Get Outside: Sunset Over the Grand Canyon

By: Christin Healey + Save to a List



Get Outside is a weekly dose of inspiration to get you off the couch and enjoying what nature has to offer.

Over the holidays my partner-in-crime and I were on what we were calling The Great American Road Trip: Winter Edition. We were exploring, hiking, and photographing Zion, Monument Valley, Page, AZ, Death Valley, and of course, The Grand Canyon. This was my first time to The Grand Canyon, and we were planning on spending 3 days hiking Rim to River, exploring the valley, and getting to all the great lookouts for some amazing photographs. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans. We drove into the park about 45 min before sunset on the heels of a huge snowstorm. I knew that I only had this one chance to capture this incredible scene, as the snow was coming that night and it was bringing whiteout conditions for the next 48 hours, making it impossible to even see the canyon. We parked the car, I grabbed my camera gear, and we ran along the rim searching for the perfect spot. After passing a handful of crowded spots, we got to this perfect lookout blissfully free of other tourists. I set up just in time for the sun to dip below the horizon, and as often happens right before a big storm, the sky turned the most amazing colors over the vastness of this place.

We spent 14 hours in the worst traffic jam ever on New Year's Eve due to the storm the next day, but looking at this image and remembering standing out staring into the canyon, it was totally worth it.

Check out more of my adventure's here.

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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