ON THE EDGE

John Muir saw the Grand Canyon and called it “God’s spectacle.” Most visitors to the natural wonder have a similar reaction. But unlike Mr. Muir, who settled in and enjoyed the view, the masses take a quick look, make a few photos and move on. It’s hard to figure, but approximately 75 percent of the visitors to the South Rim spend less than four hours enjoying the splendor. The numbers are more intuitive on the North Rim the average visit up there is several days but on the south side, people tend to zoom in and zoom out. With that in mind, we put together a handful of ideas on how to make the most of your precious time. And we enlisted the help of some local experts, including park superintendent Dave Uberuaga, geologists, park rangers, and Canyon aficionados from the Grand Canyon Field Institute and the Grand Canyon Association. It’s an impressive brain trust, and their input, along with our two cents, led to the 10 things you’ll read about in the next six pages. You won’t be able to do everything on our list in one visit, but you will be able to tackle one or two. Or maybe three. Regardless of what you decide, make sure you begin with a stop at the Visitor Center, where you can catch a showing of A Journey of Wonder, and end with a toast on the front porch of El Tovar. What you do in between is up to you.

ONE

With 4 million visitors a year, the South Rim is about the last place you’d expect to experience any solitude. Especially in four hours or less. That’s what makes Shoshone Point so special. Despite its proximity to the hubbub it’s a 20-minute drive from the village the point can be as quiet as Toroweap, one of the Canyon’s most remote look-outs. You won’t necessarily have Shoshone to yourself, but unless a wedding or a birthday party is taking place (that’s not unusual), the “crowd” will likely fit in a station wagon. Or, maybe you will be alone, and what an experience that is. “To see the Grand Canyon from Shoshone Point is like taking a walk back in time,” says Helen Ranney, a director for the Grand Canyon Association who was married not far from Shoshone Point. “I can’t imagine what it must have felt like for those early explorers as they walked the last mile toward the rim. They would have had no idea what was up ahead through the forest, and then, bam, there’s the Grand Canyon.”

Unlike some of the other viewpoints along the Desert View Drive (State Route 64), Shoshone Point isn’t well marked. In fact, there’s no sign at all. Instead, there’s a small parking area on the north side of the road, between mile-posts 244 and 245. There’s also a locked gate just beyond the parking spaces, which will make you think you’re about to go somewhere you shouldn’t. Don’t worry, it’s OK to hop the gate and hit the trail without a permit. However, if you want to get married at Shoshone there are basic facilities, including bathrooms, picnic tables and grills you’ll need a permit from the national park. Either way, adhere to the rules of Leave No Trace.

From the parking area, an easy 15-minute hike winds through an open forest of ponderosa pines to the rim of the Canyon. When you get there, veer left until you come to a narrow promontory thatjuts out from the plateau. This is where you'll want to hang out. The 180-degree panorama includes Yaki Point, Newton Butte and Zoroaster Temple, among other landmarks. And in the distance, if you know where to look, you can even see Phantom Creek on the North Rim. What you won't see is people, and on the South Rim, that's saying something.

Information: Backcountry Information Center, 928-638-7875 or www.nps.gov/grca

TWO KOLB STUDIO

If you've ever hiked the Bright Angel Trail, there's a good chance you've walked past Kolb Studio - it's the Victorian-era building that sits precariously on the rim of the Canyon, just before the trailhead. It was built in the early 1900s by Emery and Ellsworth Kolb, a pair of entrepreneurial photographers who realized they could make a killing by setting up shop on the South Rim. They lived and worked in the now-historic building, and eventually became local legends. But their work wasn't always easy.

In the early days, there wasn't a national park. Thus, there weren't any amenities, including water - the boys had to develop film in a muddy cow pond near their studio. Later, they would hike all the way down to Indian Garden to process their film. They did that every day, and ultimately photographed tens of thousands of tourists. Their most impressive images, however, weren't made with a still camera. Their greatest claim to fame came in 1911 - with a 50-pound, hand-cranked motion-picture camera.

