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It's in the spectrum of colors: The Colorado River, filled with runoff from a recent rain in the Painted Desert, runs blood red beneath slopes of orange Hakatai shale; cactus flowers explode in pink, yellow, and red; and lichens paint rocks orange, green, and gray, creating art more striking than the works in any gallery. It's in the shapes, too—the spires, amphitheaters, temples, ramps, and cliffs—and in the shadows that bend across them before lifting like mist. It's in the myriad organisms and their struggles for survival. Perhaps most of all, it's in the constancy of the river, which reminds us that all things break down, wash away, and return to the earth in time.

Avoiding the Crowds. High season runs from April through October, with visitation peaking in midsummer. Maureen Oltrogge, the public affairs officer for Grand Canyon National Park, offers this straightforward advice for people wanting to avoid the crowds at the park: "Prime season is July and August. Try to visit at another time. If you can't come during the off season, we recommend that you come before 10am or after 2pm, so that you can avoid both the lines at the entrance gates and the parking problems inside the park."

Oltrogge's advice applies to both rims. She points out that because the North Rim lacks facilities for large numbers of people, it sometimes feels as crowded as the South Rim, despite having roughly one-eighth the visitation. Outside of spring break and midsummer, however, crowds should not be a big issue on either rim.

Just the Facts

GETTING THERE & GATEWAYS

The nearest cities to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon are Flagstaff, Arizona, 78 miles south of Grand Canyon Village on U.S. 180; and Williams, Arizona, 59 miles south on Ariz. 64.

The closest small town to the park is Tusayan, Arizona, 1 mile south of the south entrance gates on Ariz. 64. The closest substantial town to the North Rim is Kanab, Utah, 78 miles northwest of Grand Canyon National Park on U.S. 89A.

The Nearest Airports. Many travelers fly to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (☎ 602/273-3300; http:// phoenix.gov/aviation), 220 miles from the South Rim, or to McCarran International Airport (☎ 702/261-5211; www.mccarran.com) in Las Vegas, 263 miles from the North Rim. The major airlines and car-rental companies serve both airports. See the appendix (p. 660) for toll-free numbers.

For those who would like to fly closer than Phoenix or Las Vegas, America West Express (☎ 800/235-9292) has daily jet service connecting Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Flagstaff Pulliam Airport. Closer still is Grand Canyon National Park Airport (☎ 928/638-2446 ) in Tusayan, 5 miles south of the park's south entrance. Scenic Airlines (☎ 800/634-6801 or 702/638-3300) offers daily service between Grand Canyon National Park Airport and North Las Vegas Airport (☎ 702/261-3806).

By Rail. Amtrak (☎ 800/872-7245 or 928/774-8679; www.amtrak.com) regularly stops in downtown Flagstaff, where lodging, rental cars, and connecting bus service are available, and in Williams, where lodging and connecting rail service (on the historic Grand Canyon Railway) are available.

The Historic Grand Canyon Railway (☎ 800/843-8724; www.thetrain.com)

offers daily service linking Williams and Grand Canyon Village. Pulled by historic steam engines during the summer, the train leaves Williams in the morning and returns in late afternoon.

By Bus. Service on Open Road Tours (☎ 800/766-7117; www.openroadtours.com) links Flagstaff with Grand Canyon National Park for $31 one-way, $56 round-trip (prices include entry fee). To reach Flagstaff or Williams by bus, you can also use Greyhound (☎ 800/231-2222; www.greyhound.com). From mid-May to mid-October, daily bus service between the North and South rims is available on the Trans-Canyon Shuttle (☎ 928/638-2820 ). The adult fare is $65 one-way, $110 round-trip. You must make a reservation to take the shuttle.

GROUND TRANSPORTATION

Renting a Car. Most major car-rental companies have offices in Flagstaff.