The Grand Canyon tops many international tourists’ bucket lists, and it should be on every American’s list too. Pictures might be worth a thousand words but seeing it in person is a whole different dimension. The Grand Canyon experience is incredible, beyond words or imagination.
Williams, Arizona
This is the Gateway to the Grand Canyon, 60 miles south of the park and a famous stop on the original Route 66. While the USA celebrates 250 years in ’26, it’s also the centennial year for Route 66, and this town is showing off its history at every turn.
The Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel in Williams has transported guests to the Grand Canyon for 107 years, zipping across the vast high desert and forest-bathing through the pines. It’s not just a ride but an entertaining show with historical narration.
The show starts at the Grand Canyon Railway station in Williams with roping, dueling cowboys, and marshals performing hokey but humorous antics. Spoiler alert — they show up on the train later to stage a hilarious robbery. Prepare to forfeit a one-dollar bill. This is noted to be part of the Xanterra Green program – recycling the Wild West cowboys, ha.
Wildlife is spotted en route along with “wavers”. Some hand wavers are paid, meaning they work for the Railway, while others are volunteers. They are locals and tourists, all enthusiastic about the train that passes every day except Christmas.
Cattle graze on the range and jack rabbits bounce through the meadows. A generational herd of elk nodded farewell on our return trip, while pronghorn deer pranced away from the tracks.
The Observation Dome is a second-level spot in the railcar offering better views of all the sights, with refreshments served to and fro. The morning spread includes hot beverages and juices, pastries, and fruit. In the afternoon, a table of charcuterie and assorted drinks appears, along with a champagne toast from our hostess, Alex, who dispenses plenty of history and knowledge along the way. For instance, who knew that Arizona had over 600 volcanoes?
She’s also the bartender for those who desire rail drinks, like her Conductor’s Coffee with Baileys and whipped cream. We advise that high altitude and rough canyon edges warrant hydration on the way there instead. When necessary, the ladies lounge is surprisingly sizeable and comfortable.
Entertainment continues when Steve Miller climbs the stairs with his guitar. He’s a cowboy troubadour who leads a sing-along of folk and train songs. “Folsom Prison,” he says, is the most requested. Clyde took over on the return trip with a long résumé of famous bands he’s collaborated with over the years. Both were engaging crooners.
Elephant Rocks Golf Club
Ten minutes from the Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel is a genuine surprise for discerning golfers. As one player understated it, “This is no municipal goat hill.” It has character, depth, and a whole lot of elephants – in the gardens, in the clubhouse, on the signs, in the fairways and yes, in the giant boulder rocks.
From the range to the round, the fresh mountain air at 7,000 feet elevation is punctuated by a parkland design surrounded by tall Ponderosa Pines and ponds. Number one opens with trees huddling around the left fairway and a pond toward the end on the right. No. 18’s 100-foot drop par 3 looks like a bunny slope you’d like to ski or golf again, and again.
All the holes in between offer a fun challenge, but to be fair, we only made it through 6 due to a deluge. The ranger advised us to don our gear right before it hit and that we did. It was the lightning that chased us away. We’ve seen Caddy Shack after all.
On another lucky day, we’ll return to play all of Gary Panks’ reconfiguration, once Danny’s shoulder replacement is healed and he can do more than putt and chip one-handed.
THE GRAND CANYON
Thirty years had passed since our last visit to the canyon, and memories flooded back of bringing Alice’s three dearly departed brothers on separate occasions.
The oldest, Dan, from Florida, and his wife, Rose, were first, walking the rim and posing for pics on a day trip. The middle brother, Ed, enjoyed an overnight stay at Bright Angel Lodge, followed by a helicopter flight inside the canyon — something that no longer happens for environmental and safety reasons. The youngest of older brothers, Fred, with his wife, Edith, and our son, Mike, bravely took the mule ride down Bright Angel Trail. That’s not for the faint of heart but is an unforgettable adventure.
This trip was with Danny’s brother Jim and wife, Denise, who drove their camper from California to Williams. We walked from the Railway depot along the rim to Bright Angel Trail, where the mule team was finalizing its climb, saddled with tired but happy butts.
It’s a narrow trail, and hugging the wall while the mules passed by was a thrill. Leaning on the fence of the corral where they mount and dismount, an old cowboy shared that he had been a guide there 50 years ago. As the cowgirl guides led the mules off to their barn, he quipped, “New Yorkers don’t come to see these girls. They want to ride with real cowboys.”
Times they are a-changing, but visiting the canyon never gets old. Every single vista is different and magnificent.
Where to stay
Bring your camper like Jim and Denise, stay at the Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel for comfort and convenience, or choose one of many motels and hotels along the loop in Williams.
There is even the Motel Canyon RV option, where you can stay in a Caboose or Rail car, yeah, like a hobo, but with shampoo and a TV when it’s working. You can step outside to stargaze instead. It’s quirky fun for a night or two.
Williams, Arizona, was a home-state discovery for us that makes us wonder what else we’ve been missing all these decades. If it hadn’t been for grounding and “homecationing” after Danny’s shoulder replacement, we may never have taken the time to discover this precious piece of Americana. Don’t miss it.
