As I sit on the freeway in the Los Angeles basin, I realize, all I want to do is get as far away from people as possible. Seriously, how many of these freeways do we have? And they are all at a standstill! I let my mind wander to the place that makes me the happiest. Yes, it’s that time again for a weekend getaway. This time it is a Grand Canyon Road Trip with numerous sites to see on the way.
No matter how long I sit in this six-lane wide parking lot, I know that once I get in, it will be time to shower and pack the car. Harvey, by this time, will have lost all of his patience. The next time the door to the garage opens, he will push me aside to run to the van and take his position just between our seats. Until we have to explain to him, he must wait a little longer, as we will be leaving bright and early the next morning.
As with our most recent trips, the itinerary was printed out with all the stops to see along the way. With the blinds closed, windows and doors locked, electronics unplugged and A/C turned off, we press the clicker for the garage door and are off before sunrise.
seven magic mountains
The first stop of our Grand Canyon Road Trip was the Seven Magic Mountains, near Dry Jean Lake. With a name like Seven Magic Mountains, I began to imagine what they will look like. The way the colours of nature have blended in layers of different hues making these incredible rock formations. Maybe the early morning suns rays reflect rainbow-like projections from residual dew that formed from the small amount of moisture in the mist, making these mountains seem magical and mythical.
The reality for both of these thoughts is entirely incorrect. It is merely a collection of brightly painted boulders, stacked on top of one another -like, 25-ft tall totem poles. Was I a little let down by this? Yes! Perhaps that’s because I had envisioned something much different, but it is unique and still worth a stop.
Seven Magic Mountains was created by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone, in 2016 as a two-year exhibition. The Bureau of Land Management issued a three-year permit for the display to remain through the end of 2021.
We drove up the dirt road, parked the car, spending around twenty minutes wandering around these huge structures.
- Address: S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89054
- Off I-15 and is well sign-posted
- Free Parking and entrance
pioneer Saloon – goodsprings
Next on the list was the small town of Goodsprings, Nevada. In 2010, the census of this unincorporated town was merely 229. Why is this township on our list to see? The Pioneer Saloon.
Built in 1913 with pressed-tin walls, it is known to be one of the oldest saloons in Nevada and is still in operation.
We each had two marvellous cups of coffee and listened to the cowboy barman telling us stories of the Wild West. He pointed out three bullet holes in the wall, along with a newspaper clipping, dated 1915, describing how they got there: a gambler, a crooked card game and a six-shooter. The burley card player makes himself known to this day!
Another room of The Pioneer Saloon is dedicated to actor Clark Gable and his beautiful wife, Carole Lombard.
Clark Gable sat for three days, snuffing out his cigars on the countertop awaiting news of his wife, whose plane crashed on the nearby Potosi Mountain in 1942. Unfortunately, she lost her life along with all the passengers and crew.
It is reported that Gable and Lombard still frequent the Pioneer Saloon in addition to their honeymoon haunt of Oatman.
There is also a menagerie of ghost stories and other hauntings. Even the Travel Channel’s own “Ghost Adventures” came by to investigate the Pioneer Saloon. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, I highly recommend a stop here to have a refreshment and take some photos.
Too Famous to Die
The saloon has been used as a Hollywood filming location numerous times. Including Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas starring Johnny Depp, Miss Congeniality 2, starring Sandra Bullock, and The Mexican, with Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts.
- Address: 310 NV-161, Goodsprings, NV 89019
- Official website: http://www.pioneersaloon.info
We took a drive through the empty streets of the small town and came across the schoolhouse. It had been erected in its current location in 1913 and is the oldest schoolhouse in Clark county which is still in use.
hoover dam
It was mid-afternoon now, and we headed back to the I-15 to our next destination, Hoover Dam. Once we paid the parking attendant $10, she relayed to us the last tour would be starting in about 10 minutes. That meant we were not going to be partaking in the tour. We decided to meander along the top with Harvey.
One piece of history that touched us was the plaque and grave of Little Niggy. A black shepherd dog, born on the dam site and a friend to all the construction workers. The dog remained a loyal companion until, on February 21, 1941, one of the trucks backed over the sleeping hound. After reading, we were both a smidgen tearful. We hugged Harvey like we haven’t seen him in days.
The original plaque was removed, as the government thought that the dog’s name might be offensive to some people. The one below is the replacement.
This location is where you can acquire a new perspective on the height and the amount of water kept at bay by the dam in this canyon. Not to mention the magnitude of work involved to make this a reality.
Constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression, it was the largest dam in the world of its time. It is 725 feet (221 metres) high, and 660 feet (201 metres) wide at the base and 1,244 feet (379 meters) across at the top. Lake Mead stores enough water to irrigate 2 million acres.
The weather was quite warm for April, and the pavement was heating up. It was time to get Harvey back in the car and across the state line to find somewhere to stay for the night.
time to find a spot to rest
On Route 66, the sun fell behind the horizon, and the sky slowly alternated from blue to black before we knew it.
Although there are many hotels and cabins both inside and outside the park, we had decided to camp. (Andrea has been to the canyon several times, staying in both the cabins and the hotel within the park).
We found a pull out large enough to accommodate us safely off the roadway. Made ourselves something to eat then turned in for the evening.
Bright and early we awoke, warmed up breakfast and made a pot of tea on our Coleman stove.
We were not too far from the park entrance. Two hours later, we entered the park and found a parking spot.
First Impressions of the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon Park is 1,902 square miles. The canyon itself is 277 miles long, 18 miles across at the widest point, 4 miles across at its narrowest, and around 6000 feet (over one mile) deep.
As we drove along the road, there were plenty of pullouts. Some were busier than others.
Stepping out onto the rim for the first time, I gazed out in awe, letting the sheer magnitude sink in.
Through binoculars, we stare across to the other side and down to the bottom, to see if we can spot any caves. The mighty Colorado River looks like a minuscule creek from the rim.
Desert View Watchtower
Further along the South Rim is a 70-foot (21 m)-tall stone building. The Desert View Watchtower, built in 1932, stands high on the cliff face of the canyon. It is a fascinating structure designed by Mary Colter.
The End to a Beautiful Day
We wanted to watch the sunset after visiting each pullout area, so we found a beautiful spot to make an early dinner.
The clouds were rolling in from the edges of the sky, and the wind was beginning to pick up. The forecast for the following morning was going to be overcast. So this would be our only opportunity to see the canyon ablaze with reds, pinks and oranges.
We made it to our favourite spot of the day and found that it was of no use. The clouds were winning the race to hide the sunset from our view. So we headed just outside the park to a free campsite for the night.
Lake Havasu
It was early Sunday morning and time to be headed back. There is still one more place to visit on route.
Parker Dam, built between 1934-1938 on the Colorado River resulted in the reservoir known as Lake Havasu. The Mohave Indians once occupied this area before the flooding of the canyon.
The lake covers thirty-five miles of the mighty river. Although a vast amount of it is inaccessible from land, it has become popular for boat enthusiasts, and the city of Lake Havasu is a favoured vacation destination.
London Bridge
One of the major draws to tourists is the English Village, complete with London Bridge. This marvel was constructed in England in 1831 and was once one of the many bridges crossing the River Thames. It was relocated, stone by stone, during 1968 and now links the mainland with the artificial Havasu Island.
We spent a couple of hours here, walking around the village and marvelling the magnificent houses built along the shorelines. There were people having fun on jet boots and doing hydro flights. Others were either kayaking or water skiing.
We sat on the grass eating ice cream, before crossing the infamous London Bridge and driving around the island.
We both enjoyed this area. It was quiet and clean with a lovely ambience. What would have made this space even better would be a genuine English Tea house and a Traditional Fish ‘n’ Chips shop.
Before we knew it, it was time to leave. Lake Havasu will need to be re-visited.
Driving on the scenic 95 parallel to the Colorado River, we reached Highway 62 at Parker to cross into California. We continued on this scenic desert roadway to end our journey.
our takeaway on the Grand Canyon road trip
There was quite a lot packed into this weekend adventure, but we didn’t rush through any of it. It just goes to show how much you can see in three days and the amount of knowledge you can gain.
Before researching or Grand Canyon Road Trip, neither one of us had any idea about the Seven Magic Mountains, the town of Goodsprings, or the dog that became the mascot of Hoover Dam.
That’s why we do this. Discovering little known facts about a place and making it relevant again. This trip was no exception, and it was enjoyable. There is so much out there to see, so let’s go and find it.
Grand Canyon road trip – in a nutshell
- There are several entrances into the Grand Canyon on the North and South Rims
- The South Rim is open all year, but the North Rim closes in winter
- Cost of Admission: $35 per vehicle or an Annual Pass (America the Beautiful) $80
- Please remember it gets hot in the summer and cold in the winter (snow). The winds can be extremely gusty and great care is needed near the edge.
- Keep dogs on a lead at all times, and don’t go near the edge. Click for more information on travelling with your pet
- Parking cost for Hoover Dam – $10
- Free admission to the Seven Magic Mountains
location map – Grand Canyon road trip
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