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Join this family as they explore the legendary Grand Canyon of Arizona, check hotels, and share some hiking tips.

At 277 miles/446 kms long and up to 6,000 feet/1,829 meters deep, the Grand Canyon, cutting through Arizona, Nevada and Utah, is truly spectacular. It's so enormous that some families mistakenly believe there is enough room for all who come to admire it. Not so! America's second most popular national park (behind Great Smoky Mountains) welcomes over 5 million visitors per year. However, if you avoid the July-August high season and can spend a few days, your family will have a much better chance of seeing what's wonder-full about this natural wonder.

Go Slow With Kids

Younger children will certainly appreciate the Grand Canyon's natural beauty (if only because thousands of others are making such a fuss) but showing them the sites can be hair-raising. The rim-side lookouts top the Canyon's steep sides, and the sometimes-unreliable handrails are easily ignored. Since paths are crowded and slippery, parents packing infants in child carriers should go slowly. Adults must be on guard at all times. Families with older children will be freer to explore; you can estimate that reasonably fit children will be able to hike about 1 mile per day, per year of age, after about 3 years. (We know of one Mom who trained her 4-year-old daughter on a Stairmaster in front of the TV for three months so she could keep up with her older brother!)

Hikers should remember that the Canyon rim is about 7,000 feet above sea level, and that hiking back up from any trail will take about twice as long as the descent. It's not an activity suitable for young children, or for occasional athletes, who will tire easily between the lack of oxygen and high temperatures. And remember, although the Colorado River looks so close, it takes two days of hiking on the River Trail to reach it!