For a cold, windy day in March, the turnout of children ages 4 to 14 at the fossil walk in Grand Canyon National Park was impressive: two dozen or so bundled up in hats, gloves and scarves.
Ranger Rick (yes, Rick is his real name) Negele soon had the youngsters scouring rocks for remnants of the canyon's ancient past. After each child had identified a fossil in the soft sedimentary rock along the South Rim, they waited patiently for Negele to sign their Junior Ranger booklets. Then, positioned against one of the world's most dramatic backdrops, they posed for pictures with the square-jawed ranger. Negele's stiff, broad-brimmed hat didn't flutter despite wind gusts of up to 50 mph.
The Grand Canyon might be better known as a destination for adventurers seeking to hike the steep canyon trails or raft the turbulent rapids of the Colorado River that snakes along the canyon floor, but the park, which draws 5 million visitors annually, offers plenty of educational adventures for children of all ages.
Before the kids returned to their warm lodges, Negele had them pledging to pick up litter in the park, leave fossils where they found them, hold their parents' hands to keep safe — and eat their vegetables.
"The park is a wonderful place for families; they can experience together one of nature's most amazing accomplishments," said Kirby Shedlowski, acting public affairs director of the national park.
This year should be a big one for the park, which saw visitor numbers dwindle in 2013 due to the federal budget sequestration. With the park's staff back to full strength and the economy improving, officials here expect the nation's most popular park to be booked solid.
The park includes the South Rim, which is open year-round, and the North Rim, which is open from May to October.
During our recent stay at the South Rim, we met some families who were taking a quick look over the rim before heading elsewhere, others who were staying several days, and some who were part of organized tours.
The only quarrelsome children we observed were those complaining about their parents taking too many pictures.
Even that is understandable. Every awe-inspiring vista seems to demand another photograph.
But there are plenty of other activities beyond gawking at the canyon, which is 277 river miles long and 10 miles wide.
The National Park Service, which operates the park, offers many ranger-led programs daily, such as fossil walks, geology walks and history walks focused on the park's indigenous people.
Visitors can sometimes see California condors soaring over the canyon during a daily bird-watching session.
Xanterra Parks & Resorts, the nation's largest park concessionaire, operates the six South Rim lodges, Phantom Ranch on the canyon floor and an RV village, in addition to rail, bus, mule and rafting tours. Visitors can combine a ride to the park in a vintage railcar on the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams, Ariz., with overnight accommodations in the park, for example. Day trips on the train range from $62 to $290 roundtrip for adults, $29 to $140 for children, depending on whether you ride in coach or in the observation dome car.
Several interpretive bus tours are available daily, including sunset and sunrise trips that range in price from $29 to $65 for adults; children under 16 are free.
Older, adventurous children can ride a mule around the rim or to the bottom of the canyon. Two-hour mule rides cost $125 per person; mule rides into the canyon with an overnight stay and meals at Phantom Ranch lodge cost $550. Children ages 15 and younger must be at least 55 inches tall, accompanied by a parent and be comfortable with animals and heights.
Xanterra can also arrange rafting trips on the Colorado River, from a smooth-water day trip to several days of whitewater paddling through the canyon. Prices start at $209 per adult and $189 for ages 4 to 11 for the all-day trip.
Bike rentals are available at the South Rim by the hour or for a guided tour, starting at $12 an hour for adults, $8 for children, from Bright Angel Bicycles. Short, self-guided hikes down into the canyon and back up are also possible on the "easy" Bright Angel trail. Be sure to take plenty of water.
Night activities include performances by native dancers and stargazing. The canyon's reddish-orange-hued sunsets and sunrises mesmerize visitors year-round.
Lodging and food are family-friendly. Children are welcome at the park's six South Rim lodges; Yavapai and Maswik are the newest accommodations with the most spacious rooms. Room rates range from $100 a night in a rustic cabin to $400 in a suite in El Tovar Hotel. Dining is mostly cafeteria-style with healthy options for children as well as pizza. Fine dining at historical El Tovar requires advance reservations; a fire in the tumbled-rock fireplace warms the dining room.
Most visitors to the park arrive by car. Park admission is $25 per private vehicle or $12 per person for those traveling in groups.
The park also runs free buses between canyon overlooks. The shuttles travel continuously along several South Rim routes, covering more than 35 miles. There's room for strollers and wheelchairs, and a few bikes can be secured to the front of the buses.
Tours to the Grand Canyon are another option for families. Adventures by Disney includes a two-day stop at the canyon as part of its eight-day Arizona and Utah family package. Prices vary by date and accommodations. Several companies offer day and overnight trips to the canyon from Las Vegas and Los Angeles, including Grand Adventure Tours and Take Tours.
No matter how you get there or how long you stay, families will likely come home with some canyon curios. It's impossible to visit the Yavapai Geology Museum, Lookout Studio, Kolb Photography Studio and the Desert View Lookout without buying a park T-shirt, stuffed animal or coloring book.
But the most popular activities among the children we saw seemed to be the Junior Ranger program and getting their picture taken with a real park ranger.
Advance reservations for all park activities are recommended, as accommodations and tours fill up fast. For more information, visit the National Park Service at www.nps.gov or Xanterra Resorts (lodging and tours) at www.grandcanyonlodges.com.