The Plan
Things don’t always go as planned. Not that we plan often. But after our exhausting house sit in Albuquerque, the idea was to spend a couple of days at a quiet, free campground in El Malpais National Monument, drive to Canyon de Chelly to spend a day hiking and sightseeing, move to the Hopi Reservation in Navajo Nation for an affordable tour and a free night at the Cultural Center, and visit the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. That park opens on May 15th every year and—reputedly—has smaller crowds than the well-trotted South Rim. Our temporary end destination would be Kanab, Utah to volunteer at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary for two weeks. (Click on or hover over the photos to read the captions.)
Panorama from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon
Albuquerque, NM
But… two important packages—to fix an engine problem in Zesty—refused to arrive as scheduled, before our departure from Albuquerque. Mark did all he could to reroute them to Kanab. Everything seemed in order; we left for some rest in El Malpais, an hour and a half west of the city. Luckily, we picked up a cell signal with AT&T there (we never did with our previous carrier T-Mobile). After a cold yet peaceful night, both packages were to be delivered at our pet sitting address, that Saturday. In awful weather, we returned to the house. The USPS parcel had arrived by 11am, but we waited for the UPS package until 4:30pm; it was the last stop on his route! We drove until 7:30pm to make a little bit of headway in the right direction and “urban camped” in Gallup, NM. Detour: three hours.
Lessons learned: Don’t believe everything is in order, until it actually is! And, don’t venture too far away if packages are “in transit”.
Canyon de Chelly (pronounced Canyon de Shay), AZ
One of the most rewarding experiences of having no expectations is arriving at a new destination and being awed. We rekindled with that feeling we discovered in Bryce Canyon and Arches National Parks last year, in Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Navajo Nation, Arizona. This park is free! Staring into the canyon the first time, we found vertical walls, branched off side canyons, a meandering river, and a lush valley.
Canyon de Chelly NM
In the morning, we followed the North Rim and stopped at each of the three viewpoints.
In the afternoon, we explored the South Rim with its ten viewpoints.
And, we hiked into the canyon and back up for some exercise.
A successful excursion, with a decent and level boondocking spot right outside the federal park.
The following morning, we were distracted by a paved side road. Maybe we could cut off part of the road and follow new territory to our next destination—the Hopi Reservation—instead of backtracking? Google Maps showed the alternate road as a viable option. Perfect! We zoomed through Navajo Nation on a well-maintained road, past Native American properties sporting hogans (round ceremonial structures) and enjoyable scenery, until… the road—unexpectedly and unannounced—turned into rutted, potholed dirt after 50 miles. We still had 17 miles to go! Better safe than sorry is our motto. We turned around, doubling our two-hour drive of the day. Detour: two hours.
Lessons learned: Don’t trust Google Maps, especially in Navajo Nation. Dirt roads rule! And, backtracking is sometimes the best plan of action, even though we might not like it.
Marble Canyon, Navajo Bridge, and Cliff Dwellers, AZ
Things didn’t go as expected on the Hopi Reservation and the tours were pricier than we anticipated (Don’t always trust the internet.), so we didn’t spend the night there and continued towards Utah with a bit of a detour. One way or another, we had to cover the many hours of driving.
Colorado River in Marble Canyon
“Get your camera ready,” Mark said as we approached the Colorado River in Northern Arizona. I expected to see water on either side of an uninspiring bridge. Instead, we crossed a deep and narrow gorge, walls plummeting towards the Colorado, barely visible from the car. I was too impressed to take photos. Luckily, a parking lot on the other side awaited us. We walked over a pedestrian bridge—the old car bridge—parallel to Navajo Bridge, gazed into Marble Canyon (which extends into the Grand Canyon), spotted three Condors, and reveled in the beautiful surroundings.
After this long drive, we hadn’t planned on stopping anywhere on the way to our selected boondocking spot. Of course, we were glad we did. And, another surprise emerged. The Cliff Dwellers pull-out we parked at for the night had a few interesting boulder formations and was the location of an old inn, built in rocks. Detour: zero hours.
