Tusayan Ruins and Museum, Grand Canyon, Arizona

On our way back from Desert View and The Watchtower, we stopped at the Tusayan Ruins and Museum (free admission). The Tusayan Ruins were once a community of 30-50 people, with a farm area, kiva, family areas and community areas. There is a short dirt path that winds around the ruins, of which although here has been some stabilization, there has been no reconstruction. The museum has authentic items dating back 2,000 – 4,000 years and has some pottery, arrowheads, and jewelry, all found in the Grand Canyon. One of the most exciting items on display is an original split-twig figurine - a single-twig shaped into an animal shape. The path is wheelchair accessible and there is a Ranger program offered twice daily (11:00am & 1:30pm) called “Glimpses of the Past” that shares the story of how the Puebloan community thrived in such a harsh climate.

Driving back from visiting Desert View and the Tusayan Ruins, we stopped at all of the overlooks along the way, since now they were on the right side of the road. Navajo Point and Lipan Point offer panoramic views of the eastern side of the canyon, while Moran Point and Grandview Point give the opportunity to see larger views of the canyon as we drove closer to Grand Canyon Village.