That year, they loaded their gear into a couple of boats and launched an epic, 1,100mile expedition down the Green and Colorado rivers. It

was a harrowing trip - wrecks, floods and rockslides were common - but they survived, and their documentary helped introduce the world to the harsh and spectacular realities of the Colorado River and the Inner Gorge of the Grand Canyon. In the years that followed, from 1915 until his death in 1976, Emery narrated the film every evening for the lucky tourists who would make their way to his studio. "Going in there is like taking a step back in time," says Dave Uberuaga, the superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park. "For me, it's very much like it was 100 years ago, especially the room in which they took photos of visitors coming up the trail - it's exactly as they left it." Today, you can visit the studio and get a taste of what it was like to live and work on the edge of the Canyon. The Grand Canyon Film Show, the Kolb brothers' documentary, is still shown daily. In addition, the studio, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, features lessons on the brothers and the national park. It's one of the best man-made experiences on the South Rim. However, the studio is feeling the effects of the last century. That's why the Grand Canyon Association is raising funds to restore the old building. To learn more, visit www.savekolb.org. Meanwhile, the studio is open in the summer from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., daily. Private tours are also available through the park service. Information: Grand Canyon Association, 800-858-2808 or www.grandcanyon.org

THREE HERMIT ROAD

TIME REQUIRED: 3 HOURS (75 MINUTES WITHOUT STOPS) Go West. Those two words were marching orders for a generation of young adventurers in the mid-1800s. It's still good advice today, especially on the South Rim, where going west (lowercase "w") means a road trip on the Hermit Road. It's not the adventure it would have been 150 years ago, but it's still quite a ride. There are two ways to do the Hermit Road: shuttle bus or private vehicle. It's always nice to have your own wheels, but that option won't be available again until December 1 - the road is closed to private vehicles from March 1 to November 30. That leaves the bus, which is easy to use. It's also free. Whichever way you go, you won't be disappointed - in its 7 miles, the Hermit Road features nine incredible viewpoints overlooking one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. The bus takes off from a transfer station just below the Bright Angel Lodge. From there, it heads west and stops at all nine overlooks on the outbound to Hermits Rest (on the return, the stops are limited to Pima, Mohave and Powell points). Depending on how much time you have, the best way to experience the west end is to hop off the bus at one (or more) of the lookouts and hike along the Rim Trail to the next stop. You can keep doing that until your legs need a break or you run out of time. The distance between any of the two points will take your breath away, but the best option is the 1.1-mile hike from Hermits Rest to Pima Point.

Hermits Rest is the farthest point on the drive, and it's one of the most unique structures on the South Rim. It was designed by legendary architect Mary Jane Colter to look like an old miner's cabin, complete with a giant fireplace and front porch. Today, it's used as a gift shop and bookstore. There's a restroom, too, and ice cream. The last two are good options before making the short backtrack to Pima Point, a place that's unusually quiet. "As one of the westernmost scenic overlooks on the edge of the developed South Rim, Pima Point has a remote feeling that's lacking in many of the more crowded destinations closer to Grand Canyon Village," says Mike Buchheit, director of the Grand Canyon Field Institute. "With a commanding view of the Colorado River and seemingly endless peaks and side canyons that trail off toward the horizon, Pima Point is a perennial favorite for photographers and the just plain curious." In addition, Pima Point is one of the best places on the rim to hear the river. It seems unlikely, but on a calm day you can hear the splash of Granite Rapids echoing off the Canyon walls. The sights, the sounds... it's enough to make you miss the bus. Not that it will matter. Another one will come around shortly. Information: Grand Canyon National Park, 928-638-7888 or www.nps.gov/grca

FOUR CEDAR RIDGE

TIME REQUIRED: 4 HOURS (INCLUDING SHUTTLE RIDE) The South Kaibab has been described as "a trail in a hurry to get to the river." It's a legiti-mate characterization. It's the route most hikers use when they're going rim to rim or rim to river - they take it because they're in a hurry. Although it's a freeway of sorts for longhaul hikers, the South Kaibab is a great option for anyone wanting to experience the Canyon from within. To hike the entire trail takes about 10 hours (round-trip), but that number doesn't comply with the "four hours or less" limit of this story. There are, however, several turnaround points that make great day hikes, including the 1.5-mile route (one way) to Cedar Ridge.

From the trailhead at Yaki Point (elevation: 7,260 feet), the South Kaibab kicks off with a series of tight switchbacks. After several zigs and zags, it arrives at the aptly named Ooh Aah Point. It's the first of an unlimited number of mind-blowing panoramas. Moving on, the trail goes through another gantlet of switchbacks and quickly arrives at Cedar Ridge (elevation: 6,120 feet). "The short distance of this hike is filled with 270-degree views, remarkable floral diversity - Douglas firs to cactuses - and some of the most death-defying trail construction in the park," says Jack Pennington, the program coordinator for the Grand Canyon Field Institute. "It's one of the most scenic trails in the Canyon." As you're hanging out on the ridge, enjoying the scenery, there's an interesting bit of trivia you might want to share with your mates. The South Kaibab Trail, you can tell them, was built in 1924-25 as a way of bypassing Ralph Cameron's Bright Angel Trail. Cameron, who owned the Bright Angel at the time, charged a toll to anyone who used his trail. The new trail, which cost $73,000 to build, offered Canyon visitors an impressive alternative. You'll see.

