Grand Canyon West Rim

Yes Caveat, I had assumed the poster was European and probably would be a
first time visitor to the park. Based on his posts with mentions something
like the west rim being within the south rim, etc it appears there was some
confusion.

Yes the Colorado runs in all directions. This is why I explicitly said "in
this part of the park", meaning the entrances to South and North Rims. Those
portions of the river that runs north and south will obviously create a west
and east rim. However, the reader may assume there is an
East Rim and West Rim visitor center and entrances. It
appears he was deciding perhaps "should I rent a car and go the South Rim,
or the West rim, when there really is not a choice. I didn't mean to imply
geographically that there is no east rim nor west rim, just that you cannot
get in a car and have four entrance options.

Typically Europeans (as well as all other tourists) will pass through either
the South entrance, or the North entrance. Mostly via the South. Once INSIDE
the park, you can (with permission in some cases) visit many sections of
the park; east rim, west rim, or .whatever. You must first gain access to
the park (and pay the entrance fee).

If he is reading travel brochures in Europe about the GC I'm almost certain
the views he is talking about are along the west rim drive of the South Rim,
and hence "west rim within the south rim". He thinks he will miss most of
the views he has read about. I don't think so.

The grizzled veteran hiker, backpacker who has spent a lot of time in the
park can provide special insight on the remote areas of the park, but I
still believe the visitor was inquiring about the South Rim. Do that first,
and fine tune later.

I know it is popular to suggest that one see a "broader" area of the park.
But, A typical visitor to the park I understand is there less than a day.
The park is VAST, and if a first time visitor is going to be there only for
a few hours, the South Rim ain't too bad. It was probably what brought them
there in the first place. One can be more discriminatory about sections of
the park only after multiple visits. Please excuse me if I gave a limited
view of the park. Rental cars and avoiding unpaved roads implies to me a
short stay, and no deep interior backingpacking,
just sights along the road.

"Delbert Stanley" wrote:

Yes Caveat, I had assumed the poster was European and probably would be a
first time visitor to the park. Based on his posts with mentions something
like the west rim being within the south rim, etc it appears there was some
confusion.

The confusion is fostered by the names commonly used at the Park. As
you know, the roads going west and east from Grand Canyon Village
along the South Rim are called the West and East Rim Drives. And
anything across the Colorado River to the north is referred-to as the
North Rim -- even if it's dozens of miles beyond the actual North Rim
out on the Kaibab Plateau. Thus one can have an East Rim on the North
Rim. Then there are the local usage names...

Yes the Colorado runs in all directions. This is why I explicitly said "in
this part of the park", meaning the entrances to South and North Rims. Those
portions of the river that runs north and south will obviously create a west
and east rim. However, the reader may assume there is an
East Rim and West Rim visitor center and entrances...

This is made even more confusing with the east entrance station (on
the South Rim) which is, of course, at the end of the East Rim Drive.

Typically Europeans (as well as all other tourists) will pass through either
the South entrance, or the North entrance. Mostly via the South.

True. But I detected that OP was really confused about the area and
about to be conned into going to a cattle ranch out in the middle of
nowhere far from ANY real rim. That's why I intruded. Sorry. We spent
last summer in Europe and were similarly confused at many points about
certain areas. Happily, knowledgeable locals stepped-in to set us
straight. Just trying to return the favor.

The grizzled veteran hiker, backpacker who has spent a lot of time in the
park can provide special insight on the remote areas of the park, but I
still believe the visitor was inquiring about the South Rim. Do that first,
and fine tune later.

Are you calling me grizzled? vbg

I know it is popular to suggest that one see a "broader" area of the park.
But, A typical visitor to the park I understand is there less than a day.
The park is VAST, and if a first time visitor is going to be there only for
a few hours, the South Rim ain't too bad.

Agreed. I will second that recommendation.

It was probably what brought them
there in the first place.

One of the seven Wonders of the World!

One can be more discriminatory about sections of
the park only after multiple visits.

Yeah, I probably qualify after 50 or so years going there :-/.

Please excuse me if I gave a limited
view of the park. Rental cars and avoiding unpaved roads implies to me a
short stay, and no deep interior backingpacking,
just sights along the road.

Not a problem. I thought your post was useful. Hope my addendum helped
a bit, too.

Peace,


Caveat

If he is reading travel brochures in Europe ...
I'm almost certain the views he is talking about
are along the west rim drive of the South Rim...