Lessons learned: Be flexible on the road. There is so much to see and do in Arizona (and the entire United States) and the unexpected can lurk around any corner.
Lees Ferry, AZ
Mark and I had heard about Lees Ferry—where settlers, Indians, and livestock crossed the Colorado River on a rickety ferry ran by Mormon John D. Lee from 1872 to 1877 (when he was executed)— but never visited. Based on a sign, the site wasn’t too far away, yet in the opposite direction again. I didn’t want to miss out, so we drove to Lees Ferry, part of the Glen Canyon Recreation Area (there is a $30 entrance fee, if you don’t have a National Park pass) for the morning. We found a serene setting—the start of Grand Canyon rafting expeditions and the beginnings of that national park—with a small beach, rapids, and multiple hikes. It was the warmest day we’d experienced in a year and we still required rest, so we only walked the 3-mile River Trail. Detour: one hour.
Lessons learned: If there’s an interesting attraction close by, you might as well check it out. It’s difficult to find a balance between rest and sightseeing (for me).
North Rim of the Grand Canyon, AZ
The last time Mark and I peered into the Grand Canyon was in 2005, on the South Rim. This spring, we planned to visit the North Rim on opening day: May 15th. This part of the National Park closes for seven months during the winter, due to snow fall. The entrance fee is now $35 per car (for one week), unless you have an annual pass. After a quiet night in the woods of Jacobs Lake, we had an early start to drive the scenic road, do a few short hikes, and if time permitted, commit to a longer trail as well.
We drove Zesty for 45 miles towards the rim, ready to turn onto the scenic drive (to Point Imperial and Cape Royal) and work our way back, walking trails and frequenting viewpoints. ROAD CLOSED. We barely believed the sign and the locked gate. The only alternative (with everyone else): a stop at the visitor center, its limited viewpoints, and a few longer hikes. Our memories of the South Rim beat the views here.
We opted for the 4.5-mile Uncle Jim Trail and had lunch at the following overlook into the canyon. The strenuous North Kaibab Trail, which heads to the river for 14 miles, down, down, down, is visible from here.
Mark had read about a free campsite on the rim of the Grand Canyon, so we attempted to cover the 14 miles for a tremendous view as a reward. Five miles in (it could have been worse), the deep snow stopped us. We found another spot, over 9,000ft in elevation, along a different National Forest road. Detour: one hour.
The second morning, we tried the park again. Part of the scenic drive was open, so we followed the signs to Point Imperial for a different look into the canyon. When we reached the North Kaibab Trail for a hike, the parking lot and roadsides were full of cars. Tourism was in full swing already. In vain, we inquired about Cape Royal at the visitor center. They were pessimistic about the other ¾ of the park opening any time soon. The road had been damaged. More snow was predicted the following day. We decided to leave the area prematurely and head to Kanab, Utah to spend the night in warmer climes.
View into the Grand Canyon from Point Imperial – a hazy morning
Lessons learned: Don’t visit a park on opening day and expect everything to be in order. Display gratitude for being there at all, instead of grumpiness for missing out the “best parts.” I have to work on that part!
(Notes: None of these photos have been edited. Our current location can be found in the right column.)
Have you visited any of these places in Arizona? Thoughts? Did you like the North Rim of the Grand Canyon better than the South Rim?
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May 28, 2019 at 08:45
Hi Liesbet! Thom and I have actually visited some of the sites you mentioned after leaving Albuquerque. We too thought Canyon de Chelly was interesting and beautiful. It was quite hot when we were there but we did do the “tour.” Then we must have driven the same road as you becuase we stopped (and have photos) by those big boulders ourselves! Too bad about the north Rim….we’ve been experiencing amazingly cool temps here in the southwest so I’m not surprised they delayed opening the park there. I read yesterday that we’ve had so much snow here in California that Mammoth will be open for skiing until August!!!!! It’s good that you are both so flexible and able to go with the flow! ~Kathy
June 1, 2019 at 09:40
This winter and spring weather has been incredible, Kathy. I’m not surprised you’ve felt the effects as well. And, snow until August? That’s crazy, too! Yes, we are flexible, but I was so disappointed we couldn’t see the other viewpoints over the North Rim, since we might never be back.
