Though often thought of as a bold, majestic landscape, visible from space, the Grand Canyon is in actuality a virtually limitless patchwork of tiny vignettes of shape, texture, and, when the season is right, color.
One of the more reliable splashes of poetic hues is the spring bloom of a single peach tree. Perched beside the road that separates the El Tovar Hotel from the train depot, many of the park’s five million visitors pass this delicate tree on their way from one destination to another; likely not given it a second look.
This all changes during a week or two each April, when brilliant pink blossoms adorn the tree. Turning heads. Stopping traffic. It is a fleeting display of nature’s glory. Just one mini spectacle in a park that is world renowned for overwhelming the senses.
The blossoming peach tree is a sublime milestone for both longtime residents and frequent visitors alike. One that heralds the arrival of the park’s high season, and an end to the slower-paced winter months. With visitation on track to top five million again in 2016, this tiny tree will have plenty to ponder between now and the winter holidays.
