Day 6 Route Map to Grand Canyon
Cameron Trading Post sunrise over Old Swayback Suspension Bridge Photo by Larry A.
Today is day 6 of my 5000+ mile, 17 day motorcycle ride. Today will be an easy ride, just 130 miles. We will be touring the south rim of the Grand Canyon National Park. We can ride only the eastern part of the canyon and see the western part of the canyon riding the shuttle busses. The western part, recently refurbished, is closed to private vehicles during peak travel periods.
Courtyard Cameron Trading Post
Cameron Trading Post main Building
We were up early. We took a few photos of the sunrise and the trading post. We had a good breakfast at the Cameron Trading Post restaurant. We stayed at the Trading Post last night and will be staying here tonight. If you are planning a trip to visit the Grand Canyon, I would suggest staying at the Cameron Trading Post.
Riding Highway 64 heading to Grand Canyon
Rolling down Highway 64 to Grand Canyon
Today is a beautiful morning with bright blue skies and just a few high thin clouds. It will be a great riding day. It is just a short scenic ride (32 miles) down Highway 64 from the trading post to the Grand Canyon’s east entrance.
Scenery on Highway 64 riding to Grand Canyon
Colorado River at Lipan Point in Grand Canyon
The ride to the canyon is cool but starting to warm up. It could be another warm one today. Though it is a desert area it was greener than I would have expected. The area was mostly flat with small pine trees lining the highway. At some points you could see small hills in the distance. We made a few stops riding to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center.
Lipan Point in Grand Canyon
Our bikes at Lipan Point in Grand Canyon
At Lipan Point we got our first close look over the edge of the canyon. This may have been our best view of the Colorado River from anywhere. Lipan Point is known for an excellent place to capture some great pictures of the sunset over the canyon. Today, with the sun high in the sky, we settled for some great shots of the canyon and river.
Tusayan Ruins in Grand Canyon National Park
Tusayan Ruins Museum at Grand Canyon National Park
I enjoy native Indian history, so the Tusayan Ruins is a great stop for learning more about ancient cultures. We enjoyed the walk through the ruins reading the signs describing the ruins and the people of long ago. As always I find myself imagining the people who once called this part of the world home. I wish stones could talk… There is a small museum at the ruins that I would have liked to visit, but it is closed. Maybe next time…
Me taking in the Grand of the canyon…
Once at the Visitor Center we picked up brochures and checked out the displays about the Grand Canyon. From the Visitor Center headed to the western area shuttle stop and after searching a bit found a place to park our bikes. It was a busy day, with a lot of people visiting the park. It is a bit hazy today but still a great sight that must be seen. The views really can’t be described with words and pictures really can’t capture the majesty of the canyon. The panoramic views, colors, sights, depth, sounds of the wind and birds have to be experienced to be appreciated. If you haven’t been there, it needs to be on your bucket list.
Grand Canyon Trails
It’s getting hot again today. The average temperature for June is the mid-80’s but today it’s in the 90’s. We stopped at most of the points in the beginning and took our time at each stop, but as it got warmer we spent less time at each stop. We skipped a few stops and headed to Hermit Rest for some lunch. There isn’t a lot for lunch there, sandwiches, snacks and soda is about it. When you are hungry, it fit the bill and got us out of the heat and gave us a needed rest. One couple there recognized the Larry’s (Larry T. & Larry A.) accent as being from their area (Tennessee). We had a nice time visiting with them before riding the shuttle back to the start.
Greeters of the Grand Canyon
The ride back to the Cameron Trading Post was hot… again as in our previous days. At one point as we got closer to the trading post my air temperature on my bike read 104 degrees (F). It is nice to be back and cool off in the AC.
Views abound in the canyon…
Tomorrow we ride to the Panguitch, UT (via Bryce Canyon) down US 89 & US 89-A… Because of all the canyons we are visiting on this ride I should have called it the canyons ride… Come follow along and enjoy the ride over the next 11… I hope we see you down the road somewhere. Ride safe…
If you liked this ride post, you may checkout the other post from this ride below…
- Introduction to our Motorcycle Ride (5000+ Miles In 17 Days)
- Day 1 of 5000+ Mile, 17 Day Motorcycle Ride (Georgetown, TX to Canyon, TX 458 Miles)
- Day 2 of 5000+ Mile, 17 Day Motorcycle Ride (Canyon, TX to Ft. Sumner, NM 173 Miles)
- Day 3 of My 5000+ Mile, 17 Day Motorcycle Ride (Ft. Sumner to Eagar, NM 343 Miles)
- Day 4 of My 5000+ Mile, 17 Day Motorcycle Ride (Eagar to Payson 231 Miles)
- Day 5 of My 5000+ Mile, 17 Day Motorcycle Ride (Payson to Cameron 222 Miles)
- Day 7 of My 5000+ Mile, 17 Day Motorcycle Ride (Cameron to Panguitch 287 Miles)
- Day 8 of My 5000+ Mile, 17 Day Motorcycle Ride (Panguitch to Ogden 287 Miles)
- Day 9 of My 5000+ Mile, 17 Day Motorcycle Ride (Ogden to Jackson 235 Miles)
- Day 10 of My 5000+ Mile, 17 Day Motorcycle Ride (Jackson to Gardiner 203 Miles)
- Day 11 of My 5000+ Mile, 17 Day Motorcycle Ride (Gardiner to Great Falls 226 Miles)
- Day 12 of My 5000+ Mile, 17 Day Motorcycle Ride
- Day 13 of My 5000+ Mile, 17 Day Motorcycle Ride (Great Falls to Billings 402 miles)
- Day 14 of My 5000+ Mile, 17 Day Motorcycle Ride (Billings to Spearfish 332 miles)
- Day 15 of My 5000+ Mile, 17 Day Motorcycle Ride (Spearfish to Alliance)
- Days 16 & 17 of My 5000+ mile, 17 Day Motorcycle Ride (Alliance to Home)
Hera are other rides you may like too…
- National Park Motorcycle Ride – 5542 Miles in 16 Days 2013
- Blue Ridge Parkway Motorcycle Ride June 2014
- Big Bend & Carlsbad Caverns National Parks Motorcycle Trip September 09
- Our First Big Bend Motorcycle Ride
- Big Bend National Park Motorcycle Ride April 2007
I hope we see you down the road somewhere… Ride safe…