We had house sitter friends visit us for lunch at Best Friends three days ago and they said the scenic road at the North Rim was still closed, so it sounds like whatever the problem is, it would take a while to fix and open the entire park this spring.
Finally warming up here now. 🙂 Soon, Utah will have temps in the nineties and we’ll be happy to find colder climes in Colorado…
May 28, 2019 at 08:46
Hi Liesbet – It’s great to see your beautiful photos of the canyons. I visited both the North and South Rims of the Grand Canyon a while ago. I think I like the South Rim more. The Grand Canyon is such a magnificent natural wonder that I’m grateful to have seen it at least once in my lifetime. I hope the weather continues to improve to your liking.
June 1, 2019 at 09:43
Thanks, Natalie. I think the temperature in Southern Utah has finally reached its normal strength – upper seventies and lower eighties in the rest of the forecast. 🙂 I take it Toronto is offering you splendid weather these days as well…
I’m glad you managed to see both rims of the Grand Canyon in the past. It is an amazing natural wonder and I agree with you, I found the South Rim more impressive as well. Maybe that’s why it’s the most popular and planned out tourist attraction of the two.
May 28, 2019 at 09:01
We loved Canyon de Chelly. Wish we had hiked down into it like you did. I don’t think we realized that was possible.
June 1, 2019 at 09:45
Hi Leslie! There is only one trail in Canyon de Chelly that allows public access. Everything else is off limits and even along this hike, there were signs to respect the privacy of the tribes living and farming there. Many roads are private as well. But, we were happy there was a possibility to see the canyon and valley from ground level.
May 28, 2019 at 09:25
I’ve only been to the Tucson area of Arizona, so I really enjoyed seeing all of your gorgeous photos, Liesbet. If you’re looking for warmer weather, head our way. We’re predicted to reach 96 degrees today which is much too warm for this time of the year. Safe travels, my friend.
June 1, 2019 at 09:49
Hi Jill!
I hope you get to come out to Arizona again in the future. So many spectacular sights. Mark and I drove past Tucson and saw the Saguaro NP, but not much more, so we feel like that’s the one corner of AZ that we have to return to one day.
96F is too much on the other side of the spectrum, so, no thank you. I guess the spring weather has been funky everywhere, in an extreme low and high way. Wishing you cooler weather soon!
May 28, 2019 at 14:10
Oh dear, some setbacks! But you coped, as you always seem to. We visited Canyon de Chelly, Navajo Bridge and Grand Canyon – agree all stunning. I probably agree South Rim is (even) more spectacular than North Rim but North Rim was a pleasanter experience for us. South Rim is super-crowded and, dare I say it, a bit tacky. (Not the Canyon, obviously, the facilities!)
June 1, 2019 at 09:51
Nice summary of the North and South Rim, Anabel. It’s obvious which side is the more crowded and touristy one, and probably for a reason. I agree with the tacky-ness. The North Rim is more “authentic” from a tourist perspective. Although, on day 2 it was extremely crowded already as well. I do hope we get to peer over the sides we missed in the future. 🙂
May 29, 2019 at 06:06
Those forced change of plans can be frustrating. It’s annoying when you’re looking forward to something and it doesn’t work out. But on the whole you seem to have come up trumps!
