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Grand Canyon Ride

lancexmorehead

New member
My friend and I are shipping our bikes to CO, then riding south toward the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in May (before the North Rim is open).
Any suggestions for how to approach viewing the Canyon (come in thru East Entrance, time of day when crowds are less, etc.)?
We will be staying in Williams, and going to the Canyon each day for about 3 days.
Thanks
 
I don't think that at that time of year you will experience too much of a crowd at any of the entrances. We were there in May, entered the South entrance about mid-morning, and did not experience any crowds. We were in line behind maybe three other vehicles. I cannot speak for which entrance is the best, but have been told the North entrance is best. If you have never been, it is amazing. However, I am pretty easy to impress :). I would go back without hesitation, as that whole area is pretty to me. That is one big ditch, and don't fall in!:)
 
My friend and I are shipping our bikes to CO, then riding south toward the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in May (before the North Rim is open).
Any suggestions for how to approach viewing the Canyon (come in thru East Entrance, time of day when crowds are less, etc.)?
We will be staying in Williams, and going to the Canyon each day for about 3 days.
Thanks
Pay attention to the weather. There are some high passes between Colorado and the Grand Canyon.
 
have been told the North entrance is best.

We like the North Rim the best because very few people go to that side, but the road in does not open until May 15th.
Like you mentioned the the South Rim should not be too bad in May.
 
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I also really like the North rim as it seems a bit more remote. If you've never been to the Grand Canyon, it's hard to describe in words. I'll never forget my first time walking to the rim and looking out.

My wife and I, with another couple, did the Rim to Rim hike in June several years ago. It was 50 degrees when we left the North Rim...and 114 degrees when we got to the bottom!

Have a great ride!
 
I also really like the North rim as it seems a bit more remote. If you've never been to the Grand Canyon, it's hard to describe in words. I'll never forget my first time walking to the rim and looking out.

My wife and I, with another couple, did the Rim to Rim hike in June several years ago. It was 50 degrees when we left the North Rim...and 114 degrees when we got to the bottom!

Have a great ride!
It is impressive isn't it. I once did South Rim to North Rim on a Saturday, then North Rim to South on Sunday. It is my only experience in the Grand Canyon.
 
That is a wonderful ride. I did it years ago. Last year I heard Arkansas has a grand canyon of the Ozarks. Well, obviously they have never seen the real one. The roads are excellent fun, but grand canyon it ain't. Not even close.


Rod
 
Went to the south entrance in either late May or early June in 2011. No lineup at the entrance. There were tourists but it was not crowded. :thumb
 
We are starting in Grand Junction, CO and heading south towards the canyon; spending the first night in Kayenta; then meeting up with the wives in Flagstaff before completing our Grand Canyon tour
 
We are starting in Grand Junction, CO

That will help with avoiding the high passes.

If you have time, 141 south of Gateway is a nice road and it's at a low elevation.

P1010916.JPG

Another interesting road if you don't mind gravel is Mokee Dugway Ut-261 Utah.

Mokee Dugway.jpg

Mokee Dugway_0001.jpg
 
If you're staying in Williams, I would recommend one of the days taking the Grand Canyon Railway. It gives you some nice views you don't get from the road and you don't have to gear up for a motorcycle ride.

https://www.thetrain.com
 
Like others, my Bride and I have been too the South Rim and North Rim on separate occasions in May. Make no doubt about it, there will be plenty of others all about, but nowhere near the hoards of summer. If I could make one suggestion, think about a ride down into the canyon on a sure footed jackass......:dance…..it's a lot of funn and you can pre book online...…..ya just gotta Google it
 
Ya Know I just got to mention;
When your riding across the Navaho Nation where Kayenta Az is and the area east of Grand Canyon, BE CAREFUL.
I've lived in this area for 41 years now and that reservation has had some real bad accidents out there. A lot of radical drinking and driving and all sorts of hard core drug use. That road from Tuba City to Flagstaff is also dangerous. Indians going into Flag, getting plastered and driving home.
Just saying
 
If you drill down on the ADV Rider Tent Space Map you'll find a guy who lives very near the south rim. He'd be an excellent sources of "lives there" information

Pete
 
Ya Know I just got to mention;
When your riding across the Navaho Nation where Kayenta Az is and the area east of Grand Canyon, BE CAREFUL.
I've lived in this area for 41 years now and that reservation has had some real bad accidents out there. A lot of radical drinking and driving and all sorts of hard core drug use. That road from Tuba City to Flagstaff is also dangerous. Indians going into Flag, getting plastered and driving home.
Just saying


I appreciate the "heads up".
 
It's a beautiful place. We took a trip on Route 66 a few years ago and stopped at the Canyon. It was early in May and I had scheduled a Sight-Seeing airplane tour through the canyon. I rode my K1200GT over to the airport in the snow. The pilot canceled the flight because of the weather. I had to chuckle since I was on a motorcycle.

My two riding buddys scheduled the mule ride. It went off without a hitch.
 
My wife and I rode around that area a while back on our K75S. One thing that I would do differently - Hydrate way more than you think. I thought that we were stopping often enough, but we were not. It would have been best for us to stop about every half hour and drink a half to one liter of water. Maybe this is where one of those camel-bak things would work well. Better to stop and drink more fluid than not. We ended up having a rest / hydration day instead of a hiking day enroute. It is wonderful country, but it is dry. You can tell this is true when you spit and it is dust by the time it hits the ground.
 
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