Even with summer crowds, the nearly 10 mile long west rim trail is blocked off to all but buses, and offers spectacular bicycling without worrying about traffic. Even those less physically inclined can spend days exploring the scenic vistas offered from every bend of the rim trails on foot, or from the roads from their cars or park shuttle buses. The place offers lots to explore for the history buff with many original structures preserved and a nearly century old train making daily runs to the rim. The area offers astronomical day trips to Lowell Observatory or Meteor Crater, as well as scenic drives through Monument Valley, the Painted Desert, Flagstaff and Oak Creek Canyon. One could easily spend a couple action packed days or the entire week without repeating yourself.
Conditions are excellent.
The nearest town, Flagstaff - population 45,000, is 80 miles away, while Las Vegas and Phoenix are both about 170 air miles away making for very dark skies. Elevation at the South Rim is about 7,000 feet with the North about 8,000 feet. Seeing conditions are usually very good with the exception of very still nights when pockets of cold air move through slowly disrupting the seeing. Early June is Arizona's clearest time of year. We set up and observe from the parking lot at Yavapai Point.