One of the greatest mini road trips in the country- the short but exciting one day journey from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon offers the best of the American Southwest!
Starting from Las Vegas, I would recommend getting a 6:00 am start (I know that’s early- especially for somebody staying on the Strip but I promise this will be worth it!). Jump on 515 south to US 93 (toward Boulder city/hoover dam).
You should arrive at the dam an hour later- cross first and park on the Arizona side to avoid the $7.00 parking fee in Nevada. If you choose, you can take the Bureau of Reclamation’s Hydroelectric power plant tour but you will have to wait until the facilities open (Tours run from 9:25- 4:15/ cost is $11.00 per adult). Warning- If you wait to take the tour, just get a small snack in the gift shop. You don’t want to spoil your appetite for the next stop..
Leaving the Hoover dam, continue on 93 then merge on to I-40 toward Flagstaff/Phoenix. You have approximately 2 hours to go before you arrive in Seligman AZ. One of the last remaining gems of the classic 50’s era road trip- Seligman remains along a short stretch of Route 66 “The Main Street of America”. Small restaurants/gas station’s still dot this stretch of highway, their business advertised by rusty, half dilapidated, neon signs. One drive through town and you will know exactly why Pixar modeled the fictional town of “Radiator Springs” in their blockbuster release Cars after Seligman.
Of all small throwbacks to yesteryear in this town, a notable highlight would be The Snow Cap Drive in. Built by local resident Juan Delgadillo in 1953 using scrap lumber obtained from a nearby Santa Fe Railroad Yard, this still operational drive-in eatery is a true example of living Americana. The place itself is adorned with pieces vintage American Automobiles, tongue and cheek style advertisements, and a menu that offers such faire as the “Cheeseburger with Cheese” or the “Dead chicken”. The restaurant is sill family run (by Juan’s Children) and has been featured on the History Channel show “American Restoration”.
After eating a good lunch in Seligman, just jump back on I-40 east towards Williams AZ and you will arrive at the South Entrance to Grand canyon National Park in a little over an hour. Pay the $25 entrance fee (per vehicle) and drive less then 5 minutes to the visitors center and take in your first spectacular views of the south rim. If you are like me, you want to know that you have a campsite lined up before you can relax and enjoy the world class hiking trails. For that you have two options- Mather Campground located just near the visitor center (over 300 camping spots at $18 per night/Campervans allowed but there are NO RV hook ups). The great news is that you can call and reserve a site up to 5 months in advance- just call 1-800-365-CAMP. If your looking for RV hook ups and slightly more amenities, then a comfortable alternative would be the Grand Canyon Camper Village located just before the south entrance to the park near Tusayan AZ. This privately run campground offers full water, electric, and sewage for $50 per night. Note that this campground does not appear on most GPS systems and you will most likely have to call to get directions the old fashioned way (928-638-2887).
If you followed this suggested itinerary to the letter, then you would have seen and accomplished all of the above by 1:30! Now that you have arrived and have your camping location figured out, get out and explore one of the Natural wonders of the world!
For up to date weather, trail closings, and safety information- please check out the following:
National Park Service- Critical Back country updates
http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/trail-closures.htm
One of the greatest mini road trips in the country- the short but exciting one day journey from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon offers the best of the American Southwest!
Starting from Las Vegas, I would recommend getting a 6:00 am start (I know that’s early- especially for somebody staying on the Strip but I promise this will be worth it!). Jump on 515 south to US 93 (toward Boulder city/hoover dam).
You should arrive at the dam an hour later- cross first and park on the Arizona side to avoid the $7.00 parking fee in Nevada. If you choose, you can take the Bureau of Reclamation’s Hydroelectric power plant tour but you will have to wait until the facilities open (Tours run from 9:25- 4:15/ cost is $11.00 per adult). Warning- If you wait to take the tour, just get a small snack in the gift shop. You don’t want to spoil your appetite for the next stop..
Leaving the Hoover dam, continue on 93 then merge on to I-40 toward Flagstaff/Phoenix. You have approximately 2 hours to go before you arrive inSeligman AZ. One of the last remaining gems of the classic 50’s era road trip- Seligman remains along a short stretch of Route 66 “The Main Street of America”. Small restaurants/gas station’s still dot this stretch of highway, their business advertised by rusty, half dilapidated, neon signs. One drive through town and you will know exactly why Pixar modeled the fictional town of “Radiator Springs” in their blockbuster release Cars after Seligman.
Of all small throwbacks to yesteryear in this town, a notable highlight would be The Snow Cap Drive in. Built by local resident Juan Delgadillo in 1953 using scrap lumber obtained from a nearby Santa Fe Railroad Yard, this still operational drive-in eatery is a true example of living Americana. The place itself is adorned with pieces vintage American Automobiles, tongue and cheek style advertisements, and a menu that offers such faire as the “Cheeseburger with Cheese” or the “Dead chicken”. The restaurant is sill family run (by Juan’s Children) and has been featured on the History Channel show “American Restoration”.
After eating a good lunch in Seligman, just jump back on I-40 east towards Williams AZ and you will arrive at the South Entrance to Grand canyon National Park in a little over an hour. Pay the $25 entrance fee (per vehicle) and drive less then 5 minutes to the visitors center and take in your first spectacular views of the south rim. If you are like me, you want to know that you have a campsite lined up before you can relax and enjoy the world class hiking trails. For that you have two options- Mather Campground located just near the visitor center (over 300 camping spots at $18 per night/Campervans allowed but there are NO RV hook ups). The great news is that you can call and reserve a site up to 5 months in advance- just call 1-800-365-CAMP. If your looking for RV hook ups and slightly more amenities, then a comfortable alternative would be the Grand Canyon Camper Village located just before the south entrance to the park near Tusayan AZ. This privately run campground offers full water, electric, and sewage for $50 per night. Note that this campground does not appear on most GPS systems and you will most likely have to call to get directions the old fashioned way (928-638-2887).
If you followed this suggested itinerary to the letter, then you would have seen and accomplished all of the above by 1:30! Now that you have arrived and have your camping location figured out, get out and explore one of the Natural wonders of the world!
For up to date weather, trail closings, and safety information- please check out the following:
National Park Service- Critical Back country updates
http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/trail-closures.htm
