Hermit's rest road info: https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/management/hermit.htm, says "improved in 2008."
The Grand Canyon is great in winter, it will be cold at the rim, but you're from Toronto. Often going even a short distance down the hiking trails will take you away from any crowds that might be at the viewpoints. But take seriously the warnings about ice and using traction devices. Some of the upper parts of the trails see no sun in winter, and others get a strong melt and refreeze, so you can be walking on slush over ice. You can get a relatively inexpensive pair of midfoot boot crampons at the bookstore.
January, 2006. From what I remember the road was paved for a relatively short distance before it turned into a dirt road which followed the rim. There may or may not have been a sign warning not to proceed further but if there was I ignored it. I vaguely recall some sort of wooden structure and fence at this location and after scouting the view I thought the 300mm lens would be best. However I didn't care for the composition with that lens (the 300mm eliminated too much of the foreground for me) and went back to the car for the 200mm with which the image was taken. The next time I'm in the area and with the 8x10, the 760mm lens would be ideal with that format.
Thomas
I worked at Hermit's Rest form 1991 thru 1992. Whatever "dirt road" you thought you were on was probably the employee and park service access. You would've driven past the manager's house, the assistant manager's trailer and the septic tank, there's nothing but rocks and shrubbery the rest of the way to the trailhead. The road officially ends in the small parking lot. Wherever you think you were, it doesn't sound like Hermit's Rest. Also, there aren't any good "views" from the trailhead area, at least nothing worth hauling out the 8x10 for.
Yep, the asphalt ended and the dirt road that continued must have been the unofficial continuation of Hermit's Rest road. (…"the employee and park service access..." They save the good stuff for themselves!) But if you worked for a year in that same area, surely you must have happened upon a vista like the one pictured, no? No vista was visible from the "road." It was necessary to get out of the car to check from the rim which I did several times.
Thomas
I have walked a dirt road a couple times that goes from the Bass Trailhead eastwards towards Hermits Rest, early 80s. Sixteen miles, that road was as straight as a ruler except for one bend. And certainly no view of the Canyon itself from the road.It runs along the boundary of the Park. I cut across country to actually get over to Hermits Rest from the road -- it hits the paved road east of Hermits Rest itself. I started my hikes down into the Canyon at Hermits Rest and hiked out of the Canyon on the Bass Trail.
There are some nice hiking trails in that area. Dripping Springs was a favorite place to go after work (my shift started early) in 1977.
"Landscapes exist in the material world yet soar in the realms of the spirit..." Tsung Ping, 5th Century China
Are you sure you haven't confused that with Desert View? The image posted looks a bit like the eastern end of the canyon looking north.
Truthfully, the best views from Hermit's Rest (the trail notwithstanding) are actually from an old picnic spot that can be found if you go over the wall that's in front of the main building (I would not attempt this with a view camera rig, nor do I recommend getting caught climbing down there). If you look carefully you can see where there used to be stone steps that lead to a little view point. When we were sure that no one was looking we'd often climb down to that spot to eat our lunches in peace. The park service broke up the steps about the same time they poured the concrete "terrace" and built the wall that's still there today. You can still find old hand colored postcards that actually show that little viewpoint if you collect that sort of thing.
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