Lazy cancer patients are here again~ This trip took place in October 2015, and it is now April 2017. I will try my best to restore it~~
When I was traveling across the United States , I was so rushed that I didn’t have time Going to play in the Grand Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, so this time looking for an opportunity to finally take the big names Ding Ding’s scenic spot has been won~
I want to focus on the Wave Valley. This place is not a place where you can go whenever you want. You can only enter 20 people a day, and you have to draw lots (details will be explained later), but the pictures on the Internet are really beautiful. So it became the top priority of our trip!
When I traveled in more than a dozen countries in Europe , I actually saw history and cities. The last time I crossed the Yellowstone the United States Camping and the baptism of this round of travel have subverted my perception of travel and completely opened up my fanatical pursuit of the natural beauty of the United States. In the past few years, I have almost visited all the national parks in the west of the United States. . . Since then, I have no interest in the city anymore,,,
schedule
Day 1 departs from Los Angeles at night, arrives in Las Vegas to stay~
Day 2 drives from Las Vegas to Hoover Dam, plays the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in the afternoon, and then drives to Kanab (preparation for the lottery)
Day 3 morning Draw lots, go to Antelope Canyon at noon, and then go to Horseshoe Bay
Day 4 If you win the lottery the day before, play Wave Valley, and then drive back to Los Angeles ;
Hahahahaha!!)
The following is the driving route for this trip~
You can tell by seeing the route. The driving task for this trip is quite difficult, and a lot of time is spent on the road. It is best to have two people who travel together. If you come to play in China, I recommend Las Vegas for the start and end points.
Day 2 Hoover Dam + Helicopter + Grand Canyon
The Hoover Dam is very close to Las Vegas and can be reached in an hour by car. There is also a project in Las Vegas overlooking the Hoover Dam by helicopter. It takes about an hour to go back and forth, but it is not cheap. . . With this money, it is better to drive to the Grand Canyon and take a helicopter. The Grand Canyon is much more beautiful than the Hoover Dam! And that’s exactly what we chose.
The Hoover Dam has a special parking lot for tourists. When you arrive, you can park your car and visit it~! I personally think this is just passing by to take a look, take pictures, and visit here~
It is located in the casino city of Las Vegas The Mojave Desert, 49 kilometers to the south, straddles the border between Nevada and Arizona, straddles the valley walls of the Black Canyon, and resolutely “cuts off” the raging Colorado River. The project was started in 1931 and completed on September 30, 1935 (two years ahead of schedule). It is an arched concrete dam with a concrete pouring volume of 2.6 million cubic meters. The crest is 13.7m wide and the dam foundation is 201.2m thick. , the dam height was 221.3m, which was the highest arch dam in the world at that time; the crest length was only 379.2m, and it is still the shortest dam among the high dams in the world. A total of 3.4 million cubic meters of concrete was used.
One hour is enough for the Hoover Dam to visit~ After taking a photo, we left for the Grand Canyon, because it was quite a distance to drive there, and there was a helicopter overlooking the Grand Canyon project on the road, and the time was tight.
Grand Canyon National Park (Grand Canyon National Park) is located in the northern part of Arizona , USA, and is part of the Colorado Plateau. It was formed by the Colorado River cutting the plateau here, so it is also known as the Grand Canyon of Colorado . . The Grand Canyon has a total length of 446 kilometers, an average width of 16 kilometers, a maximum depth of 1740 meters, an average valley depth of 1600 meters, and a total area of 2724 square kilometers. Canyon National Park is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and one of the most worth-seeing national parks in the United States.
The reason why I want to take a helicopter to overlook the Grand Canyon is that I have never done a helicopter before and wanted to experience it, and the second is that the viewing angle of the Grand Canyon is very good. The helicopter flies from the South Rim to the North Rim Turning back again is equivalent to crossing the Grand Canyon, which cannot be achieved in other ways.
