How often do Arizonans get up to the Grand Canyon? (Prescott: live, train)

[aridzona]

It is a very common misconception of locals availing themselves of access to a famous local area versus tourists.

In my own case I have lived in a number of these areas of well known attractions.

Here in Arizona, very few people I know have hiked in the Grand Canyon.

When I lived in Colorado, the official figures at the time, showed that less than 30% of residents actually skied.

When I lived in the NYC area you would be hard pressed to find a resident that had visited the Statue of LIberty, WTC, Empire State Bldg, museums, gone to a Broadway show or most of the other famous sites.

Locals have to go to work everyday and to go off on weekends, fight the crowds, spend tourist inflated costs to enjoy famous local areas probably contributes to why tourists have an advantage.

Gotta go now since the weekend tourists are lining the highways into Sedona and I love to climb to the top of a mesa and watch them gawking at the red rocks.

[Colt AZ]

Originally Posted by aridzona

Gotta go now since the weekend tourists are lining the highways into Sedona and I love to climb to the top of a mesa and watch them gawking at the red rocks.

Snoopy would be proud of you!

[sandy6879]

5 years here, haven't been there once. Honestly, I don't have a huge desire to go...we're not hikers, and all I can think of is we're going to drive for 4-5 hours to go look at it and do....what? Turn around and go home? Sooner or later we'll get there but it's not at the top of my priority list.

To be fair, I was born/raised in CT and never went to the Statue of Liberty in NY either. Very similar to what aridzona posted

[aridzona]

Originally Posted by Colt Cassidy

Snoopy would be proud of you!

You reminded me that I haven't been up in the Margs Draw/Snoopy area in a long time.

I'm in VOC and it's so convenient to go forever in any direction with little or no driving to a trailhead, I almost have forgotten the Sedona area.

I have done "all" the trails up there though, back in my younger days.

[Colt AZ]

Originally Posted by aridzona

You reminded me that I haven't been up in the Margs Draw/Snoopy area in a long time.

I'm in VOC and it's so convenient to go forever in any direction with little or no driving to a trailhead, I almost have forgotten the Sedona area.

I have done "all" the trails up there though, back in my younger days.

Good grief!

[Champ le monstre du lac]

I had a feeling that interest in the Canyon was on the low side among residing Arizonans. I'm a big hiker though so my level of interest is probably higher than most. I went to GCNP in March two years ago, so it wasn't high season. It was 50 at the rim in the morning and 75 at Indian Garden when we got there in the afternoon, so it was perfect hiking weather that day. I can imagine how much of a **** show it must be during the summer at the South Rim with the tourist crowds. I'd probably head up to the North Rim that time of year.

[Ash Fork Rat]

i lived in Omaha for 60 years and never did the "Offut air base " tour . GC is whenever friends or family come visiting .

[PhureeKeeper]

OP: Good topic to post!

I host co-workers who come to visit from other countries and have made the trip for the past 5 years. We make it a 2 day trip and stay either in Sedona, Flag or Williams. We 'hike' the Bright Angel trail for about 1/2 hour - just to say we hiked the canyon, have lunch at the El Tovar lodge and then always stay for sunset. The beauty never ceases to amaze me.

I've done the GC Railway on my own and thought it was very boring. The seats on the train weren't comfortable either. Hopefully they've corrected that.

[Potential_Landlord]

Originally Posted by paradiseca

I have often thought more people from Germany know more about Arizona than Arizonians. Go to the Grand Canyon in May or early June. You will have to look pretty hard to find an Arizona plate in the campgrounds. After Germans you will find people from states like Washington, Michigan, Wisconsin, etc who visit the park. So people from Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Britain, etc. know more about Arizona than natives. I think that's kind of cool.

I think it's true that you appreciate less the things that are close by. After having been up there a few times we also lost some interest and another problem is it's dangerous with small children as there are no barriers in some places. We'll go back after our last child is old enough, hopefully in a few years.

[AZDesertBrat]

Originally Posted by Desert_SW_77

I was just watching a PBS program "Grand Canyon Serenade" which has some outstanding video footage of the canyon. I've been to the canyon once and did the 9 mile round trip hike down Bright Angel to Indian Garden and back up to the rim. It was incredibly rigorous to do in one day, but I loved the challenge of it. I want to go back again, there so much to explore and I think I'd like to do the North Rim (in season) next time.

But that got me wondering how often people that live in Arizona and have easy access to it go up and visit. When I was hiking there I ran into people from all over the world. Do people that live in the Valley or Tucson take the opportunity to explore up there, or do they prefer other parts of the state? I realize I'll probably get a variety of answers here.

I haven't been to Grand Canyon in years. I never saw it to begin with till I was in my mid 20s and I, pretty much, grew up where I live now. Not that far. Don't know why my dad never took us there because he took us about everywhere else, it seemed. Ten years later I lived and worked there for two years so got to explore a LOT. I don't have the stamina or the energy to do that again! No more hikes to Phantom Ranch or Havasupai! Oddly enough I have still never been to the North Rim. Been past the road to it a gazillion times and just never turned off onto it. Maybe I should make that a destination sometime this year. July would be good.