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Getting Around the South Rim

Click on Map to Enlarge

A few days ago we hopped onto a Blue Line bus from Trailer Village where we’re camping.

Waiting for the Bus

The Bus

Then we transferred to a Red Line Bus and rode it to Trailview Overlook. We hiked about a mile along the Rim Trail to Maricopa Point.

Here are some photos from our hike . . .

Handy Trail Markers

Getting Close to the Edge

For my sisters

Jan being very brave. When we first visited the Grand Canyon, this would never have happened . . .

At the Edge

Tom also grips that rail

But there’s always that kid . . .

After the hike to Maricopa Point, we boarded a Red Line bus and headed for Hermit’s Rest . . .

Photos from Hermit’s Rest . . .

Then we took buses back to Yavapai Lodge where we had lunch.

Grand Canyon, AZ

Jan’s 1st Selfie

We arrived at Trailer Village at the Grand Canyon last Saturday afternoon. It’s a full hookup campground and we’re here for two weeks.

This is our third visit here. The first time we essentially drove by in 1992 during our Route 66 tour. In 1994, we stayed at El Tovar for several days and absolutely loved it.

Click on map to enlarge

On our way up this time up we had concerns about the cold and the possibility of getting snow. We saw patches of it on the sides of Interstate 40 outside of Flagstaff.

Also, the Grand Canyon is at 6,800 feet. Elevation plays a huge role in weather as the further up you go, the colder it gets.

Click to enlarge

On our first day here we walked to the canyon’s rim and logged about 3 miles. There is plenty to do here . . . more later . . .

Some photos from Jan . . .

Camp Verde, AZ

After we left Alamo Lake State Park, we spent one day in Wickenburg, AZ because it was halfway between Alamo Lake and our next destination Camp Verde.

Click on map to enlarge

CAMP VERDE (3,147 ft elevation)

We’re staying 4 nights at a campground that looked promising. It’s under new ownership, and the online reviews sounded good. We have strong signals for both Verizon and AT&T, plus the camp WiFi is passable.

Our Camp Verde Site

While we camped here, Jan baked a loaf of banana bread in our convection oven . . .

Yum

JEROME (5,066 ft elevation)

The View from Jerome (click on photo to enlarge)

After resting a day, we drove to see the abandoned copper mine in Jerome, AZ which is about 2,000 feet higher in elevation. We didn’t really notice, besides occasional ear popping, until we started driving the ledge roads coming into Jerome. Ledge roads have steep drop offs and I was driving the outside lane near the drop off. Nancy, Mary, are you hearing this?

Also, most of the buildings in Jerome are built on ledges — steep ledges.

Jerome, AZ (click on photo to enlarge)

There was a mining museum there and lots of stuff to look at.

SEDONA (4,350 ft elevation)

We kinda sorta planned a driving tour of Sedona on our third day in Camp Verde. What a mistake! Seriously, if you want to explore Sedona, stay in one of the hotels for a month. The traffic in and out of Sedona was horrific. There was really no place to stop and take pictures as there was a plethora of PRIVATE PROPERTY, NO PARKING, and NO TRESPASSING signs. Really inviting.

High point of this trip was Pizza Lisa where we stopped for lunch. We highly recommend this restaurant.

However, we were able to grab a few photos . . .

Red Rocks Everywhere

MONTEZUMA CASTLE NATIONAL MONUMENT

While I slept in on our fourth day here, Jan drove to the Montezuma Castle National Monument just outside Camp Verde.

Visitors are no longer allowed inside the cliff dwelling, but Jan did take these photos.

NEXT STOP: Grand Canyon

The Grand Alignment Weekend Has Arrived

This weekend the planets align . . .

FRIDAY – Blackpink play Coachella

SATURDAY – BTS appear on SNL

SUNDAY – GOT is back

Alamo Lake State Park (Wenden, AZ)

Click on map to enlarge

We left River Island State Park on Friday, April 5th and traveled to Alamo Lake State Park near Wenden, AZ. We stayed three nights.

As the crow flies, Alamo Lake is not far from River Island. However, there are mountains and rough terrain in between the two parks. So it ended up to be about a 100-mile trip.

Alamo Lake is a huge natural catch basin that was made into a lake when the Army Corps of Engineers built a dam to create the lake in 1968. There are three fishing ramps into the lake, each at a different elevation. This is necessary because lake levels can vary dramatically — up to 11 feet in just overnight.

Wild burros inhabit the area. Both Jan and I spotted a burro near our campsite. We heard them braying at night. They are loud.

Our Site

We had to use our HughesNET Gen 5 satellite Internet dish again as there was no AT&T or Verizon coverage. However, we did have full hookups.

Here are some photos from our stay . . .

Jan’s Painting Table

They’re Everywhere

Corps of Engineers Dam

Jan’s Alamo Lake Watercolor