Day 3
The third and final day of the trip had us up bright and early at 5:30 a.m. to grab a quick breakfast at the Maswik Lodge food court before setting out to hike on the South Kaibab Trail down to Cedar Ridge. A moderate, three-mile round trip hike, it felt great to finally venture down into the canyon itself. The allure of the canyon shifts with your physical perspective—looking up from the canyon is an entirely different experience than looking down into it. One day, I’d like to make my way down to the bottom, but baby steps, here. Baby steps.
Following the invigorating hike, which surprisingly wasn’t too hot, we (mentally) prepared to embark on the helicopter tour of the canyon. Again, perspective.
Guided by Maverick Helicopters, we soared over the vast expanse of the Grand Canyon for a good 45 minutes. The canyon surrounding us on all sides, we had a bird’s eye view from directly above, yet another singularly unique perspective of 40 million years worth of geologic activity—of material continuously being chiseled, broken down and reformed into what it is today. The pilot did a great job of showcasing a large portion of the canyon, pointing out noteworthy rock formations like Vishnu Schist, a prominent formation on the northern side of the canyon.
While the ride was unbelievably gorgeous and literally breathtaking at times, as someone who frequently experiences motion sickness, I was relieved when our aircraft touched ground. We all exited the helicopter in a hazy state of shock and awe. We just couldn’t stop ogling over how cool those views were. Every multi-colored layer of rock and sediment became clearly visible, and the Colorado River looked like a massive green serpent weaving its way through.
Once we’d concluded our high-flying expedition, it was time to board the Grand Canyon Railway for the return journey. This time seated in luxury dome class, we were pampered with chocolate-dipped strawberries, macarons, various cold meats and cheeses and celebratory glasses of champagne.
Following a toast to great memories of our time at the canyon, the famous Grand Canyon Railway robbery took place, a fun and hilarious experience. While sipping our bubbly, we peered out the windows to see two men racing the train on horseback, flailing their hands in maniacal pursuit. As the train slowly came to a halt, the two bearded men boarded the train and “robbed” the passengers, snagging dollar bills that had been rolled up and purposefully placed on passengers’ eyeglasses, in between their ears or on their hats. As one of the robbers helped himself to a dollar placed neatly on the side of my glasses, I teased him that I had recorded the entire affair and wouldn’t hesitate showing the authorities. Be that as it may, the town politician eventually came to our rescue and “arrested” the fiends. Overall, it was an entertaining experience, and certainly something the kids would get a kick out of.
Once the train rolled back into the Grand Canyon Railway & Hotel, we partook in our final dinner Spencer’s Pub, located inside the hotel, then embarked on a spontaneous last visit to the Grand Canyon Brewery, where I discovered that I love sour beers (who knew). The sky brightly lit by glowing moonlight, we walked back to the hotel and said our final goodbyes, a bittersweet moment. Part of me longed for nothing more than to sleep for hours upon hours, while the other part would bitterly miss the sense of exploration, adventure and appreciation for the Grand Canyon and everything it has to offer.
With so many aspects of the canyon to explore and so many activities to try, there really is something for everyone to enjoy, especially the adventurous at heart. And the Grand Canyon Railway is a nice way to get there.
