Veloviews for November 18, 2022 – Cycling the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

The wonders of the American southwest are many. Although places like Arches, Canyonlands, White Sands National Monument, and Carlsbad Caverns, just to name a few, are incredible, the crown jewel has to be the Grand Canyon.

The word “grand” is accurate. When you’re there, the landscape seems to stretch on forever and you truly get a sense of the expanse of the world. And if you step up to the edge of one of the many precipices and look down into the deep canyon, awe overwhelms you when you realize the guts of the earth are on full display.

Grand Canyon History

The Grand Canyon is located in northern Arizona. Its size is immense as it covers 278 miles. It is 18 miles wide and plummets to a depth of one mile. The scenery one experiences while visiting Crand Canyon National Park is due to erosion from the Colorado River that has snaked its way through the canyon for 6 million years.

As for human habitation, the canyon has been steadily occupied by native Americans for 4,000 years. But humans have been present in the canyon for over 10,000 years. In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson decreed the Grand Canyon area as a U.S. National Park. Many years later, Gerald Ford doubled the size of the park by including “national monuments and other federal lands…”

Cycling the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park

While there are two areas of the park open to tourists, the North Rim and the South Rim, only the South Rim is open to bicyclists. Specifically called the Hermit Road Greenway Trail, it offers 13 miles of paved road and trail to cyclists.

The trail is not overly technical nor does it offer great climbs or overly challenging terrain, although there is some slight elevation gain. It is mostly a leisurely ride that takes a cyclist along scenic vistas of the South Rim of the park. It also offers plenty of places to stop and grab some epic pictures on the canyon

Much like the road at White Sands National Monument, if you want to say you rode your bike at the Grand Canyon, this trail will give you that opportunity. And, of course, riding this trail will give you views someone in a car would not be able to see.

Last Thoughts

Grand Canyon National Park is definitely one of the most dynamic areas in all of America. Even if you don’t choose to bike there, the place itself will create a lasting memory you’ll never forget.

Have you visited Grand Canyon National Park? Have got to ride your bike there? Please like, comment, and share if you enjoyed this post. Have a great weekend everyone and stay warm. And if it’s nice enough where you live, I hope you can find some time to do a ride.