Great Places — On Your Own
There are so many great places to visit and only so much time to travel. At Green Concierge Travel, we can help you find where you want to go and set up a trip that will allow you to explore these places in a way that is in tune with your values. See some of our special itineraries to learn more about how you can travel in style while supporting local economies and the environment.
From Rails to Trails – The Grand Canyon Awaits
 For young and old, a trip to the Grand Canyon is a trip of a lifetime. Today, you can experience the Grand Canyon without getting into a car. And on a trip this May with my 85 year old uncle, we discovered how beautiful and accessible the Canyon can be.
Amtrak’s Southwest Chief runs between Los Angeles and Chicago stopping at Flagstaff and Williams Junction, both gateways to the Grand Canyon. Like many of Amtrak’s long distance routes, the Southwest Chief follows a pioneer trail. Heading west from Chicago, the train picks up the Santa Fe Trail as it leaves Colorado and crosses the Continental Divide. Head for the observation lounge car where National Park Service volunteer rangers provide historic and ecological commentary along this part of the route.
The Southwest Chief climbs the Raton Pass and in our case into the mist covering the pass that day before winding its way down into New Mexico and on into Albuquerque. The train stops long enough to explore the station area. Unfortunately, the historic Alvarado Hotel, a Fred Harvey development [See box], was demolished in 1970. Albuquerque built a new train station creating a central multi-modal hub including bus and a local commuter rail service; the development adapts some of the features of the historic hotel. You can walk from the station through the downtown area but the more famous Albuquerque Old Town, the focal point of the community since 1706, may be a stretch for the approximate 50 minute break that you get.
Fed Harvey Company entered into a long term open ended contract with the Santa Fe Railroad to provide accommodations and food for travelers on their way west and east along the Santa Fe Railroad. The Harvey Houses became known for their good food and service.
In addition, Fred Harvey was responsible for building over 84 hotels some of which are still in use in the National Parks and elsewhere. On this trip, you cross the site of the Alvarado in Albuquerque. The Hotel opened in 1902, one of six Harvey House Hotels in New Mexico. The Harvey Hotels exuded a certain sense of luxury and style and epitomized the peak of railroad travel. For sixty-five years, the famous and not so famous passed through the Alvarado's doors.
You also will stay at what once was the Fray Marcos in Williams, Arizona. The Fray Marcos has been restored and reopened as a historic hotel and train depot for the Grand Canyon Railway. After some transitions, the Fred Harvey Company remnants and traditions have reemerged in the Xanterra Co., the current concessioner for the Grand Canyon National Park. For more on, Fred Harvey and the Fred Harvey Company:
Xanterra’s website
Wikipedia
 Leaving Albuquerque, you should get dinner on the train before arriving in Williams Junction. Williams Junction lies just beyond Flagstaff and is where you get off to catch the Grand Canyon Railway. The train slows and out of the darkness three light poles that mark the parking lot and the shuttle from the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel appear. With the smell of pines to refresh you, you board the shuttle with the help of the driver and then drive back down the dirt road as the train pulls out and disappears into the night.
 On December. 30th 1984, Williams' downtown business district was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Unfortunately, arrival by west bound train means you miss seeing the downtown. Not much is open anyway as it’s about 11 PM. Regardless of the hour (the east bound train arrives at about 5:30 AM), the front desk staff at the hotel are friendly and ready to help you with your reservations. The Grand Canyon Railway offers packages that can include multiple nights at the rim of the canyon. Xanterra, the National Park’s vendor, serves as the operator and organizes all the purchases through a central reservation system. You can choose to do your trip a la carte or with a package.
Don’t forget to let them know if you have National Park Pass. They will take the National Park entrance fee off your package if you do.
We opted for a Railway Getaway Package. This included breakfast, a wild west show, the round trip train excursion – luxury class and dinner. Technically your dinner is for the night you arrive prior to your departure. But for those arriving on the westbound Amtrak, try asking the hotel manager to change the night of your dinner tickets. In our case, she graciously changed it to the next evening when we returned from the canyon and before we had to meet the westbound Sunset Limited continuing our trip to Los Angeles.
