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Driving to the Bottom of the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon. It's the world's
most well-known hole in the ground. Everyone has seen pictures
of it. Millions of travelers have stood at the rim, and peered
down into it.. But it seems only a fortunate few have looked up
at the colorfully eroded canyon walls from the bottom.
There's a good reason. The Grand Canyon is, of course, big and deep. Only a hearty hiker could make the 15-mile round trip on foot, and the only other option - a bumpy ride on the back of a mule - also takes a lot of time and effort. If only there was a way to drive in air-conditioned comfort, to the bottom this famous ditch.
Surprise, there is! It's a secret most visitors never discover: a
21-mile dirt road that winds its way downhill through a side
canyon, all the way to the mighty Colorado River.
The National Park Service doesn't tell anyone about Diamond Creek Road because it's not on their land. The road lies entirely within the bounds of the Hualapai Indian Reservation. This Native American tribe lives on land south of the Colorado River, and west of Grand Canyon National Park.
The reservation's main town, Peach Springs, can be found along an
historic stretch of old US Route 66, in northern Arizona. I
found it to be a somewhat depressing place. Aside from a modern
motel, almost every other building shows the poverty of the
Hualapai people.
The rows of small, pre-fab homes, and the obvious financial hardships of their residents, may help you feel a little better about plunking down $16 for a travel permit. Besides, you're paying for an experience you can't get anywhere else. So, the 21-mile journey begins. Diamond Creek Road passes a few homes, then quickly leaves civilization behind. The road is essentially one long, curvy ramp, dropping nearly 3,500 feet to the bottom of the canyon. It takes about ten miles or so before you start to notice some remarkable surroundings. Suddenly, steep canyon walls rise up on either side of the road. Cactus and other hearty desert plants cover the canyon floor. And before long, the road's namesake, Diamond Peak, can be seen in the distance.
Around mile 19 you reach the first sign that someone has been here before: a small picnic shelter, and a veryrustic restroom. At this point, you're standing at the foot of Diamond Peak, so a few photos are mandatory. Up until this point, the road is rough, and in places, will give your car's tires and suspension a brutal workout. But, with some smart driving and the appropriate speed, it is still passable, even in a passenger car. That all changes as you round the curve just past the rest area. At that point, Diamond Creek Road and Diamond Creek merge, and the road runs underneath the brisk stream of flowing water. At this point you must make a decision: can your car handle a drive down a creekbed? More importantly, can it handle the drive back uphill and upstream? Remember, the nearest cell phone tower, phone booth, and tow truck are about 19 miles away... and that would make for a long walk through the desert.
You could also park and walk the rest of the way to the Colorado River. However, don't forget that on foot, you're vulnerable to desert heat, and creatures (like rattlesnakes) that may be less than welcoming. Oh, the nearest ambulance is at least 19 miles away, too. Even if you decide to turn around, and head back to civilization, the trip will still have been worth it. You will still have had the chance to stare up, instead of down, at steep, colorful canyon walls. You'll still come home with amazing pictures of a place unlike any other. And best of all, you'll be able to tell your friends you've driven to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
Read more about my personal
experience on Diamond Creek Road |
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