Although there's no toll on the South Kaibab, there are some restrictions. Because the trailhead is located at Yaki Point, where parking isn't allowed, hikers must use the park's free shuttle buses to get there. In the morning, several express buses (just for hikers) leave from the Bright Angel Lodge. If you miss those, you can take the Blue Line out to the Visitor Center and transfer to the Green Line. The South Kaibab Trailhead is the first stop on the Green. It's a bit of a hassle, but after a few oohs and ahhs on your way down to Cedar Ridge, you'll be glad you made the effort. Information: Backcountry Information Center, 928-638-7875 or www.nps.gov/grca

FIVE TRAIL OF TIME

TIME REQUIRED: 2 HOURS ROUND-TRIP If you want to make the most of your time on the South Rim, there's no better way than the Trail of Time. In about an hour, this little walk in the park covers more than 1.5 billion years.

A living exhibit, of sorts, the Trail of Time follows the Rim Trail from Verkamp's Visitor Center out to the Yavapai Geology Museum. It's set up with a series of brass markers, spaced a meter apart. Each marker represents a million years of time. Viewing tubes and other interpretive materials help visitors connect the rocks in the Canyon to their place along the geologic timeline. Think of it as a geology lesson in the world's most impressive laboratory.

"It's an excellent example of informal science education aimed at improving our visitors' understanding of the connection between human time scales and the age of the Earth," says Donna Richardson, the deputy director of interpretation for Grand Canyon National Park. "Park visitors love to touch the rocks, study the waysides and try to understand this scale of time. Set in the context of incredible views along the edge of the Grand Canyon, the exhibit provides an opportunity for visitors of all ages and backgrounds to think about geologic concepts and engage with these exhibits."

But don't let the science scare you. The walk alone is a great way to experience the Canyon. The timeline just makes it more interesting. Consider this: In the course of 2.83 miles, the Trail of Time goes from Kaibab limestone, which is a mere 270 million years old, to ancient Elves Chasm gneiss, which is 1.84 billion years old. If you do the math, that's about 1.5 billion years. Not bad for an hour of hiking.

Information: Grand Canyon National Park, 928-638-7888 or www.nps.gov/grca

SIX CANYON VISTAS MULE RIDE

TIME REQUIRED: 3 HOURS More than 600,000 people have explored the Canyon from the back of a mule since mule rides were first offered in 1887. That's a number equivalent to the population of Boston. No one knows how many mules have been up and down, but the sure-footed pack animals - part burro, part horse are as much a part of the South Rim culture as El Tovar and Kolb Studio. Although the overnight rides to Phantom Ranch get most of the attention, there is a shorter option for visitors on a tight schedule.The Canyon Vistas Ride is a 4-mile, two-hour tour that follows the east rim of the Grand Canyon, from Yaki Point out toward Shoshone Point. It's a relatively new route, and it's considered more interest-ing than the old trail, which cut through the woods and wound up at The Abyss. On the new route, there are six stops where the wranglers will talk about things like Zoroaster granite, the Havasupai people, ponderosa pines and South-western willow flycatchers.

"The new route offers a better chance to see the Canyon," says Dave Uberuaga, the superintendent of Grand Can-yon National Park. "And the wranglers are the real deal. Like river guides, they're passionate about what they do. Their lives are focused on the mules they treat them like pets."

This time of year, through Halloween, the Canyon Vistas Ride departs at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., daily. From November 1 through March 14, there's only one ride a day, at 10 a.m. Although the mule portion of the ride is two hours, you'll need to set aside three hours for the trip - that includes travel time to and from the barn. In addition, all riders must be in good physical condition, weigh less than 225 pounds (fully dressed) and be at least 4 feet 7 inches tall. There are a few other requirements, but more than anything, you can't be afraid of mules. Gee! Haw!

