it hangs over the canyon, they were in the process of building it when I was there...

Here is the website incase you are interested. It is a bit expensive though...
http://www.grandcanyonwest.com/

The Hualapi River Runners is what its called. They offer other services though besides rafting. They are the only company that offers a 1 day rafting trip. I highly recommend it, and definitely plan on going back someday.

As for the temp, I don't know... I went in the summer.

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Nate McFin

· #5 · Oct 2, 2009

There is a great little town on Route 66 called Oatman, Ariz. They have wild mules that live all over the area and come into town and hang out in the streets. The town has fake oldwest gunfights in the streets and the atmosphere is very cool. Beautiful scenery all around as well.

mayanjungledog

· #6 · Oct 2, 2009

Sedona is just lovely. If you don't stay there, be sure to spend a day there. Great little shops and restaurants, and beautiful scenic hikes.

kid creole

· #7 · Oct 2, 2009 (Edited)

Do not make the mistake of only going to the Grand Canyon for one day. I haven't been everywhere in this world, but I haven't yet been anywhere that I really regretted leaving like that. It is an amazing place.

It will be nice and warm in the canyon, t-shirt weather. Get to the bottom of the canyon. Hike down, take a mule up, mule both ways, whatever--just get yourself to the bottom of the canyon. It is a must.

I found it was cheaper to take a site seeing plane from Vegas and stay in a cabin/motel in the park than it was to stay for 2 more nights in our Vegas hotel.

edit: I edited my first sentence. I hope I made the point that you really need to spend some time there. It is amazing.

WhiteDevil

· #8 · Oct 2, 2009

Bring warm clothes and dont only stop at the GC there is tons in that area to see that people forget about.

you can go manzanita hunting as well, there is tons there and all for free now.

Lnb

Discussion Starter · #9 · Oct 3, 2009

Definitely plan on spending more than one day at the GC. I want to do Sedona too. I would love to get to bottom of the GC but the mules are all booked up a year in advance and being seniors a hike might be too much.

May postpone this from Nov to a warmer time of year, like maybe next Sept. This will allow more planning time.

lauraleellbp

· #10 · Oct 3, 2009

My favorite places when we took a trip out west were Canyon de Chelley, Carlsbad Caverns, and Bryce Canyon.

I liked Canyon de Chelley best because it was so less touristy than the Grand Canyon, and you could really get up close to the old Anasazi ruins. The color of the rocks at sunset was breathtaking.

Lnb

Discussion Starter · #11 · Oct 3, 2009

lauraleellbp said:
My favorite places when we took a trip out west were Canyon de Chelley, Carlsbad Caverns, and Bryce Canyon.

I liked Canyon de Chelley best because it was so less touristy than the Grand Canyon, and you could really get up close to the old Anasazi ruins. The color of the rocks at sunset was breathtaking.

Nice, sounds really good ..... don't like crowds of folks. Drives me nuts! That's why we were considering Nov.

Thanks!

Ariel301

· #12 · Oct 7, 2009

I live about three hours from the canyon, and it started getting chilly this week. It was 38 last night, and it can be extremely windy in the daytime, so I would bring a variety of clothes.

I was there in early March and it was crowded, I don't know about the crowds in the fall.

The skywalk is pretty expensive; I don't think it's worth it. It's not in the main park, either.

Lnb

Discussion Starter · #13 · Oct 8, 2009

Brrrrrrrrr ............... crowded in March! :icon_conf Are they trying to beat the summer crowds? Isn't it cold in March?

At this point I'm thinking more next Sept. I like Lauralee's suggestions.

Yep, heard about the sky walk. Think it's about $40 pp.

Thanks for the input.

Ariel301

· #14 · Oct 8, 2009

No, it's actually pretty warm here in March. Not too hot yet, but not uncomfortably cold for being outside all day. Northern Arizona has two seasons--summer and winter. It literally went from 100 degrees one day last week to 60 degrees the next day.

There's a forest fire going now around Williams, which is right at the turnoff to get to the Grand Canyon. You might be best to postpone at least a while. The fire isn't near the canyon, but the smoke is pretty bad. My allergies are acting up from it, and it's a few hours from where I live.

lauraleellbp

· #15 · Oct 8, 2009

Research it first. It's been prolly 20 years, so things may have changed... though I hope not!

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