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Grand Canyon Solitaire
Have the Grand Canyon all to yourself by steering down the right path.
There you are, wanting to take in nature's big spectacle at the Grand Canyon's south rim, but stuck in traffic,
gasping fumes. Bus loads of foreign tourists are getting their pictures taken. You are praying that someone will
vacate a parking place just in front of you. The guy behind is honking. This is not the vacation you had in mind.
Four million people visit the Grand Canyon every year, most of those on the South rim, most of those between June and
August. That's a lot of people. The North Rim is quieter. And off season is an improvement. But what's a person to do
if your trips are planned around the school's calendar?
Do you have an SUV or four-wheel-drive vehicle? If so, here's an answer. The tourist side of the Canyon runs along
Arizona 64, Desert View Drive, from the Desert View watchtower, past Grand Canyon Village and on to Hermit's Rest
(via the Shuttle Bus). But that's not even half of the South Rim. The Canyon continues to the west for miles and
miles without an inch of asphalt.
So how do you get there? There is one road, Forest Service 328. It's dirt. It's rutted. It's bad. And for that
reason, you can have it all to yourself. If you are accustomed to Forest Service four-wheel-drive roads, there is
nothing to it.
But what about the scenery? At the turn of the century, before Teddy Roosevelt got involved, there were three tourist
camps. One at Grand View, one at the site of Grand Canyon Village, and one run by W.W. Bass. Bass's site was
considered the scenic heart of the Grand Canyon.
Yet when the railroad was built and the roads constructed Bass Camp was passed by. All that remains now are low
rubble foundations, a couple of abandoned cisterns, piles of cans. And the view.
Havasupai Point peers over a long ridge extending below, the Grand Scenic Divide. To the right is the new Canyon with
its fabled buttes, temples, towers and buttresses, incised by a succession of side canyons. To the left is the old
Canyon, simpler, broader, with an expansion of space, long walls across the river. It appears brighter, the colors
more vivid. With a slow turn of the head you can take it in. Alone. In silence.
There are no t-shirt shops, no ice cream for sale. There are no privies, no water. No guard rails. Just a couple of
picnic tables.
Is this your kind of place? If so it will take 90 minutes of driving to cover 30 miles of dirt road, first across
Coconino National Forest, then a wedge of the Havasupai Reservation, and on into the National Park.
If you come in from the south, from Flagstaff or Williams, go through Tusayan, get gas and any supplies you might
need. About a mile north of Tusayan look for Forest Service 328 and a sign for Apache Stables. (If you reach the
south entrance station, you went too far). Turn left, to the west. Soon the road will cross the railroad tracks.
Just stay on 328, following signs to "Pasture Wash." The road goes from good to bad and from bad to worse and from
worse to terrible. Reasonably high clearance is needed. It takes you through miles of "pygmy forest," juniper and
piñon with occasional openings of sage brush meadow.
You will reach a gate as you enter the land of the Havasupai. Most likely someone will come out of a simple cabin and
require a trespass fee of $25. Have cash in hand. If not, just let yourself through. They may catch you on the way
out.
After you cross into the park you'll notice the deserted Pasture Wash ranger station. You are getting close.
Continuing straight on you'll arrive at Bass Camp, the yawning earth spread in all its majesty. There may be a few
cars. This is the trailhead for the South Bass trail, a gateway into the inner canyon backcountry.
Deep below is the red sandstone Esplanade, supporting Mount Heuthawali - the "White Mountain" - before dropping off
to the abyss. Sit a spell. Nobody will bother you here.
To reach the Great Scenic Divide, drive back up the road about a half a mile and turn to the east. In a few miles
you'll again come to the rim, following the road north coming to Havasupai Point. On the far side of canyon is King
Arthur and Guinevere castles towering over Modred Abyss.
If you wish to spend the day no permits are required. You can walk along the rim, sit in the silence and watch the
sun set, drinking in the changing colors and rising shadows amongst the layers. Condors may circle over head.
You may want to hike down the South Bass Trail to the Esplanade. On the hike, it will get hotter the more you go
down. Carry plenty of water. There is none below. The trail is quite good. In the Toroweap layer there are a few
Anasazi granaries along the way and many fossil brachiopods in the rocks. The Esplanade is a magical terrace, with
the abyss below and the rims high above. Going down to it and back is at least a four-hour walk.
Camping at your vehicle is allowed at three sites, two near Havasuapi Point (use areas SE1 and 2) and one at Bass
Camp (SE3), but permits are required and must be obtained in advance so that your place and privacy is reserved. To
get them, contact the Backcountry Information Center at (928) 638-7875 or at nps.gov/grca. The cost is $10 per permit
plus $5 per person per night.
Roger Ludwig is a psychotherapist in Cheyenne, Wyo., who gets his own head together in the red rocks of the Four Corners. Check out his blog at AwayFromTheGrind.com.
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