Grand Canyon National Park Pt. 2

On my second day at the Grand Canyon, I slept in a little bit before setting up my camping table and chair outside to cook and have breakfast in the warming morning sun. It was nice to have a slower morning since I have been on the move so much. I packed a lunch and got ready to do a little bit longer of a hike this day. Once I arrived at the park, I hopped on a shuttle bus to the Bright Angel Trailhead. My plan was to do the six-mile out and back to the Three Mile Resthouse. This trail was three miles down, three miles back up. I heard that many people get heatstroke, get severely dehydrated, or hike too far not realizing they don’t have the ability to hike back up and I felt very cautious of how much I could handle, especially being alone. Although the trail was very busy, I wanted to make sure I could take care of myself. As I hiked down, the views were amazing and only got better as I got lower and lower. I could tell this was going to be a bit more strenuous than the hike I did the day before but I was excited for the challenge. After many switchbacks, passing by a group on mules, and hellos and how are yous to hikers on their way up I made it to the Three Mile Resthouse. I walked to the far side of the overlook, which had the best view, and took a seat on a large rock. I ate my lunch and looked out, noticing something new with the view every time I would look back up.

After spending some time with the wide-open face of the canyon I was ready to start my hike back up. I started out strong and a bit fast. The incline caught up with me and I had to slow my pace a little bit but I didn’t want to slow down too much; I decided I wanted to get to the top in under two hours. There were a few people that I would pass when they took a break and that would pass me when I took a break. It was cool to notice how far the overlook was and how the switchbacks looked now that I was moving away from them. I was really enjoying the challenge and the energy from the other hikers. Finally, I had reached the top and I had done it under two hours. I treated myself to an ice cream cone and enjoyed the view of the trail as I ate it.

I left the park a little earlier this day so that I could go back to the Kaibab National Forest, where I had parked the night before, and find a spot that was a little more secluded. On my way out of the park, I passed a massive herd of elk, which was so cool to see. I was FaceTiming my parents at the time so it was fun to show them a really cool moment I was experiencing. Once I got to the road with all the campsites, I noticed spots open near other vans and campers but I didn’t want to intrude on anyone’s space. I drove quite a bit further down the road and found a nice camping spot with one other van across the road. I parked for the night and took out my camping table to cook dinner outside. I made a campfire and ate my dinner as the sky turned dark. I was surprised, and a little proud, that I didn’t feel scared to sit outside in the woods, in the dark, next to my campfire looking at the stars. After a while I let the fire die out and called it a night.

The next morning, I woke up at 5 am to get to the Grand Canyon to watch the sunrise before I left. There were many people there to watch as well. I hung out at Mather Point as the sun peaked out over the horizon, lighting up the clouds. The colors of the sky were soft and the light dulled the red hues of the canyon walls. It was the perfect way to say goodbye to the Grand Canyon.