Information: Grand Canyon National Park Lodges, 888297-2757 or www.grandcanyon lodges.com

SEVEN BRIGHT ANGEL LODGE

TIME REQUIRED: 1 HOUR There's something special about the Bright Angel Lodge. It's not as old as El Tovar, but it evokes the past on a higher level. You can feel it in the lobby - it hits you the instant you walk through the door. You can feel it at the front desk, too. You also feel it wandering the halls, standing in front of the magnificent fireplace, eating breakfast in the dining room... every turn is a step back in time. In fact, other than a few additions, the lodge isn't much different than it was when it opened in 1935.

One of those additions was a steakhouse, and another was a soda fountain, which, in the 1950s, had a 10-item menu that ranged from malts (30 cents) to phosphates (15 cents). Although the additions stayed true to the intricate design of architect Mary Jane Colter, it's hard to know what she'd think of the place today. She didn't leave much to chance when she was con-ceptualizing the lodge and its surroundings.

For example, as part of her creative process, she built a 6-foot-long model of the complex that included the main lodge and each of the cabins, as well as every tree and bush that would be planted around them. She wanted to see how everything would fit together. No doubt her obsessive tendencies tested those who worked with her, but the final product speaks for itself. The exterior is exquisite, and so is the interior.

"There are nice murals from Fred Kabotie in the lounge," says Tom Ratz, a Grand Canyon historian. "One of the murals represents Hopi life at the mesas, and the other mural is of people at the Bright Angel area riding mules down into the Canyon."

Even more impressive is the fireplace in the lobby. "It's a geologic fireplace built around a hearth," Ratz says. "The stones at the bottom of the hearth are river stones, and those going up the side of the hearth are Inner Gorge rocks. The rocks represent all the layers of the Grand Canyon along Bright Angel Creek, on the north side, and they're actual stones taken out of the national park. It's a visually interesting thing to look at, and it's educational, too."

Above all, the Bright Angel Lodge is one of the South Rim's iconic landmarks. Like El Tovar, it's on the National Register of Historic Places. Unlike El Tovar, which looks as if it belongs in Yellowstone, the B.A. looks right at home on the edge of the Canyon. Information: Grand Canyon National Park Lodges, 888-297-2757 or www.grandcanyon lodges.com well, that's even better.

The rest of the route continues along the Grand Canyon Greenway, a paved trail that runs from Grand Canyon Village to the South Kaibab Trailhead. The Sunset Tour continues past the trailhead to Yaki Point, which is the only lookout on the Desert View Drive that doesn't allow private vehicles. That's a bonus for bicyclists. The views aren't bad, either.

In addition to a good look at O'Neill Butte and Clear Creek Canyon, the views from Yaki stretch from Great Thumb Mesa in the west to the Pali-sades of the Desert in the east. Throw an Arizona sunset into the mix and you'll see why this tour is one of Bike and Bean's most popular.

"Like the mule rides, the bike rides are new," says Dave Uberuaga, the superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park. "Not all of our visitors have the time, or the inclination, to go below the rim. The bikes offer another option for those folks, and it's a great way to see the Canyon."

The ride back retraces the ride out, but it won't be the same. The light on the Grand Canyon will be different - it's always changing - and there's a good chance you'll see some wildlife. Elk and mule deer, in particular, like to feed at around dusk, and because they're accustomed to about 4 million passers-by every year, they're not as skittish as the ungulates in other places.

The Sunset Tour to Yaki Point, which is 6 miles round-trip and takes three hours, takes off from the bike shop at 5 p.m., June through August. Because it gets dark on the ride back, the tour is restricted to riders 16 years and older.

Information: Bright Angel Bicycles, 928-638-3055 or www.bikegrandcanyon.com

EIGHT SUNSET TOUR TO YAKI POINT

TIME REQUIRED: 3 HOURS ROUND-TRIP From shuttle buses to mules to hiking boots, there are many ways to move around and explore the South Rim. Bikes are another good option. They've been around for as long as anything else, but until recently, it was BYOB, with the last "B" being "bike." That all changed with the arrival of Bright Angel Bicycles, which takes care of everything but the pedaling.

The "Bike and Bean," as the locals know it, offers a variety of tour options, but one of the best is the Sunset Tour to Yaki Point. Because of the natureof things on the South Rim, the trail is mostly level - from one end to the other, it climbs only 142 feet. If you want to burn calories, hike rim to rim. This ride is about scenic beauty, which you'll get immediately out of the chute.

From the bike shop, the tour heads into the woods and winds out to the rim of the Canyon. It doesn't matter how many times you've made that approach, there's nothing like looking into the Canyon. Even at places like Mather Point, where hordes of tourists are often jockeying for position, it's something special. But arriving quietly on a comfortable cruiser-style bike with a 21-speed twist-shift gear mechanism...

