2020 Christmas Grand Canyon Trip
This content was automatically generated by gpt-4o-mini (No human review). The original post is in Chinese.
This was the first time Cuihao and I drove our own car for a road trip, and it was also my first time planning a road trip by myself. Over 5 days and 4 nights, we visited 3 national parks, and it went quite smoothly. However, we wanted to play a bit longer, but our legs were too sore to hike, so we had to head home a day early.
Itinerary
Day 1: Joshua Tree National Park
Links:
Spots:
- Hidden Valley Nature Trail (Hiking, 1.6km, 29min)
- Ryan Mountain Trail (Hiking, 4.8km, 2h)
- Skull Rock Nature Trail (No Hiking, 2.7km, 48min)
- Split Rock
- Cholla Cactus Garden
Accommodation:
- Haviland Rest Area Eastbound (overnight parking legal)
Time Table: 
On the first night, we slept in the car at a rest area on the highway, which was our first time doing so. The rest area was quite noisy, with bright lights, and there were often big trucks coming in and out, and they never turned off their engines. The weather was very cold, probably around 2-4 degrees at night. The back seat of our car, when folded down, didn’t provide much space, so Cuihao couldn’t lie flat and ended up sleeping in the passenger seat. I slept in the back, but my body kept sliding towards the trunk because the front was higher than the back, and my legs were pressed against the trunk door, making it impossible for my muscles to relax. The experience of sleeping in the car was quite poor.
Day 2-3: Grand Canyon National Park
Day 2
Links：
Spots:
Rim Trail (Easy hiking)
Desert View Drive (Drive)
Camping: Mather Campground Limited Open (about 30 sites)
Day 2 Grand Canyon National Park It was my first time at the Grand Canyon National Park, and the scenery was indeed spectacular. We arrived at the park around 11 AM and surprisingly managed to secure a first-come, first-served campsite at Mather Campground, so we decided to camp here for two nights. In the afternoon, we drove along Desert View Drive, stopping at several viewpoints, and watched the sunset, taking many tourist photos. (After two days without internet, I finally got connected!)
Day 3
Hiking: South Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch (Hard hiking)
Day 3 South Kaibab Trail Hiking Still at the Grand Canyon, we hiked all day. There were three of us, and we set off from the trailhead around 9:00 AM, returning to the trailhead around 4:30 PM. We originally planned to reach the Kaibab Trail Suspension Bridge, but worried about the return time, we decided to turn back at 12:15 when we were still 1 km from the bridge. It turned out that the time spent climbing back was much shorter than the time spent going down, and we finished over an hour early. This was the longest and most scenic trail I have ever hiked. The views we saw while hiking were far more diverse and rich than those from the rim. (The weather forecast showed that the lowest temperature last night was minus 10 degrees. We slept in the tent wrapped in several layers of sleeping bags and blankets, and thankfully, we weren’t frozen. When we woke up in the morning, there was ice on the moisture on the tent. This was my first winter camping experience, and I felt it was still more comfortable than sleeping in the car because my car doesn’t lie flat…)
Day 4 Part 1 (Morning)
Spots:
- Hermit Road (Drive)
On Day 4, still at Grand Canyon NP, I woke up early to catch the sunrise, but it unexpectedly snowed. The previous days were sunny, and today was cloudy/snowy, with the canyon shrouded in thick fog. I missed the sunrise, but the morning glow in the west was quite nice. I drove to several viewpoints along Hermit Drive. The views of the canyon were starting to feel a bit repetitive, and with the bad weather, we decided to leave half a day early. So, we returned to the campsite around 10 AM to pack up the tent and left the Grand Canyon around 11 AM, driving to Hoover Dam.
Day 4 Part 2: Hoover Dam
Spots: Hoover Dam (Easy hiking)
- Official Map
- Free Parking: Boulder Dam Bridge parking / or Arizona Side
- Parking Garage & Arizona Pay Lot ($10)
Accommodation:
- Quality Inn, Boulder City
I originally planned to hike the Arizona Hot Spring trail next to Hoover Dam tomorrow. I had previously kayaked up from the river to see the hot springs and wanted to hike down from above this time. However, after pushing myself too hard yesterday, my calves were sore today, and I was limping while walking, almost like I had run a marathon, so I probably had to give it up. There’s just one last stop left: Death Valley. By the way, sleeping in the tent last night was much warmer than the night before, but after three consecutive nights in the car/tent, I hadn’t showered in three days. Therefore, we arrived at the hotel at 5 PM today, and finally, I could sleep in a bed, have hot water for a shower, and use my phone to go online! :D
Day 5: Death Valley National Park
Links:
Plan:
- Hoover Dam → Death Valley Junction (Drive 2h10min, 120mi)
- → Zabriskie Point (Drive 25min, 26mi)
- → Badwater Basin (Drive 23min, 18mi)
- → Artist’s Palette (Drive 17min, 10mi)
- → Furnace Creek Visitor Center (Drive 21min, 11mi)
- → Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes (Drive 25min, 23mi)
- → Father Crowley Overlook (Drive 46min, 41mi)
- → Home (Drive 5h, 290mi)
Spots:
- Zabriskie Point
- Badwater Basin
- Artists Drive
- Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
- Father Crowley Vesta Point
Day 5 Death Valley National Park Today we drove from Boulder City to Death Valley, experiencing various weather conditions along the way: rain, snow, fog, and clouds. Death Valley National Park is the largest national park in the contiguous United States, and it is also the hottest and driest national park in the country. Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America, at 86 meters below sea level. We left Death Valley around 4:30 PM to drive home, marking the end of this 5-day, 4-night road trip. Today was the day with the longest driving time and the farthest distance.
Driving Route
Here is our actual driving route, created from memory after returning home: Google Map Link
Total Expenses
We spent 5 days traveling, and it took another 2 days to pack up gear, do laundry, clean, and rest after returning home, including drying the tent, sleeping bags, and cleaning hiking boots, etc. Additionally, preparing for the trip and buying gear took a full 3 days (spread over a week). So, in total, we spent 5 days traveling and another 5 days preparing at home… Mainly because we are beginners, we were quite cautious and tried to make all the plans as detailed as possible in advance. Fortunately, everything went smoothly in the end, and we completed the trip safely. We drove 1500 miles, and the total expenses for two people, including accommodation, gas, and meals, came to $300 (not including outdoor gear).
