Six million people visit the Grand Canyon annually, making it one of the nation’s most popular National Parks. Want to make your trip special? Read on for insight from Grand Canyon insider Kirby-Lynn Shedlowski, spokeswomen and public representative of the Grand Canyon National Park.
What’s it like to live at the Grand Canyon Village?
It’s a very unique experience. There are about 2,500 full time residents of Grand Canyon Village. Due to our location, 90-minute drive from Flagstaff, most of the employees live within the park boundary. We have a K-12 school, clinic, day-care, library, post office and bank.
I moved from the Baltimore/DC area and needed to learn simple things like grocery shopping for more than one meal at a time. It can be overwhelming when the park is super busy, but it is an amazing experience to wake up after a snow fall and walk to the rim and be one of a handful of people out and about.
The south rim entrance is busier than the north. What are the pros and cons for visiting each?
The South Rim is open year round, which is why more people visit. It is also closer to Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. As the primary center for visitors, there are several lodges in the park, restaurants, bike rental, shuttle bus system, etc.
If you want a less commercial experience, a trip to the north rim would be great. It’s only open seasonally (May 15-Oct 15).