NINE SANTA MARIA SPRING

TIME REQUIRED: 3.5 HOURS Hermits Rest is a mecca of sorts on the west end. Just about everything that happens out there goes through Mary Jane Colter's architectural masterpiece, which was built in 1914 to look like Louis Boucher's cabin - Boucher, who lived alone on the rim for 20 years, was the "hermit" of the Hermit Creek Basin. Today, Hermits Rest is the most distant stop on the Hermit Road, and it's the place where hikers go when they're looking for some quiet adventure. Ironically, that's not why the trail was built. The Hermit Trail was built to move people, pork chops and bottles of Porto to the Hermit Camp, a luxury site for tourists that predated Phantom Ranch by 10 years. In its heyday, the camp featured a tramway from Pima Point, 11 tent cabins, phones, showers and a Fred Harvey chef, among other amenities. Although the camp shut down in 1930, the rim-to-river trail is still open, and segments of it make great day hikes, including the trek to Santa Maria Spring, which can be done in four hours or less. "The hike to Santa Maria Spring provides cool morning shade and a refreshing, thirst-quenching treat (if filtered)," says Wayne Ranney, a geologist and the acclaimed author of Carving Grand Canyon. "It's a lovely day hike without the crowds of the Kaibab or Bright Angel trails. The little shelter with ivy-covered posts is an added treat."

It's not for everyone, though. From the trailhead, which is located a half-mile west of Hermits Rest, the 2.5-mile route to Santa Maria drops steeply for 1,640 feet. There are switchbacks to help you down, but time and erosion have taken a toll on the trail, and even the downhill can be rough. The payoff, of course, is an opportunity to hike into Hermit Creek Gorge, where you'll find solitude, spectacular Canyon views and maybe even some fossilized animal tracks - lizard-like tracks have been found throughout the Canyon, but they were first studied in detail in the Coconino sandstone along the Hermit Trail.

It's also important to hike with at least a few other people. Louis Boucher hiked alone, but that was different. He was a hermit. Information: Backcountry Information Center, 928-638-7875 or www.nps.gov/grca also important to hike with at least a few other people. Louis Boucher hiked alone, but that was different. He was a hermit. Information: Backcountry Information Center, 928-638-7875 or www.nps.gov/grca

DESERT VIEW DRIVE

Like the Hermit Road, Desert View Drive is one of the most scenic routes in the world. But instead of going west, it goes east, from Grand Canyon Village to the Desert View Watchtower. It's a 25-mile drive that offers an entirely different look at the Grand Canyon. There are several developed viewpoints along the way, as well as a few unmarked pullouts, including Shoshone Point. Among the most popular stops are Grandview Point, which offers panoramic views of the Colorado River, and Moran Point, which is one of the best places in the park to get a geology lesson.

Old rocks are a dominant feature no matter where you're standing at the Canyon, but at Moran Point, three main groups are in plain sight: the Layered Paleozoic Rocks, the Grand Canyon Supergroup and the Vishnu Basement Rocks. If the geologic names don't impress you, the views in front of you will. And so will the lookout at Lipan Point, which offers the broadest panorama on the South Rim. From the edge, you can see Wotans Throne, Jupiter Temple and Hance Rapids, one of many adrenaline rushes along the Colorado River. “It's a spiritual place,” says Helen Ranney of the Grand Canyon Association. “I don't know why, but Lipan Point feels comforting and contorted all at the same time. The Colorado River and the inner Canyon seem so accessible from Lipan. You can almost hear the river if you stand there long enough.” The next stop on the drive is Navajo Point, which boasts the highest elevation on the South Rim (7,460 feet). A few miles later, you'll come to Desert View. Although the look into the Can-yon is dramatic - you can see the Colorado River make a big bend to the west - the panoramas have to share a spotlight with Desert View Watchtower. The watchtower is another Mary Colter-designed structure that's on the National Register of Historic Places. As Virginia L. Grattan wrote in Mary Colter: Builder Upon the Red Earth, “The Indian watchtower at Desert View was not a copy, but what Colter called a 're-creation' of an Indian watchtower.” At a height of 70 feet, with an observation deck that offers a seven-story look in every direction, the tower is a worthy denouement to a scenic drive that doesn't really need one. Information: Grand Canyon National Park, 928-638-7888 or www.nps.gov/grca AH