Three days at the Grand Canyon

Q: If I have three days starting from Vegas and plan to visit the Grand Canyon, what would be the best route? Do I visit the north rim and go to Bryce Canyon and Zion Canyon, or go to the south rim instead?

— Chiu, Seattle

A: Here's a site I found most helpful in determining routes from Las Vegas to both rims: Go to www.nps.gov/grca/ and search for north or south rim. Both pages give detailed driving directions and maps. What you're going to have to decide on you own are the features you'd like to see in the time you have. If you have three days and can't get enough canyon adventure, then the northern route out of Las Vegas may be the one for you, particularly if you'd like to see Bryce and Zion. The North Rim is not visited as much as the South Rim and will have much smaller crowds. However, it's closed in winter. The South Rim remains open all year long and has more amenities. Many will argue that the views are better from the North Rim, but others like the south because of its more popular trails and lodging. In addition, if you're driving to the South Rim from Las Vegas, you'll pass right over the top of Hoover Dam, a site you'd miss if you headed for the North Rim. Keep in mind, the drive from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon is long in either case — nearly 300 miles one way.

— Terry Tazioli, The Seattle Times

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