Grand Canyon :: First View

The sun was shining and the sky was blue when I arrived at the Grand Canyon Sunday afternoon (April 11th). Surely that was a good omen? There was just a little of the ever-present blue haze. I was early for the rendezvous with my friends Sue and Fred so I parked at the Visitor Center and walked out to Mather Point, which is usually the first view many visitors have of the Grand Canyon.

I've been here twice before but didn't venture much further than Mather Point, like many other visitors. Regardless of how many times you've been here or for how long you have stayed, or how many photographs you've seen, that first view of the Canyon is startling. There is no indication of anything unusual up ahead as you are driving across the Coconino Plateau from Flagstaff. It is, quite simply, breathtaking. Photographs just can't do it justice. But that didn't stop me from taking lots of pictures!



After about an hour of strolling along the South Rim, I drove on over to the Mather Campground, which would be my "home" for the next week. As I pulled into the check-in station, I noticed Fred and Sue standing in line - they had arrived just a few minutes before me. Perfect timing!

After getting settled into our campsites - they have a little pop-up trailer that didn't take long to get set up and I opted to not put up the tent because of the wind - we went to the Visitor Center to get maps and information and then took a walk along the South Rim. For me, it was the second time today, but as the light changes, so does the Canyon. Each viewing shows a different aspect, all are amazing and beautiful.