Introduction:
Where? :
From Las Vegas there are 280 miles all the way to the Grand Canyon south Rim section.
Crossing the Hoover Dam, passing through Kingman all the way east near
Flagstaff.
What? :
You can drive the 280 miles in around 5 hours but I recommend to explore the interesting
things on the way. this can be one day road trip with few stops on the way.
When? :
Year round.
My thoughts:
I highly recommend doing this as a full day drive and see some attractions on
the way but if you want to leave Las Vegas in the morning and spend few afternoon hours in the Grand Canyon this is also a good option.
I'm trying to drive trough the old and remote Route 66 but this is not a must.
The
visit:
Below list contain many things that can be done along the way.
For some of them you need
to take route 66 from Kingman.
Few of
them are short stop, other can be few hours visit and if you want to spend few hours in the Hoover Dam few this is longer
overnight visit.
The below Hoover dam spillover tunnel entrance pictures taken 20 years apart:
Hoover
Dam:
Hoover Dam is an American icon, it is an engineering marvel built at the 30s, damming the Colorado river at the Black Canyon section, creating the 110-mile-long Lake Mead.
It is highly recommended to visit the visitor center, watch the movie on how it was built and take the tour inside the dam.
After that walk over the dam to the
other side, see the Arizona spillway and enjoy the view down to the canyon.
In the past highway 93 was crossing over between Arizona and Nevada the top of the dam but since the opening of the new Memorial Bridge just south overlooking the dam all the passing traffic do not need to cross the dam.
It is highly recommended to park at the bridge overlook parking and
walk to the bridge walkway.
This can be 30 minute stop to park and walk to the bridge overlooking the dam.
This is not a large parking lot and it can be full where people are waiting for parking spot.
As the
most is the most-visited dam in the world, 7 million tourists a year, expect
delays in traffic and in the parking lots, especially during weekends and
holidays.
Kovid19:
Unfortunately, the Visitor Center Tours and Exhibits are closed.
https://www.nps.gov/articles/nevada-and-arizona-hoover-dam.htm
https://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/
https://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/images/2020HooverDamMap.pdf
Grand
Canyon Skywalk:
Grand
Canyon West located at the far western end of the Grand Canyon, located 50
miles north east away from highway 93, Chevron, AZ.
The Skywalk, managed by the Hualapai Tribe and it is not related to the Grand Canyon National Park.
The site consists of a horseshoe shaped glass floor that projects about 70 feet from the canyon rim, 4,000 feet above the floor of the Colorado Canyon below.
There are other canyon views at this
location as also other tourist activities like rafting, ziplining, aerial tours
and more.
I did
not visit this place so can’t really recommend it.
https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/skywalk.htm
https://grandcanyonwest.com/
Overall this loop hike is around 6 mile long.
Kingman:
Kingman
in northwestern Arizona is a city along old Route 66 and now on the I40
interstate.
We stop
here for lunch after visiting the Hoover Dam, on top of all fast food stops on
the I40 downtown has large variety of local restaurants.
There are several local tourist attractions like Route 66
Museum, Powerhouse Visitors Center, Locomotive Park, featuring a 1928 steam
engine, and the Kingman Railroad Museum.
We did not had time to visit the local attraction so I can't provide more information.
Route
66:
This is
longer and slower drive compare to taking the I-40 but I think it worth the extra time.
Hackberry
General Store:
Nice old
“classical” Route 66 general Store, short stop on the way. You can check the Route
66 souvenir shop, see the collection of vintage cars from U.S. Route 66 “good old
days” going through the Arizona desert.
Keepers
of the Wild Nature Park:
Keepers
of the Wild is a private open zoo that has over 150 exotic and wild animals
that were rescued from lives of neglect or abuse.
I did
not visit this place so can’t really recommend it.
https://www.keepersofthewild.org/
Truxton:
On the middle
of Route 66 there is semi deserted town with gas station and few old houses. Not
something major to see except old things and few old cars. A short stop on your
way.
Picture taken January 2017:
Picture taken April 2023:
Havasupai
Indian Reservation - Havasu Canyon Falls:
I hiked to Havasupai during April 2023 and I covered all the information in a separate Blog.
I will just add here that this was one of the most beautiful places I visit in the US.
Link to my Havasupai hike:
Havasupai Waterfalls Hike (AZ)
I never
visit this place but from what I saw this is one of the most beautiful canyon waterfalls
there is in the US.
Red rock desert canyon with blue turquoise color waterfalls
and pounds.
This
hike is inside local Indian reservation (they have a small village in the
canyon) so you must get a visiting permit in advance.
Kovid19:
All visits are canceled. All Havasupai tourism is suspended. It is not
currently known when tourism will resume.
https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/havasupai.htm
Grand
Canyon Caverns:
A tourist attraction stop along Route 66, a dray large cave guided tour.
This place also has
restaurant and hotel, even rooms located inside the cave, 220f below surface.
Never visit
here so can’t really recommend.
Today This place is also used for getting the permit for hiking to Havasupai, Open 8am to 5pm.
https://gccaverns.com/
Seligman:
In this
one street town Route 66 connect back to I-40.
Few restaurants and many gas stations.
Once you in Seligman you are connecting back to I-40 and continue with your drive east to Flagstaff or the Grand Canyon.
Additional Pictures:
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