Sunday, May 18, 2014
Start: Tucson, AZ
Finish: Canyon Vista campground (USFS), S of Flagstaff, AZ 487

On the road by 9 AM. North on I-10, then I-17 through Phoenix. First stop was for a drive-by letterbox along the frontage road. 95 degrees, didn't feel too bad, as long as you weren't exerting yourself! A quick stop at Costco for gas and lunch before continuing north towards Flagstaff.

First National Park Service (NPS) stop at Montezuma Castle, much quieter than usual. On their information board they had posted that their visitation yesterday was, 1388. The parking lot is very small, we've had trouble parking there in the past. An overcast sky and breeze made the air very pleasant. Besides the ruins Wet Beaver Creek runs along the base and has water most of the year. Below the Visitor Center is a nice picnic area near the creek and shaded by towering Arizona White Sycamore trees. While there we purchased the collector token for this site. About a year ago national park sites began selling these quarter-sized pewter-like tokens. Most parks sell them for 99 cents, a fun collectible. Folders, similar to the ones sold for smashed pennies are also available to store the tokens.

Montezuma Castle


Wet Beaver Creek


Towering Arizona White Sycamore


Continued N on I-17, up the Mogollon Rim into Flagstaff. Right before I-17 crosses I-40 we took the Lake Mary Road south for,a few miles to a small campground along the rim of Walnut Canyon. Besides camping this is a very popular trailhead for rock climbers, it also is a connector to the Arizona Trail.

Comfortable temperature, but very windy, as predicted. We were able to sit out of the wind up against the van.

Monday, May 19
Start - S. Of Flagstaff, AZ
Finish - Ten X campground (USFS),S. Of Tusayan, AZ

Very quiet night in camp. Woke up to chittering, my description of the sound Broad-tailed Hummingbirds make. We had hung a feeder when we arrived and there was no action last night. They found it this morning, I observed at least 5 coming and going to the feeder. They are a bit aggressive with each other, but put on a good aerial show.

While traveling through Flagstaff we visited Walnut Canyon NM. Highly recommend taking the trail down, and then up to see the ruins. The peninsula where the ruins are located make a unique setting. The trail distance is. to long, but the 200 plus steps at 7000 ft elevation makes for a tough walk. They are currently rebuilding the trail, with some access limited, but the main ruins can be seen. While in the area we checked on a letterbox my husband had planted over a year ago. There had been approximately 10 finders.

In town we shopped at the new REI, off Butler, near Northern Arizona University. We drove into downtown to find the old post office, 1936. The copper work on the front is beautiful. Many of the Flagstaff buildings are built using the Coconino red sandstone. The county courthouse, built in 1894, is a prime example.

Old Coconino County Courthouse


We left Flagstaff on US 180, heading north towards the Grand Canyon. The wind continued to be very strong. In Tusayan we stopped at RP's Stage stop for a set of smashed pennies, new set for us. Before entering the park we stopped for a new letterbox and to do some maintenance on one planted a number of years ago.

We arrived at the entrance station at 1:30 and saw the Full sign- lodging, trailer village and Mather campground. We headed back south to Ten X and found a site there. This time of year, and on a Monday, we have always been able to get a campsite in the park as long as we arrived before 3 PM. For anyone heading this way, Ten X also has reservable sites through recreation.gov.

Back into the park to look for one of the original buildings that was used as a post office. Luckily it was marked with a plaque. We had a picture, but most of the Bright Angel cabins look alike. The original logs are still exposed on the exterior of this building. Later we found the post office that served after the cabin, and before the current one in the Market Plaza. We walked along the rim and got additional passport stamps at Kolb Studio and Verkamp's Visitor Center. Before heading back to camp we enjoyed a Grand Canyon Pale Ale at the Pizza & Pub at Maswik Lodge. The pub was not busy and much more relaxing than most of the places along the rim.

When we got back to the campground we saw a bundle of wood at an empty campsite. In our travels along Route 66 we have seen almost everything use Rt 66 as part of their advertising. This was a new one for us - Route 66 wood, Get your sticks on Rt. 66.

Old Post Office at Grand Canyon Village


Post Office plaque


Rim View


Rt. 66 wood


Tuesday, May 20
Start: S of Tusayan, AZ
Finish: Ponderosa Grove campground (BLM) 15 miles NW of Kanab, UT

Checked Fried Steak for breakfast! Grand Canyon plate at Maswik Lodge includes 2 eggs, choice of meat, chicken fried steak and gravy for us, potatoes and toast for $7.50. Same plate in January was $6.25. Along with a bowl of oatmeal for $1.95 this made a great meal to share.

