The Desert View Watchtower was constructed in 1932 as a visitor concession structure. Its base was intentionally designed to convey a partly ruinous appearance!
The 70 foot tall tower is where visitors can get their first view of the canyon as they enter from the east.
We’ve certainly done a lot of watching this week…from before sunup to after sundown on several days. We were originally scheduled to stay only four nights, but then Robyn’s dad was able to join us here…so we lengthened it to a week.
But once we started really looking around, we knew we needed more time…so added two more days!
Grandpa Fell has never been here before, and he’s been having a ball shooting stills and videos with his iPad…then emailing some to his wife back home.
Ross and Ryan have also had quite a time…we often walk with them around the small parking areas at lookouts, and the wind can really be something at times! The weather has been just wonderful all week….high 60s and sunny. If only they knew of the glorious vistas….
the BigTaxi 
Gorgeous pictures, and I was thinking of Ross and Ryan, standing there with probably no idea of what a hole lay just in front of them. It’s a good thing they are firmly attached to Robyn. I would love to visit there again. Our son Robert and his wife Kathy visited there about a couple of months ago, as did Kathy’s sister’s family, and then Beth took her 14-year-old Elissa (very sports-oriented) to the Burbank airport and sent her to Phoenix, where they picked her up. And the 3 of them, plus a nephew, hiked down to the bottom one day in the rain, then back up the next day in good weather, and they posted some great pictures, too.
You’re right, Madeline, R&R have no idea what they’re missing….but they’ve sure enjoyed the sun and nearly constant breeze!
Soon their eyes will be opened and we will all see beauty to rival Grand Canyon and beyond!
Ohhhh, amen, Gracie!
Such glorious photos and stories of happiness. Do you recall the Flintstones episode when they detoured off the highway to visit the Grand Canyon, but when they got there it was only an inch or two deep? It was the time before the erosion really got going!
HA, missed that one, Ken!