At that time, there were two types of helicopter packages to choose from. You can see from the second website that the first type is an ordinary helicopter, which costs 199 dollars to fly for 30 minutes. The second type It is a 1st Class EcoStar EC130 Aircraft with larger windows and a better viewing angle. It costs $249 to fly for 25-30 minutes. You can choose according to your needs. Being poor, I chose the cheap one hahaha.
After check in, the staff will measure your height and weight, and then assign you a seat, probably to keep the center of gravity of the helicopter stable. You can only sit according to their allocation, safety first~~
The noise of the helicopter taking off is very loud, everyone must wear earphones, and the communication is also through the earphones, and it is really dizzy. I got airsick after I got off. For a while, so 30 minutes is enough, don’t feel that time is not enough.
The next step is to go to the Grand Canyon. Since I was airsick and rested for a long time, the sun was already going down when I reached the south edge of the Grand Canyon, so the photos I took were not very good~~ This trip to the south edge was very hasty. I only went to two view points, and I still have to go again in the future. . .
I also want to remind my friends from China not to follow the group! ! The tour group will only take you to the West Rim, the one with the glass bridge, where you can’t see the magnificence of the Grand Canyon at all! The unscrupulous tourist group is just trying to get closer to the West Rim. . . If possible, you must drive by yourself!
Regarding the South Rim and the North Rim, I checked a lot of guides. Most of them said that the scenery on the South Rim is better, and a few said that the North Rim is more beautiful. Turnips and vegetables have their own preferences. I finally chose the South Rim~
Let me tell you a little friend who has been to a national park. Generally, when you arrive at a national park, go to the visitor center first, and tell the staff that you want to play for a few days and your preferences. Do you like hiking or driving on the road to take pictures? I will recommend places to play according to your time and requirements~~
Photos of the Grand Canyon during the process of going up and down the sun.
After a quick glimpse of the Grand Canyon, we drove 5 hours to Kanab, and it was already midnight when we arrived. . . Why go to this city that no one has heard of? This is almost the most important part of this trip, let me tell you slowly in the next paragraph~~
Day 3 Wave Valley Draw + Antelope Canyon + Horseshoe Bend
The Wave! ! ! It is my head image, the most important place of this journey.
In fact, Wave Valley is a part of Paria Canyon. After experiencing the vicissitudes of time and the wind of the Grand Canyon of Colorado, the wind eroded such a wave-shaped canyon on those colorful rocks. Its story is also intriguing.
When the Valley of Waves was just accidentally discovered by several American photographers, since then, the photographic works of these photographers featuring the Valley of Waves have almost repeatedly won and won numerous awards in international photography competitions. Anyone who has seen the photo is fascinated by it, and then, where is it? No one knew—when these photographers found this impasse, they kept it a secret and never disclosed its location to the public.
The secret was kept for ten years, until a German photographer followed one of these American photographers to the Valley of the Waves in the early 1990s, and the mystery was revealed to the world. As a result, a large number of Europeans , especially Germans Many people went to the United States , just to witness this dizzying spectacle. At this time, the Americans were still in the dark. The Bureau of Land Management began taking over access to the Valley of the Waves. After field investigation and research, in order to protect the pristine ecological environment of the canyon, it was decided not to carry out tourism publicity publicly. Except for a limited number of 20 permits issued to known people per day, no one is allowed to enter without authorization.
Of these 20 permits, 10 must be drawn online 4 months in advance, and 10 will be drawn on-site locally. Therefore, whether you can see it or not depends largely on luck.
For the online lottery, you need to apply 4 months in advance. For us, it is obviously not suitable. For detailed rules and application URL, you can refer to the official website: . It is said that the online winning rate is about 1%.
On-site lottery application means that the permit for the next day will be drawn on the spot the day before. The reason why we rushed to Kanab in the middle of the night without rest was to draw lots the next morning.
The address for on-site application is at the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Visitor Center, Kanab, Uta.
We arrived at the lottery address at 9:00 in the morning. There are already many people waiting there. A staff member will tell us some precautions. Including the dangers of going to the valley of waves, yes, this hike is not safe, and no one has ever walked out. . .
Everyone pay attention here!
