Back in Grand Canyon Village before departing for Desert View, James and I were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right to to see this bull elk cross the road.

a clear example of why you should always observe the speed limit in national parks

down the Grandview Trail

Our first stop along Desert View Drive (Formerly East Rim Drive) was Grandview Point. From here the Grandview Trail descends to Horseshoe Mesa. The trail was first constructed to access a turn of the century copper mine. We followed it for a few steps to get a brief taste of the path, but quickly turned around as most folks do. Another trail for another day.

The green strip visible in the low center of this photo is the drainage for Cottonwood Creek. Horseshoe Mesa is obstructed from view.

The next vista to the east is Moran Point, with its view dominated by Coronado Butte. The butte is named after Francisco Vázquez de Coronado – members of his expedition were the first Europeans to lay their eyes upon The Grand Canyon in 1540. The exact location is estimated to be in this vicinity.

The next place we stopped was the Tusayan Museum, and its corresponding ruins. Excavated in 1930, the ancient village dates back to before 1200ad.

With the exception of this circular kiva used for religious ceremonies, I found the area to be mostly unexciting.

There are people out there who have tried to drive a car over the edge of the Grand Canyon. The narrow road that leads to the parking area at Lipan Point struck me as the sort of place where this would certainly be possible. This overlook also marks the beginning of the Tanner Trail.

Don’t miss the next page! (This day continued)