June 1, 2019 at 09:53
We surely can’t complain about the sights we’ve witnessed. 🙂 I see the problem with having expectations. When that doesn’t happen ahead of time, not much can go wrong or disappoint. I guess setbacks are all part of the adventure once in a while…
May 30, 2019 at 15:14
Wow. And this is you “taking a break”? I’m exhausted just reading about it. The backtracking and unexpected setbacks must be frustrating, especially when you budget so carefully for gas. And who would have thought you’d find snow at the end of May? Crazy climate. Stay warm out there! 🙂
June 1, 2019 at 09:57
Thanks, Diane! It is finally warming up here in Southern Utah. Soon, we will be complaining it’s too hot. 🙂
Yes, we have spent quite a bit on diesel this month, but we were actually more upset about the extra “wasted” miles on the odometer, since they sure are adding up, taking away from the resale value of our camper. Of course, we shouldn’t think that way or we’d skip too many attractions, but when distances are driven in vain, it does mess with our mindset.
May 30, 2019 at 15:35
In site of dead-ends, bad information, mail delays, and other setbacks, you sure are getting to see a lot! Looking forward to your report on Best Friends, where our old friend Rusty went for a while!
June 1, 2019 at 09:59
Hi Lexie! You have to tell me more about Rusty. I have a feeling you did already, but my memory needs refreshing. Was/is he a dog? What happened to him? There currently is a Rusty at Best Friends, but he is a mean one…
June 3, 2019 at 07:06
Hope you can open this (old story about our friend, Rusty): https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-xpm-2012-01-30-ct-talk-brotman-rusty-0130-20120130-story.html
June 3, 2019 at 18:04
Thanks for sharing the link, Lexie. I remember the details of you bringing it up earlier now. What a sweet story! I love it when things are “meant to be”. 🙂 And, I wonder whether the Megan in the story – the Dogtown caretaker – is the same Megan I worked with for two shifts. I’m sure Redd loves it here, surrounded by red cliffs. We do too!
May 30, 2019 at 16:45
Liesbet
An amazing trip. Thanks for the photos, the by play and the travel tips.
Travel safely
Laura
June 1, 2019 at 10:00
Thanks for reading and commenting, Laura! I’m glad you enjoyed the photos and post. I hope you’re having a good time in Monterey with the grandson. <3
May 30, 2019 at 19:16
Hi Liesbet, Your opening sentence already piqued my interest, yet all your posts do that:). It was obviously a frustrating day waiting for the parcel. Many lessons learned on this adventure. About 10 years ago we did visit many of the areas you write about here. A breathtaking, diverse canyon tour through Arizona and Utah. We tried to book into a Grand Canyon river adventure one year prior to our trip. All the river camping tours were already booked up. A popular place. Amazing that you spotted condors! An interesting, compelling and beautiful post, as always! 🙂 Erica
June 1, 2019 at 10:04
Wow, Erica – that must have been a very enjoyable Canyon tour as well, a decade ago. I’m so sorry you didn’t manage to book a rafting tour through the canyon. I know they book up well ahead of time. That being said, Mark checked availability out of curiosity when we were there and two spots were available for June this year. There must have been a cancellation. So, if you’d ever want to try again, checking closer to the departure date might offer a nice surprise… That would be quite the adventure, which I’d love to read about. 🙂
May 30, 2019 at 22:26
Fabulous shots.
June 1, 2019 at 10:04
Thanks, Fiona!
May 31, 2019 at 23:54
Thanks so much for an entertaining read. I felt like I was travelling along with you guys and wondering what was going to happen next. We love caravanning around Australia, so totally related to you taking detours, experiencing dirt roads, road closures etc. But, hey, that’s half the adventure. Last year we took a 3 day tour out from Las Vegas and visited a number of National Parks. This was our favourite area in the US. How we would love to rad trip around these areas just like you have.. detours, road closures and all. Just a little jealous.
June 1, 2019 at 10:08
Hi Estelle!
Thanks for swinging by and commenting. You had quite the whirlwind tour from Las Vegas last year. I so agree with you that this area – Arizona and Southern Utah is the most spectacular in the US. Our favorite as well! And, yes, we’re fortunate we can spend this much time here, although the lifestyle can be quite challenging, as you know from caravanning down under.
