It was love at first sight. 

I fell in love with the Grand Canyon the first time I hiked down into it. 

It felt like stepping into another world — the colors, the history, the silence, and the feeling that time had been standing still there forever.

I used to live in Arizona. 

I hiked the Grand Canyon twice — and the first time, I chose one of the hardest trails. I came back exhausted, blistered, and missing two toenails — and still wanted to go back. I wore sandals for a year waiting for them to grow back. No regrets. 

That's the kind of place the Grand Canyon is — it gives you a story you'll tell forever. 

I fell in love with this land. The wide open sky, the desert quiet, the feeling that something bigger than you is just around the corner. 

When I found the Grand Canyon Outpost, I knew this wasn't just a property. It was a piece of history — an old western trading post that once sold cowboy and Native goods to travelers passing through on their way to the Canyon. That's when I knew I wanted to build something here. Something that feels like a discovery, not just a place to sleep. 

A resort where you wake up 25 minutes from the South Rim instead of 90. 

Where your kids are swimming in a heated pool under the stars instead of stuck in a car for three hours. Where every corner has a story and every detail makes you feel like you found something nobody else knows about yet.

I want you to walk away from your stay thinking *this is the coolest place I have ever been.* Not just because of the Grand Canyon — but because where you stayed blew you away with things you never expected. 

Two properties are already open and welcoming guests — and the full resort is just getting started. 

I'd love for you to be part of this. Lock in your Founder spot and join me in building something unforgettable near the Grand Canyon. — Elle Anderson, Founder of WishTree BnB