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Bright, twinkling, but remember you are in a deep canyon with a very narrow view of the sky.

On no moon (or after the moon has set) the stars are spectacular - I was there this past no moon & the milky way was awesome. You need to camp out on the Tonto & in an open area to enjoy the stars - else like Shawn says - you will end up with a narrow view of the sky. Camp high ( away from water ) & you will enjoy the night time skies!

When I was on a rafting trip in the Canyon in 97 I could not believe the night sky even with the narrow view from the bottom of the Canyon it was just amazing.

I had a great time stargazing on last summer's river trip, because it was so nice and warm at night. On a November backpacking trip I slept outside one of the nights, and the other two nights in the tent where it was a lot warmer. Stars were great, but not as fun to look at as in the summer, because it was kind of chilly at night. Anyway, last summer I did learn some names of stars and constellations I had not known before, but I really wished I had brought along my star chart. I have one that spins around.

azbackpackr wrote:I really wished I had brought along my star chart

There's a way cool (free!) app for your smartphone called Google Sky Maps. Hold your phone up to the sky and it'll show you the stars, planets, and constellations where your phone is pointed.

Not sure if it's available for iPhone or iPod Touch, I have a droid.

Ha. I have the cheapest Verizon phone, that clunky one you can get for free when you renew your contract.

The bats are cooler than the stars, especially when you learn how to get them to dance for you. :GB:

Oh, is that the flashlight trick? Haven't tried that.

This last trip, Escalante Route, it was chilly at night. It was a great trip, but I miss having a campfire when it gets dark that early, and gets chilly enough that I am thinking about getting into my sleeping bag because I'm cold. But no fires allowed in Grand Canyon, unless you are on a river trip and have a fire pan. I hiked down once in December. Ugh. More than 12 hours of dark, and it was fairly chilly. Makes for a LOOOoonng night of sleeping on the ground. The days are fine, though.

If you backpack somewhere where you can build a companionable fire in late fall, now that is the way to go, if you're a backpacker.

I remember watching the bats lying on the shore of the river till the sun went completly down. They were amazing to watch to. I loved the river trip I still rate it as one of the best vacations I have ever taken in my life. It was an 8 day motor in June.

My wife & I spent a couple of nights on Horse Shoe Mesa two years ago. I thought the night sky was pretty awesome even though we had a nearly full moon in the sky for a good part of the night. My wife swears she saw a ghost on the mesa one night, but by the time she woke me up I didn't see anything. Anyone else have any strange sightings in the canyon?

My aunt lived in Page for many years and she hated driving between Flag and Page at night she swears she saw a Ghost rider. Myself personally I have never experienced anything unusual

I enjoy the day star, and often. Bad to stare at, though.

Have you tried binoculars

Incredible. Got to camp out near the LCRG on the 4th of July a few years ago and saw so many awesome shooting stars... mother nature's fireworks