Grand Canyon - Day Three

After breakfast we drove over to camper services and emptied our grey and black tanks in expectation of moving to Desert View Campground, where there are no services. One note on campgrounds in the village; if you don't need an electric hook-up, Mather Campground is significantly nicer than Trailer Village. There are more trees and space between sites. Trailer Village sites are pull-through and very close together. There is also a significant portion of Trailer Village used as semi-permanent housing for park workers resulting in lots of traffic within that campground.

Before leaving Grand Canyon Village, we stopped at the Kolb Brothers Photo Studio. Perched on the edge of the canyon at the head of the Bright Angel trail, the brothers captured photos of mule train riders as they departed for tours of the canyon. Explorers and pioneers in souvenir photography, this restored studio and photo collection was one of the most interesting stops of our trip.

Studio on the Edge. The small balcony was for their camera.

Projector for Early Movies of the Kolb Brother's River Trips

Studio with a View

From the studio, we drove East on the rim without stopping at overlooks as the Desert View Campground is first come, first serve. Arriving at 11:00, we booked one of the last three sites available. Bill, the gracious campground host, stopped in his cart when he saw us checking out a vacant site and recommended another. He even held that site for us while we checked out his recommendation. He was right, site 43 was spacious, had a little shade, and a pull-through driveway. It was a great deal at only $12/night!

Returning to the overlooks we missed in the morning, the afternoon was full of great views including the Desert View Watchtower. Built in the 1930's the tower is unique in the variety of patterns incorporated in the stonework.

Beth with the Watchtower

Ravens were fun to watch gliding on the air currents over the edge of the canyon.

Signs like this have been placed to help raise awareness of cougars in the area. Cars are the #1 killer of these amazing cats.











The first male elk we sighted was just outside Desert View Campground.

Ending our last day on the south rim, the canyon changes to silhouettes as the color fades with the setting sun.