Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Audrey here - as an Arizona local it was an absolute treat bringing Dom to the Grand Canyon.

Our friends Eman and Kathy visited us in West Point, NY before graduation and heard all about our road trip. Eman advised Dom to keep his eyes shut until he was right at the edge of the canyon to have a “reveal.” and we did exactly that! It was amazing to see his reaction to one of the world’s wonders! 

Before arriving at the canyon’s edge we set up our first road trip campground at Mathers Campground. We secured the very last spot! Historically, camp setup is not a pleasant experience for Dom and me… both times we went camping it was pouring rain. So with beautiful Arizona weather, we realized setting up a tent doesn’t have to require couples counseling! 

The camp was set, and dinner was enjoyed, so it was off to the rim trail for a ~4-mile leisure walk to view the sunset. 

Once the sun set at 7:30 pm we made our way back to our tent positioned under the stars. We set our alarm for 4:00 am to run the rim trail at sunrise. It was an extremely rewarding run for us. Only 2 miles total but we took a "lookout" break at the halfway mark to take in the natural beauty. Because we were quickly visiting the Grand Canyon and did not have enough time to hike, the sunset/sunrise combo was perfect! 

Travel Tip: Embrace the adventure by finding your own “lookout” spots. We visited the tourist spots but realized the random one-off points were more enjoyable and peaceful. It’s all a matter of your own opinion and perspective.

While at Mathers Campground, Dom and I were about 5 yards from two female elk drinking from the campground spigot. They were strong, beautiful, and docile. An amateur National Park goer may even think an elk is a moose... 

Then it was time to pack up and head out to Utah! Our route took us past Horseshoe Bend - a quick but awesome destination. “A worthwhile pit stop” as Dom just said 😂.