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Junior Rangers, Hermits, and a bit of the river
There are many things to do here, and the park service does it's part to keep people busy.
Leaving the amphitheater, and heading off to the river view.
A flash of green tells of the appearance of the Colorado. This is the little ribbon of water that sculpted this whole canyon. Like a modest craftsman, it rarely shows itself, but lets it's work do the talking.
A bit of the deeply cut river channel shows in one of the photos above, while some of the exposed cliff faces are shown to the left.
A short, but rather sudden drop here forms a skirt along the cliff. 
A bunch of junior rangers, being taken on an interpretive walk. The program is for 9 to 14 year olds, though there are also programs for younger rangers (as young as 6).
The shepherd and his flock of soon to be junior rangers. 
Another glimpse of the river, showing how deeper channels are cut into what looks like the canyon floor. A great set of banded rocks is visible in the lower right quarter of the photo.
The rugged Grand Canyon, from cliffside.
Higher areas to the left (west) and lower areas to the right (east) give a clue that this area was tilted before or during the cutting of the canyon. 
Swearing in a new batch of junior rangers.
This is what you get after passing the rigorous program of junior ranger training. After being sworn in, a diploma and badge, as well as mention (and a photograph) on the junior ranger section of the Grand Canyon web site.
The official photo is:
HERE
From this angle, the canyon looks like a big jigsaw puzzle with some vital pieces missing.
One last photo of the trace of the Colorado showing, this time in close up to reveal the black walled sides of the steep river channel. 
The parched lower areas of the canyon. 
The Grand Canyon, looking particularly desolate as the day grows late.
A look at a nearby out thrust of rock with a cliff looming closely.
The shady porch at Hermit's Rest. This is a comfortable place to sit a while, and look out onto the canyon. Snacks, drinks, and a small shop are inside, along with spacious lounging areas. 
I am being watched by a bluebird.
Cameras are everywhere. A portrait is being taken under the bell of the main entrance to Hermit's Rest.
What better way to end a day in a national park, than at a campfire talk. High fire indexes in the area prevented the lighting of an actual fire, but the talk was interesting (about ravens, in this case). All of the parks have these, just around dusk, which translates to 9:00 in the summer. 


 
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