Note to self: maybe next year see the ACTUAL Grand Canyon? This was our second “Grand Canyon of…” on the year and it didn’t disappoint!!

Watch the video of our time around the canyon here!

We had allocated one whole day to exploring the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, but we could have probably spent the whole week there!

Our first stop was Artist’s Point, at the end of South Rim Drive. There’s generally plenty of parking down at the end of the road, although it may seem overwhelming when you first drive in to the area. You can also park near the entrance of South Rim Drive and take a much more involved hike down to Artist’s Point.

When we were in town, Uncle Tom’s Point was closed for safety. Probably for the best since it’s a trail of stairs! After we had our fill of Artist’s Point and the Southern Rim we went up to Canyon Village and had lunch, chatted with the ranger in the Visitor Education Center and got sunscreened up for our next adventure.

We thought we would hike down to the trailhead for Brink of the Lower Falls, but the signage near the cabins in Canyon Village wasn’t clear. We went down a deer trail, around on a service road, and eventually decided to drive down to the trailhead, in the interest of time.

Again, parking seemed like it would be challenging after waiting in line to get to the lot. But once we got in, it was simple–just lots of folks arriving and departing at the same time.

This time we suited up and made the short hike down to the Brink of the Lower Falls. There were quite a few folks on the trail, but it could have been so much worse. If you’ve done the Cleetwood Trail at Crater Lake, it’s VERY similar, except this one is much shorter and the trail is a little wider. Once we reached the Brink it was all 100% worth it! There’s nothing like watching gallons of water fall over the side of a cliff.

We headed back up the trail, slow and steady. Quick note to say that there are a few “short-cut” trails at the switchbacks, which I would sincerely caution you NOT to take. The switchbacks are there for a reason. Be smart about it and don’t forget trail etiquette.

Overall, the Canyon area of the park was GORGEOUS, and one of our favorite quadrants!

Happy Hiking, friends!