 In the morning, guests are up early and the lobby begins to fill up with baggage. The hotel divides bags depending on your accommodations at the rim or in our case, on your departure by train. They use a spare room on the ground floor and offer shower facilities on your return from the canyon should you like to freshen up. The buffet breakfast offers a full range of choices hot and cold and of course hot sauce for your eggs and potatoes.
Wandering the station area, you can find a retired steam locomotive and gift shops. Forgetting a hat, I used this opportunity to get a Grand Canyon Railway hat and a set of six postcards to send to all the train lovers in our family. The wild west show is more of a comedy/audience participation routine. Enjoyable as you wait for the main course, the rail trip to the canyon. All seats are assigned on the train and our luxury class tickets put us in one of the two parlor cars at the end of the train. We chose the luxury parlor class because of the added benefit of a vestibule. You and five others can stand at the back of the train and take pictures, absorb the scenery and enjoy the ride.
 To make sure you are comfortable, the parlor car attendants make sure you have snacks and beverages, full cash bar in addition to complimentary juice and coffee. And in our car, we were offered bottled water on our arrival at the canyon. Other options include regular coach, first class, and vista dome. Each car has a service attendant and musicians and entertainers circulate the entire train on your ride out and back with some extra excitement thrown in on the return trip.
As you approach the rim, the train drops down and winds through hills covered with pines. The South rim station is located just below the El Tovar Hotel, a Frank Harvey hotel, and one of the few still in operation. Make sure to enter the lobby and look around. We had decided to picnic and take a short walk along the rim trail using the very accessible free bus system. Three intersecting bus loops allow you to travel in both directions along the rim and access the various trails and look out points.
Note: Biking is restricted to several trails along the south rim and the paved roads with no immediate bike rentals. If you bring a bike, you will have to get off at Flagstaff where Amtrak offers baggage service.
 We took the bus to the south rim Market Plaza where we used the post office to get stamps for our postcards and the store to supplement our picnic with a few items. Make sure to carry enough water as it’s easy to get dehydrated both from heat and altitude; the south rim is 7000 feet above sea level. Once we had our supplies, we reboarded a bus that would then drop us at the Yavapai Point and Observation Station. From there, we explored the geology, the canyon ecology, and the amazing vistas. Life is good when you eat a picnic overlooking the south rim. We walked just over half way back to the El Tovar along the rim trail opting to pick up the bus for the last leg.
 Use your time to explore the various sites near the El Tovar including the Hopi House and Lookout Studio designed by Mary Colter. Mary Colter was the chief architect and decorator for the Fred Harvey Company from 1902 to 1948. You may see Native People perform outside Hopi House and definitely keep your eye out for the California condor soaring off the cliffs in front of and west of the cliffs of the El Tovar. The condors seem to have adapted this area and it makes for a truly grand sight. It may be good to review some of the principles of respectful tourism with indigenous people (See Green Concierge Travel, Indigenous Tourism).
Then it’s back down the stairs to the station and onto the train for your return trip if you are not staying at the rim. Refreshments are served on the way back and the entertainment continues. There is a surprise-ending to the rail journey on your way back to Williams. Is there a sheriff on board?
 On arrival, we changed our clothes and enjoyed the ambiance of the lobby prior to our dinner. Don’t expect a gourmet supper but the dinner buffet does offer a variety of options and we selected a great wine that we ended up re-corking and taking with us on the train. You can walk around town or enjoy the comfy lobby until the shuttle is ready to take you back to Williams Junction to meet the westbound Southwest Chief.
All in all the Grand Canyon is a wonderful destination for rail enthusiasts and very accessible to those who do not want to use a car. Because of the transit system and facilities within the park, you can easily supplement your own supplies to have wonderful picnics and enjoy the variety of walks that wind through the park and along the rim. So bring your walking shoes and stick, a water bottle and a comfortable knapsack.
If want to put together your own trip to the Grand Canyon, email Green Concierge Travel at info@greenconciergetravel.com or call 608.204.2717.
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