As crowded as the village was Monday afternoon Yavapai Point Geology Museum was empty. What a pleasure to view the canyon and exhibits without wall-to-wall people. The bookstore manager told us it stayed quiet until 11 AM when the train and tour busses arrive.

A stop at the main Visitor Center we stopped for passport stamps. They had a nice display of all the stamps you can get in the park. The only one missing was the one for the Albright Training Center, which we got yesterday.

Passport stamp display


We drove east on AZ 64 towards Cameron with stops at Grandview Point, Tusayan Museum and Desert Tower. At Grandview Point there was a hotel built in the 1880s, that also housed a post office. Mining was also done there. All remains of both businesses were removed when the park was established. Interpretative signs have historic pictures and good background information. The short trail at Tusayan Museum displays the archaeological remains of prehistoric village, including a small and large kiva. I always enjoy the view at the base of the Watchtower at Desert Tower, a nice long stretch of the Colorado River looking north, upriver.

It may still be a week away from Memorial Day, but the crowds and rental RVs indicate the summer tourism season is in full swing.

RV rentals at Grandview Point


Last year a portion of US 89 south of Page gave way, closing access to Page on US 89. There was a long run-around through Tuba City and Kaibito. Last Fall T-89 was fully paved and opened at Gap, AZ. They paved Navajo 20. This was our first time on and we were pleased with this excellent road.

A couple of stops in Page for passport stamps at the Powell Museum and Visitor Center, letterbox and supplies before crossing the Colorado River and stopping at the Carl Hayden Visitor Center. This is the location for tours of the Glen Canyon dam.

As we left Arizona we realized we had seen all but 4 state's license plates in the 2-1/2 days traveling in Arizona.
Missing- KS, MS, WV & ME

On our way to Kanab we stopped at Big Water Visitor Center, part of the Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, a BLM site. They have great fossil displays. The volunteer on duty told us they are discovering and excavating dinosaurs, some fairly complete, on a regular basis.

Outside of Kanab we camped at a BLM campground, Ponderosa Grove. Only a few sites and only $5 a night, $2.50 for Golden Age. Located within the Coral Sand Dunes, a few miles before the state park by the same name. Still windy!


Wednesday Preview: Zion campgrounds full by 9 AM!

Letterboxes
Sunday - 1
Monday - 2
Tuesday - 2

Passport Stamps
Montezuma Castle National Monument - Camp Verde, AZ
Bonus
- Montezuma Castle National Monument - Historic Visitor Center 1960
Theodore Roosevelt 1858-1919 - The National Parks: America's Best Idea
Arizona's Centennial 1912-2012 - Montezuma Castle
Walnut Canyon National Monument - Flagstaff, AZ
Grand Canyon National Park
Albright Training Center - Grand Canyon, AZ
Grand Canyon National Park - Kolb Studio
Grand Canyon National Park - Verkamp's
Grand Canyon National Park - Yavapai Geology Museum
Grand Canyon National Park - Yavapai Point, AZ
Grand Canyon National Park - Grand Canyon, AZ
Grand Canyon National Park - Grand Canyon Visitor Center
Grand Canyon National Park - Tusayan Ruin
Desert View - Grand Camyon, AZ
Bonus
Historic Kolb Studio - Grand Canyon South Rim
Verkamp's Visitor Center - Grand Canyon
- Albright Training Center
NPS Arrowhead
Wilderness 50 years 1964-2014

Old Spanish NHT - Powell Museum, AAz
Old Spanish NHT - Page, AZ
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area - Page, AZ
Grand Staircase-Escalante NM - Big Water, UT
Old Spanish NHT - Grand Staircase - Escalante NM, UT
Bonus
-Nothronychus graffami (dinosaur)


Smashed Pennies
RP's Stage Stop - Tusayan, AZ

NPS Collector Tokens
Montezuma Castle NM - 1
Grand Canyon NP - 2


Wildlife Sightings
Abert's Squirrel
Coyote
Elk
Mule Deer
Black-tailed Jackrabbit


Common Raven
Northern Mockingbird
Turkey Vulture
American Robin
Western Bluebird
Hummingbird, broad-tailed
Swallow, ?
Black-throated Warbler
Great Blue Heron
Stellar Blue Jay
Piņon Jay
House Sparrow