Grand Canyon Railway Depot – South Rim, Arizona

Historical buildings and other attractions

There are a lot of historical buildings you can visit along the South Rim and most of them are located in the Grand Canyon Village. Some of these buildings include Buckey O’Neill Cabin, the El Tovar Hotel and the Grand Canyon Railway Depot.

Buckey O’Neill Cabin is considered as the longest continually standing structure located in the South Rim. It was built by William Owen O’Neill during the 1890s. Presently, the cabin is used as a guest house for vacationers who want to visit the Grand Canyon.

The El Tovar Hotel, on the other hand, is considered as South Rim’s most luxurious lodge. This 4 story hotel was constructed in 1905 and was planned by Charles Whittlesley. Located inside the hotel is a restaurant and a gift shop.

Of the fourteen train stations ever built in the United States, the Grand Canyon Railway Depot is one of only three log-cabin-style railway depot existing today. It was constructed in 1909.

Other attractions include Lipan Point and Toroweap Overlook.  Lipan Point is a promontory or headland situated on the South Rim. By visiting in this place, you can have a great view of the Unkar Creek area in the inner canyon as well as the various rock strata in the area. Toroweap Overlook or Tuweep provides the most heart-stooping view of the canyon below. It is located 3,000 feet above the Colorado River. According to the National Park Service, this is the most remote in the country.

Recreational activities you can engage to

Other options you can do to have a more leisurely view of the canyon is through the Coconino Canyon Train, which is a ninety-minute train ride that start at the old Grand Canyon Depot in the Grand Canyon National Park and passes through 24 miles of the canyon’s landscape.

If you’re the more adventurous type, you can view the canyon in a more vertical perspective by going on board a small airplane or a helicopter. However, some scenic flights are not permitted if they fly within the 1,500 feet of the rim due to recent incidence of crash.

Aside from the usual sightseeing of the Grand Canyon, you can do a lot of recreational activities. Among the popular activities are hiking, running, whitewater rafting and camping. While you’re at the floor of the valley you can traverse it on the back of a mule, by foot or by raft from upriver.

Truly, the Grand Canyon is an impressive and must visited tourist attraction. If you haven’t visited the place yet, then it is about time for you to experience the excitement and the adventure of a lifetime.