"There's nothing more beautiful than after a fresh snowfall."

It all depends on the day, if winter visitors will be treated to fresh snowfall or not. January and February are the park's snowiest months.

Otherwise, "It's a dry cold here," Oltrogge said.

Accommodations are easier to book in the winter, as well, and last-minute lodging is much more likely. Those coming in spring, summer or fall are best advised to book months ahead.

Those seeking Phantom Ranch lodging at the canyon's bottom may need to book a year ahead.

Bird watching also has become a popular park activity, especially for the park's California condors, which float on thermals rising from the canyon depths and occasionally can be seen feeding on carrion below the rim.

"People are in awe over them," Oltrogge said. "They perch on ledges by Lookout Studio."

Sunset also remains a popular time of the day for even grander views at the Grand Canyon. People line the overlooks early and watch the sinking sun highlight sections of the park as if a massive spotlight is shining in select locations. Shadows build, deepen and lengthen as the sun descends, giving any viewpoint a new look every few minutes.

The Hermit Road, which connects Grand Canyon Village to the viewpoint Hermits Rest, is an extremely popular spot for sunset watchers. Busloads of tourists head out there in late afternoon, hoping to secure just the right spot to enjoy the setting of the sun. A rim trail parallels the entire length of Hermit Road and its seven named viewpoints.

Farther west, the Trailview overlook provides the best views of the upper portions of the Bright Angel trail — without actually hiking the Bright Angel.

Maricopa Point is most famous for the Orphan copper/uranium mine that operated there until 1978.

Powell Point has a memorial to John Wesley Powell, who explored the waters of the inner canyon in 1869, while Hopi Point has the most extended overlook into the canyon of any along the Hermit Road.

Mohave Point boasts an expanded view of the canyon downriver. It also offers views of distinctive Grand Canyon formations, often bearing names from ancient Egyptian mythology, such as the Tower of Set and the Horus and Osiris temples.

Pima Point offers the chance to hear the faint roar of Granite Rapids, some 5,000 feet below, on a quiet day. Hermits Rest, at road's end, was named for Louis Boucher — nicknamed "The Hermit" for preferring the elements to human company. He was a tourist guide/prospector in the area in the early 20th century. The spot contains the remains of an old camp, abandoned in the 1930s