We did a 1.5 day trip here. We left Vegas in the late afternoon, got to the hotel with just enough time to get dinner and turn in for the night. The drive is about four hours to Grand Canyon Village. The next morning, we went for a hike. The trail we had originally researched turned out to be covered in snow and the Park Ranger said if we wanted to hike it, we’d need snow shoes and equipment, which we were definitely not prepared for. We ended up doing the Mather Point trail, which is a 2.5 mile trail leading to the Grand Canyon Village. Parts of the trail were pretty icy so I was constantly scared that one of us would slip and fall into the abyss of the Canyon. We ended up doing about half the trail and catching the free shuttle bus back to our car. It’s pretty much the same view during the entire hike anyway since you’re walking around the rim.
We left the area late afternoon to drive back to Vegas and expected to get back by 6 or 7 pm. But a massive accident involving flipped trucks caused a two-hour delay. Cars stood still on the highway and people got out of their cars to walk around on the highway, just to stretch their legs. Even if the accident hadn’t happened, I don’t think a day trip from Las Vegas is worth it because it just felt pretty rushed. Plus, the $30 you pay for the national park entry fee is valid for a week, anywhere in the park. So if you really want to explore the Grand Canyon, I’d recommend at least three days. I’d definitely like to go back in warmer weather so I can enjoy the sunshine, and not have to worry about slipping on ice.
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