I think what happened is that ads (or the web site) for the Grand
Canyon West Ranch gave him the incorrect impression that it was close
to a western rim of the canyon. And so he became confused when other
web sites didn't mention a west rim, or used that term when referring
to the west side of the south rim.

It definitely is very easy to get confused if you haven't been there
before and don't know how the Canyon is oriented or where the major
tourist areas are located.

In any event, it sounds like he's gotten things straightened out now.

Jim

wrote:

If he is reading travel brochures in Europe ...
I'm almost certain the views he is talking about
are along the west rim drive of the South Rim...


I think what happened is that ads (or the web site) for the Grand
Canyon West Ranch gave him the incorrect impression that it was close
to a western rim of the canyon. And so he became confused when other
web sites didn't mention a west rim, or used that term when referring
to the west side of the south rim.

It definitely is very easy to get confused if you haven't been there
before and don't know how the Canyon is oriented or where the major
tourist areas are located.

In any event, it sounds like he's gotten things straightened out now.

Jim



It is interesting that their map doesn't even show the park. It ends at
the Indian reservation at the west end of the park. They really don't
say that they are AT the Grand Canyon and if you look at their map they
are far closer to Lake Mead. Their information is all correct but I can
see how folks could read in far more from the name.

Hi,

thanks to all for all your answers.

You're right i am european (French).

What I understand is:
- there is a north and a south rim (5 hours drive from LV)
- Within the south rim there is a west rim drive (which is NOT what website
calls the west rim).
- there is what website calls the west rim (2.5 hours from LV). This is the
hualapai nation. You can drive to the west rim. It is definetly NOT in the
south rim.

Most of the tours are within the west rim!! (hualapai nation). Not in the
south rim.
Just have a look the
http://www.papillon.com/index.php?cPath=22_29
Each time they say "descent of 4,000 feet from the Rim to the Canyon floor "
they are speaking about the west rim (hualapai nation)!! Sometimes they say
explicitly "west rim", sometimes not.
This is not clear, I needed 2 weeks to understand that!!
If, as everybody says in this group, the west rim is just like a joke (if we
compare with the REAL grand canyon on the south rim), i think it is not
honest from them and really bad!!

So thanky you to all, I have booked a package on the south rim and i am
happy to know there are the best views of the grand canyon ;-)

bye
Rodolphe



a écrit dans le message de news:
...
If he is reading travel brochures in Europe ...
I'm almost certain the views he is talking about
are along the west rim drive of the South Rim...

I think what happened is that ads (or the web site) for the Grand
Canyon West Ranch gave him the incorrect impression that it was close
to a western rim of the canyon. And so he became confused when other
web sites didn't mention a west rim, or used that term when referring
to the west side of the south rim.

It definitely is very easy to get confused if you haven't been there
before and don't know how the Canyon is oriented or where the major
tourist areas are located.

In any event, it sounds like he's gotten things straightened out now.

Jim

Most of the tours are within the west rim!! (hualapai nation). Not in the
south rim.
Just have a look the
http://www.papillon.com/index.php?cPath=22_29
Each time they say "descent of 4,000 feet from the Rim to the Canyon floor
"
they are speaking about the west rim (hualapai nation)!! Sometimes they
say
(snip)
I agree with everything said so far! however, a friend of mine has just come
back to UK from a trip including GC (he had been to South Rim before tho)
and he did do the Havasupai Heli Hiking Day tour with Papillon which he
rated as absolutely fantastic. They picked him up from his hotel (at the
South Rim 'tourist area') and drove to where the helicopter took off from;
did the trip (they walked to the waterfall rather than riding) including a
swim at the foot of the Falls, and they drove him back to his hotel.


--
Rita Daggett

Each time they say "descent of 4,000 feet from the Rim to the Canyon
floor " they are speaking about the west rim (hualapai nation)!!

I'm pretty sure this is the rutted dirt road down to Diamond Creek at
river mile 226, the only place you can actually drive to the river
floor inside the Canyon. I've taken rafts out there a couple of times
after rafting the entire distance from Lee's Ferry, you access it from
Peach Springs and have to pay the Hualapai to drive it. The main
visitor areas are around river mile 93 or so, by the time you get to
Diamond Creek the rim is much lower ... the scenery is fine but not as
eye-popping as at the main visitor areas.

If, as everybody says in this group, the west rim is just like a joke (if we
compare with the REAL grand canyon on the south rim), i think it is not
honest from them and really bad!!

Yes, it's very misleading but it seems like you escaped with wallet
intact