spring break tour 2010 - part three

we finally made it to arizona!!
the grand canyon state!!!!

we made it to flagstaff & set up camp in the dark - when we woke up - we discovered that we were surrounded by snow - there were 4-5 foot snow drifts where the snow plows had made way for the campers - the boys had a blast building a snow fort and pelting each other with snow balls

flagstaff is about an hour from the canyon and the drive is a beautiful one - each mile more breath taking than the last - and everything especially beautiful covered in snow!

on the drive into the canyon we stopped at sunset crater - an extinct volcano - j.man was sure that we would see an eruption!!!

we also stopped to see the little colorado river gorge...

we did our best to control our children...

and then...
we were there!!!!!!

we drove in from the east side so our first glimpse of the canyon was at the desert view...

this is the spot where mary colter built the watchtower...

view of the inside of the tower

naturally - i had to stop at this point!!! :-)

aren't we sweet!!!

and what a view!!!

even though we drove into the park around 1230 in the afternoon - we didn't reach the camp site until almost 5 - we had so much to see!!!

for example....

the "trailer village" was a great camp site - and inspite of the huge mounds of snow the weather was perfect!!!

we even had our very own "climbing tree"

by the time we set up camp - it was time for dinner - we had covered all the points/views on the east end of the south rim - so tomorrow we would explore the canyon, visit the historic buildings, and get the boys signed up to be junior rangers!!!