I LOVE traveling overland in Australia and hope to do the same again with my husband one year. There’s some jealousy right back at you! Especially in regards to the outback and the wildlife. 🙂
June 1, 2019 at 08:46
I so enjoy reading about your travels and looking at your pictures. We’ve visited many of the places you travel to but never in the same way. We always planned out and researched ahead of time. Not so easy to be spontaneous with 4 kids in tow. It’s so much fun to see these places through your eyes. Later this month I’m hiking down from the south rim for a night at Phantom Ranch with our two sons. Got lucky last year and won 3 beds in the dorm in their lottery. The Southwest is an incredible part of the country. You’re exploring it in a way very few do. Thank you for sharing
June 1, 2019 at 10:13
Hi Steven!
I so enjoy having you in my corner, cheering us on during our adventures. Thank you for your enthusiasm and coming along for the virtual ride.
I can imagine traveling these areas with four children is quite a different endeavor and planning must be required. That being said, we recently met a Canadian couple living and traveling full-time and spontaneously in their converted school bus with three teenagers; the second “batch” of their nine children in total. The first four, they sailed with. A tad crazy in my book. 🙂
We LOVE the Southwest and I will sorely miss it once we turn Zesty eastwards in a couple of days. Enjoy your hike and trip down to Phantom Ranch with your sons. That will be an incredible experience. Congrats for winning that lottery!!
June 1, 2019 at 18:30
It’s trite to say that traveling with Zesty is a metaphor for life, but so it is. I’m glad she’s feeling better now, and you continue to learn how to adjust your expectations. I agree with your commenters: You always seem to cope.
Happy trails, Liesbet and Mark!
June 3, 2019 at 17:55
Thanks, Marian! We are still in Southern Utah, taking in the sights and experiences, dragging our feet to leave the area and head east. One of these days! The less expectations, the less disappointments I always say. 🙂
June 3, 2019 at 15:33
Hi Liesbet,
This whole article spoke to me about being flexible. I tend to want to have everything nailed down in advance, rather than letting the trip unfold with us. I’m in the middle of figuring out where we want to travel next year when we finally leave to travel the us in the trailer instead of the waters in the boat.
We, too, are planning to do a lot of boondocking and appreciate reading about your experiences.
June 3, 2019 at 18:10
Hi Nancy – thank you for your continued interest and kind words about our lifestyle.
Some people like to plan. Nothing wrong with that! 🙂 As a matter of fact, I sometimes wish I planned more, since we miss out on a lot of sights. Probably, driving straight by them without ever knowing about them. And, we sometimes mess up, hoping that things would just work out in regards to driving or camping.
When you plan, you can anticipate and look forward to sites, which is nice. In my experience, each time I do that, though, I have higher than normal expectations and find disappointment. Maybe a combination is the best of two worlds? Plan, yet be flexible when things don’t work out? Another factor is that I really don’t have much time to dedicate to careful planning and research, and I can be quite lazy when it comes to that.
You will have such a good time traveling around in your trailer. Believe me, it is much less challenging than by boat. 🙂
June 3, 2019 at 19:43
Fabulous lessons learned! And fantabulous photos you got! You brought me back to the beautiful Grand Canyon. I took a helicopter ride once while in Vegas, and landed at the bottom and had a picnic lunch. Something to remember. 🙂 Oh, and just wondering if you use Waze app map when on the road. What’s extra good about it is that travelers who encounter detours, bad roads, accidents ahead, etc. can enter the info for other travelers to beware. 🙂 I find Google map not precise enough while driving.
June 6, 2019 at 14:06
Hi Debby!
That helicopter ride over (and in!) the Grand Canyon sounds like an experience of a lifetime. That must have been extremely spectacular and memorable.
Thanks for the mention of the Waze app map. We don’t use it, but Mark just told me that Google bought Waze and that all its features will be integrated in Google Maps, so we should get all set pretty soon. 🙂
June 4, 2019 at 10:15
Love the Cliff Dweller’s pull-out. I have found it and have marked on my map for future reference. I want to go – wish I was there right now. And I will have to check out Lee’s Ferry. Love that glassy water.