If you are in poor physical condition or have no hiking experience, please consider carefully. Wave Valley is not an ordinary tourist attraction. In a large desert, there are no road signs and trails. You can find the last superb view with a map. You need to have a good sense of direction. Because only 20 people enter every day, the chance of asking for help on the road is not high, and you can only rely on yourself. I heard that there are poisonous snakes and scorpions in summer?
People who usually exercise regularly and have good physical strength can walk out in four to five hours. We spent six hours, but in the end we really had no strength. It was my husband who dragged me out. . . I’ve hiked across the desert anyway. . . (Although I went hiking for 16 hours later, I was afraid of the half dome of Yosemite. I don’t know why it was so weak at the time.) The
staff reminded us, please inform one of your relatives and friends before entering the wave valley. If you haven’t reported your safety by night, You can ask relatives and friends to call the police for help. Isn’t it scary? . . .
Okay, I’m going to move on to the lottery. . . After finishing the notes, you need to fill out an application form~
The picture below shows the applicants of the day. Later, the staff counted a total of 104 applicants~everyone is anxiously waiting for the results~
The draw has begun! ! ! Just shake the thing in the picture below, and a ball will fall, and the number on it is the group number~
The rules of the lottery are as follows. There are ten places in total. Each group can only fill out one application form. The number of people in the first group drawn will directly occupy the number of places. For example , if the first group has four people, then only one application form will be filled out. There are six places left. If there are two places left in the end, but a group of four people is drawn, then only two people can go. It depends on whether you want friendship or beautiful scenery. . .
My number at the time was 24, and that number was called by the second group! ! ! I screamed and jumped up when I heard the staff sign up for 24, and hugged my husband hahahahahaha, everyone looked at me enviously~~~ I really didn’t expect to get it on the first day, it’s just human The Pinnacle broke out~
After everyone was drawn, those who were not drawn went back, and those who were drawn stayed, and each person paid an application fee of 7 yuan. Then the staff sent us a permit, which needs to be hung on the body and posted on the car~ I love this piece of paper so much! ! !
This is the picture of the entrance of the wave valley that the staff showed us, in the middle of kanab and page~
After the lottery was drawn, we continued to set off with excitement. Today we are going to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend~ These two attractions are near Page, and the kanab drove there for about an hour~
The scenery along the way is simply beautiful and cannot be described in words. . . . All original pictures! !
Halfway through the drive, there was a small road with big water written on it, and we drove up it. What a different world~
Appreciate the perfect scenery and continue to go to Antelope Canyon. Antelope Canyon is divided into Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon. We went to Lower Antelope Canyon. “Arched Spiral Rock”), which is closed for about nine months of the year. Located underground, you need to climb metal stairs to go deep into the ground, and you may need to rely on some ropes in the middle to walk through the Lower Antelope Canyon. Due to its relatively high difficulty of entry, there are fewer tourists. But photographers often take pictures here. The essential difference from the Upper Antelope Canyon is that it does not have the most famous beam of light.
Be sure to book tickets online in advance. It is almost impossible to have a ticket on the same day~
Antelope Canyon departs in groups. After arriving, check in and it is your turn. Someone will come to call, and then the group leader will gather everyone to set off~Because the number of people entering is limited, you need to wait for a while at the entrance~It’s boring to take pictures while waiting~
The tour guide told us that if the effect of the iPhone is adjusted to yellow, it will look very good~! ! It’s a pity that the photos have no effect when imported to the computer. . . I am lazy and lazy to P. . . There are no good pictures on the Internet. . . Let’s have a look. . .
After all, the photos taken cannot be compared with the scenery seen in person. The sunlight penetrates into the cave through the cracks in the rock formations of different shades. Same. From the moment you enter the canyon, the light is constantly changing, and the rocks are like flowing water, undulating, showing different colors such as pink, orange, purple, red, etc., just like a colorful dream paradise.
