Heading to Grand Canyon we stopped at the Glen Canyon Dam Recreation area a conservation unit of the National Parks. This is a natural Canyon found mostly in Utah but extends to Arizona and covers the full length of the Colorado River.
Along the highway offered some of the most beautiful rock formations with colors indicating the changes over time.
We arrived in Grand Canyon Village, South Rim, for overnight stay and plans for breakfast at El Tovar restaurant and to catch the sunrise next morning. We were up early the next morning, it was still dark, some of us off to see the sunrise and others to go for the helicopter ride. One thing I have never considered is taking any helicopter regardless of where and how beautiful. With the assistance of our guide and his flashlight we made it to the trolley stop and The trolley dropped us off at the restaurant. We would walk a little way from the restaurant along the rim to view the sunrise but that morning was not what we had hoped to see. No one controls nature so we made the best of what we saw.
Oh well no marvelous sunrise for us today since it seemed a bit overcast so we had a healthy breakfast and milled around the foyer admiring the ambiance. We soon learned that the helicopter ride was cancelled because of bad weather. The breakfast group decided to take the bus ride to go pick up the helicopter group from the heliport. On our way there it started to rain and then suddenly it started to hail to the point that the ground was covered as if it had snowed.
Hail on the ground appears like a coating of snow 
This is my third visit to Grand Canyon and every time it is a different experience. I understand that I am viewing from different vantage points yet still amazing as there are such varied view.
An interesting structure is the Desert View Watchtower designed by Mary Colter. This tower sits at a point that gives you a wide view of the canyon.
The final Park is the Zion National Park. There is a hike trail that takes down to the river. There is also a trolley that takes you from the dining area to the area where the trail starts. We did not do any of the trails so can’t share but hiking is popular.
Trolley stop 
View from the trolley stop 
Taking a break after lunch with our new friend
We are now heading back to Las Vegas on our way we get a quick look at The Hoover Dam.
We made a stop on Route 66
inside a novelty store 
Well we covered Nevada, Utah, Arizona and California to visit The National Parks of the west and to experience some of the greatest ecological displays and returned to Las Vegas for an overnight stay. A highly recommended tour if you are not afraid of moving everyday.
Xlcrgirl's blog 
Great pictures as always. Through your lens, I enjoy viewing the different vantage points of the Grand Canyon. I’ve never visited the Grand Canyon, but the rocks look similar to those of Sedona; that makes sense since they are both located in Arizona. Thank you for sharing your travels with the world.
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Thanks I visited before when I visited Phoenix
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Thanks, XLCR Girl! 😊
I am now fully aware of what the national parks of the west are like……..very interesting, as I mentioned to you.
I was quite taken with the striations in the rocks, not to mention the colouration, etc. Very eye-catching for pictures……..as you said you could have taken pictures all the way. I would, too, if I were there. Loved the different formations, also.
Helicopter rides? That is a no-no for me. I have not ever done so and, of course, with my present disenchantment with flying, that will not likely happen “en el futuro”!!!! 😊 So many crashes have taken place especially off the coast of Mauai, etc. Not in that venture at all.
That hail storm must have been a big one. It really looked as if it had snowed…….minus the stuff on the tree branches, of course. 😊 Wow! I saw a hail storm picture this past week…..you should have seen the devastation that was created…..the young lambs were killed out in the pasture and the cars were a complete write off! The dents in the frames of the cars, plus the windshields and rear windos, would have been too numerous to even tackle at any time…..a new car was needed! I will see if I can find it and try to send it to you.
I love to see the river snaking through the gorge……it really looks like a ‘snake’ from above, eh? By the way, the shapes of those trees were quite astonishing and different. I love to look at trees and their shapes. I spend a lot of time taking those shots, too.
May I make an observation, Lorna? I have no idea how the pictures are loaded on to your blog but is there a possibility of you trying to separate each picture (as I think you did before!) ……and not making them look like a “running page” as was seen here? I found it a bit distracting to look at the picture and then, without a break, be looking at the blue sky! Funny, I do not think you had done this before, right? Were you trying to include as many pics as possible? 😊
Anyway, good show. I enjoyed it all!
Have a wonderful weekend! Continue to be safe!
Faith Sent from Mail for Windows 10
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Thanks for your comments I have done the pictures both ways. I think it might make a difference on the device. I will certainly bare in mind for future posts. I would take this trip again. I just started to follow another blogger his pictures are great and in depth. Aspentrack.com
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