I know this sounds kind of creepy, but Google Maps tracks us wherever we go. At the end of every month I get a report with our travels. I probably should turn this function off but I am hoping when we go down a road and abruptly turn around or don’t take Google Map’s advice on the best route that they are learning from us that those aren’t good routes – especially when we go down a road just a short bit, turn around and then stop for a half hour to 45 minutes every ten feet on our return trip (because we have literally gotten stuck and have had to dig the van out every ten feet).
I love learning lessons but it can be so frustrating learning them. Except snow – I really don’t want to learn any lessons about snow. Great post!
June 6, 2019 at 14:14
Hi Duwan! I’m glad you are already looking forward and planning ahead for your next trip West. Those Cliff Dwellers and Lees Ferry stops were unplanned (and we didn’t know about them), yet in the Vermilion Cliffs area. One could spend weeks or months around there! We hope to be back one day as well.
Haha! That would be too cool if Google Maps could figure out where and when we got stuck or needed to turn around. I don’t think that function would ever exist, because so many people just decide to turn around along a perfectly normal road. Or, slow down and even stop, to text or make a phone call. When would Google know it’s a legitimate “bad road” situation? And, if it did, THAT would be creepy!
You know, on the boat we wanted to track our route – and the satellites would keep an eye on us – so, it’s kind of nice to have that feature, especially for your blog.
June 5, 2019 at 10:49
Gosh, Liesbet, amazing to see still so much snow near the Grand Canyon! Despite that hiccup, you are taking the wonderful tour I had envisioned. I’m glad you finally got your packages, but what an ordeal! Your pics are gorgeous and inspiring for a time when we can go that route again. Update about my surgery…all went well, pain is minimal and I am catching up on blogs and enjoying downtime as I enjoy my A/C as temps soar into the 90s this week and next.
June 6, 2019 at 14:28
Living on the road has its advantages, Terri, and receiving mail is one of them. Since we are budget shoppers, it’s always cheaper to buy online… But, where would we ship it to, right? Especially since UPS doesn’t deliver to post offices and not all companies send goods to general delivery addresses.
I’m glad the surgery went well and that the healing process has started. You’ll be out of that cast and back to normal in no time. And, maybe you can use some of your downtime to re-plan that trip out west. 🙂 I’ve thought a lot about you when traversing Arizona and couldn’t believe myself how much snow is still present on the North Rim. Friends just passed through last week and they said the scenic road was still closed!
Stay cool! 90 degrees in Page today as well! That’s a tad too hot in a camper. Especially with a dog… 🙂
June 5, 2019 at 11:34
Liesbet, such beautiful sights you’re seeing! I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon, and I really must go some day.
Jude
June 6, 2019 at 14:33
I’m almost screaming “What!! You haven’t been to the Grand Canyon yet?” Definitely a must-see at some point, but ideally in the off season. The crowds are immense and I have a feeling that more and more people travel (internationally) than ever before. It will become difficult to find off the beaten track locations that are impressive…
June 5, 2019 at 13:06
I definitely live through you. 🙂
Anna from elements of emaginette
June 6, 2019 at 14:34
I’m happy about that, Anna! I’ll keep providing. 🙂
June 6, 2019 at 17:51
It was surely spectacular being able to be at the bottom of one of the wonders of the world, looking up at all the magnificence. 🙂 And oh wow, I hate that all these big tech companies are buying up everything and monopolizing everything. Just sayin’ 🙂
June 8, 2019 at 09:50
Yep. It will take care of the competition and domination will prevail… The rich will become richer and… you know how this goes. 🙁
June 9, 2019 at 03:14
Wow, that sounded like a frustrating experience. I haven’t seen the Grand Canyon, but I like what I’ve seen of Utah so far. It’s so pretty.
June 10, 2019 at 12:05
I hope you’ll get to peer over that North or South Rim of the Grand Canyon one day, JH. It’s truly magnificent and one of those sites that delivers upon expectations. If the crowds aren’t too bad.