When you are surrounded by these strange stones, your vision is full of streamlines, and the sky is just a light above your head, you really have to marvel at the magic of nature. These stones have been here for thousands of years, and we, just A moment between heaven and earth~ After going to Antelope Canyon, we ran to Page’s Wal-Mart to buy equipment for the Wave Valley tomorrow, including water, energy-enhancing chocolate and Snickers bars, compass, whistle, etc. In short, it is for survival in the wild Get ready~
Horseshoe Bend (Horseshoe Bend) is near Page, drive for more than ten minutes, it is a U-shaped channel of the Colorado River in Arizona, and it is also a small section of the Glen Canyon, due to the huge rocks surrounded by the river bend It is shaped like a horseshoe, hence the name “Horseshoe Bay”. There is no charge for attractions~
Horseshoe Bay does not have a large parking lot, and many cars can only be parked on both sides of the road. When you drive and find a long line of cars on both sides of the road, Horseshoe Bay is almost here.
When you get off the bus, you have to walk up a slope, and then walk in about five minutes to reach Horseshoe Bay. From the slope, there are only a few small cracks on the ground in the distance. Only when you stand on the edge of the cliff, you can see the whole picture of Horseshoe Bay. will appear before your eyes. That moment was absolutely amazing! stay! up!
You must not be afraid of heights when taking pictures in Horseshoe Bay. You can only take good pictures if you sit on the edge. Remember to be careful, because people fall off the cliff and die almost every year in this place. I recommend everyone to go in the morning, so that the photos will not be backlit. I arrived in the evening, and the sun is going down the mountain right in front of me. The photos I took are not very good~~
This is the end of today’s tour. , go back and have a good rest~ I have a big task to complete tomorrow~~~
Day 4 Wave Valley
In order to leave Wave Valley before the hottest weather at two o’clock in the afternoon, we got up at five o’clock in the morning~departure in the dark~
Just go in at this intersection! It’s not very eye-catching, so don’t miss it. . .
After entering, you have to drive a long way, about ten miles, and then you will see a parking lot, park your car, sign at the entrance, and you can go in. . . There is only one bathroom here~
Opposite the parking lot is the trailhead of Wave Valley. Walk along this dry riverbed for about 10 minutes. The road is all flat, and it is very easy to walk in the early morning sunshine.
In the past, the staff would send a map, which would say which direction to go, what scenery you might see (with photos), and there are round trips. This map is very important! ! ! The surrounding scenery is very similar, so carefully compare the pictures on the map.
I don’t remember much now, I just remember that I had to walk through a piece of sand first, there are still some footprints here, it’s not easy to get lost, and then the geology will become different, from sand to stone, and there will be no footprints at this time , Climb up and down a few slopes, and you will see a ” Twin Peaks “, which is an iconic location!
Twin Cones is a very important sign. When I saw them, the cluster of hills where the Wave Valley is located, as we went up and down the mountain, I would see it from time to time from a distance, so if you look at the direction, you will basically not Lost~
Do you see a straight gap in the distance in the picture below, just go in that direction~! The Valley of Waves is there~~
When the sun comes out, the temperature will get higher and higher~~~
Going straight ahead, there will be a large sandy road. After we have walked and climbed more than 200 meters of sandy dirt road, the wave valley is in front of us, but this section The road is not easy to walk, the slope is extremely steep, and every step is slippery. However, when we see those curves that we are already familiar with, but still deeply amaze us with a completely unfamiliar sense of shock, we will feel that this road is all It’s worth it.
When you get to the Valley of Waves, you have to go up a big slope. When you see this scenery, the Valley of Waves is almost here~!
Today’s Wave Valley has also set up the last checkpoint, which is the accumulated rain in this pond. You have to walk slowly by holding the stones on the side~
Finally, the shock of the valley of waves finally fully presented in front of my eyes~! ! What will happen when the seemingly soft and boneless wind meets the hard rock? On this colorful rock, the traces of time are deeply engraved.
After returning to the parking lot to rest for a while, we set off back to Los Angeles ~
I am grateful to God for allowing me to see such a big world. I promise myself that I will not stop to see the world. Life is already so difficult , since I didn’t choose to survive in such a world, traveling more places is the only compensation I can give myself.
on the way.
