By Stephen M. Wheeler

They say that if you haven’t seen it, it’s just a hole in the ground. At 277 miles long, 18 miles wide and one mile deep, it is a very big hole. The Grand Canyon, millions of years old, is truly one of the seven wonders of the (ancient) world, even though it’s only been a national park since 1919. It’s hard to imagine what frontier explorers of the Old West must have said when they first encountered the Grand Canyon; what miners felt as they hiked down looking for precious ore; or what passengers thought when the first steam locomotive came to rest just a short walk from the rim.

But it’s easy to re-create.

Last year, the Grand Canyon Railway, which travels 65 miles from the town of Williams, Az., to the south rim of the Grand Canyon, celebrated its one-hundredth birthday (1901). A lot has changed since then, and today the Railway’s focus is to re-create that Old West feeling with costumed cowboy and frontier characters and, of course, their vintage steam engines and passenger cars.

Driving into Williams is the beginning of our trip back in time. Williams is a town steeped in nostalgia. Route 66, the main street in town, inspires memories of its own; but 19th-century historic storefronts and well-preserved buildings take us much farther back—to a time of mountain men, traders, Native Americans, cattle ranchers, and yes, railroad laborers. We check into the Fray Marcos Hotel, delightfully styled in 1900s Southwestern décor. Before dinner, we take a brief walk through town to window shop, then tour the 1908 depot and train museum. The whole town of Williams gives the quaint feeling of the quiet Old West. At night, we are almost disappointed not to hear coyotes howling at the moon.

If we had slept in, the sounds of gunfire would have awakened us. The renowned outlaws, the Cataract Creek Gang (in a bungled attempt at robbing the train), have found themselves in a showdown with Marshal John B. Goodmoore. Quickly we grab seats in the bleachers just as guns are drawn. It’s still several hours before high noon, but these ruffians are intent on a shoot-out—to the crowd’s delight. Justice prevails and after the rounds of bullets (and rounds of applause for the actors) have ended, the steam whistle blows, train bells ring, and we hear our first “all aboard!”

The Grand Canyon Railway has five classes of train cars that are pulled by historic turn-of-the-century steam engines (vintage diesel engines in colder months). Passengers flock to the 1923 Pullman coach cars, the 1950 era Pullman first-class cars, the glass viewing dome, and the last car of the train, the luxury parlor, where one would expect to see a caboose. In days gone by, the luxury parlor, complete with its open-air rear platform, was always reserved for very special passengers of the train—government officials or railroad tycoons.

Throughout the train costumed waiters and waitresses serve refreshments while fiddle and guitar playing frontier folk entertain with some familiar songs. Out of the train’s windows we see prairie dogs and slow-moving deer (cows); later we spot pronghorn (called antelope) and real mule deer. The ride to the Grand Canyon is too short—just over two hours—and the great entertainers and fantastic views of wooded flatlands and Southwestern desert make the time seem to race by.

But the real view is just ahead. Grand Canyon’s authentic 1910 depot is a mere 200 yards from the rim. After that short walk, we stand still for more than 20 minutes, gazing at this most awesome landscape that no postcard could do justice to. Eons of time are represented in the many colors of earth uncovered by millions of years of erosion by the Colorado River.

Soon, a great hunger overcomes us—well, two hungers, actually. We desperately want to see more of the canyon; we also want lunch. The Grand Canyon Railway offers three different narrated motorcoach tours along the rim. Each tour starts with lunch in one of the several restaurants of Grand Canyon Village. Not as authentic as having a chuck wagon roll along behind us, but certainly most convenient.

For those not interested in a narrated tour, there are three free shuttle loops that stop at numerous viewpoints throughout the park. The Hermits Rest Route is the western leg of the park; the Kaibab Trail Route travels east. Between the east and west routes is Grand Canyon Village, where the Village Route shuttle visits the many shops, studios, restaurants and resorts. While there are no bad viewpoints of the Grand Canyon, not all stops have facilities, so plan accordingly.

Both the Village and Kaibab Trail shuttles stop at the Canyon View Information Plaza, the park’s new visitors center. Here, park rangers lead short walking tours out to the rim, there is a park service video that discusses the “Lure of the Canyon,” and there are an abundance of displays of the canyon geology and ecology.

We eat an early dinner at the El Tovar Dining Room (in the historic 1905 El Tovar Hotel), then walk back to the rim for sunset. Perhaps the most rewarding views occur when the taupe and terra cotta colors of the canyon are mirrored by the gold, yellow and pink colors of the setting sun. After dark, a vast array of unfamiliar stars light the sky with wisps of the Milky Way thrown in as highlights.

Both the El Tovar Hotel and the Bright Angel Lodge (circa 1936) sit on the rim of the canyon, but we are staying at a distant lodge and must wake early to reach the rim by sunrise. At first light, the canyon is only slightly visible, with dark shadows hiding its depths. But as the sun rises, bright golden light peels back the layers of shadows, slowly illuminating the canyon as it has done every day for the past umpteen million years.

After a hearty breakfast, we face a difficult decision—what to do today? We could take a nature walk along this most splendid work of nature. Or there are a number of historic buildings that serve as gift shops and art studios that we could visit. A mule train (as many as 12 mules in a row) could carry us down into the canyon. If we were staying for several days, we could go whitewater rafting. Or we could do as the explorers and frontiersmen of yesterday did—descend into the canyon by foot.

The Colorado River is a mere nine miles down the Bright Angel Trail—an all-day hike for only the stoutest of heart! Instead, we choose to walk only a short way into the canyon, less than a mile down. We did have a train to catch, after all. But be warned! Walking down is easy; walking back up is much more challenging and time consuming.

All too quickly the time comes to reboard the train for our return to Williams. For a change of pace, we move up to the dome car to see more of the Arizona countryside. Again, ponderosa pine trees and scrubs pass by the windows, with the occasional animal crouching in the distance. Suddenly, the train slows and we hear gunfire! Like a legend of the Old West that never dies, the Cataract Creek Gang is attempting to rob the train again. Soon, costumed ruffians and bandits come through the cars demanding our “loot,” until Marshal Goodmoore again saves the day.

Ah, the Old West. If any place can take you back, it’s the Grand Canyon. And the Grand Canyon Railway is your vehicle there.

>Back to top