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Top Reasons to Go | Getting Oriented | What’s Where | Grand Canyon Planner
Updated by Mara Levin
When it comes to the Grand Canyon, there are statistics, and there are sensations. While the former are impressive—the canyon measures an average width of 10 miles, length of 277 river miles, and depth of 1 mile—they don’t truly prepare you for that first impression. Seeing the canyon for the first time is an astounding experience, one that’s hard to wrap your head around. In fact, it’s more than an experience: it’s an emotion, one that’s only just beginning to be captured with the word “Grand.” Hike or ride a trusty mule down into the canyon, bike or ramble along its rim, fly over, or raft through on the Colorado River—there are manifold ways to soak up the canyon’s magnificence.
Roughly 5 million visitors come to the park each year. You can access the canyon via two main points—the South Rim and the North Rim—but the South Rim is much easier to get to and therefore much more visited. The width from the North Rim to the South Rim varies from 600 feet to 18 miles, but traveling between rims by road requires a 215-mile drive. Hiking arduous trails from rim to rim is a steep and strenuous trek of at least 21 miles, but it’s well worth the effort. You’ll travel through five of North America’s seven life zones. (To do this any other way, you’d have to journey from the Mexican desert to the Canadian woods.) West of Grand Canyon National Park, the tribal lands of the Hualapai and the Havasupai lie along the so-called West Rim of the canyon, where you’ll find the impressive glass Skywalk.
Top Reasons to Go
Its status: This is one of those places where you really want to say, “Been there, done that!”
Awesome vistas: Painted Desert, sandstone canyon walls, pine and fir forests, mesas, plateaus, volcanic features, the Colorado River, streams, and waterfalls make for some jaw-dropping moments.
Year-round adventure: Outdoor junkies can bike, boat, camp, fish, hike, ride mules, white-water raft, watch birds and wildlife, cross-country ski, and snowshoe.
Continuing education: Adults and kids can have fun learning, thanks to free park-sponsored nature walks and interpretive programs.
Sky-high and river-low experiences: Experience the canyon via plane, train, and automobile, as well as by helicopter, row- or motorboat, bike, mule, or foot.
Getting Oriented
Grand Canyon National Park is a superstar—biologically, historically, and recreationally. One of the world’s best examples of arid-land erosion, the canyon provides a record of three of the four eras of geological time. Almost 2 billion years’ worth of Earth’s history is written in the colored layers of rock stacked from the river bottom to the top of the plateau. In addition to its diverse fossil record, the park reveals long-ago traces of human adaptation to an unforgiving environment. It’s also home to several major ecosystems, five of the world’s seven life zones, three of North America’s four desert types, and all kinds of rare, endemic, and protected plant and animal species.
What’s Where
South Rim. The South Rim is where the action is: Grand Canyon Village’s lodging, camping, eateries, stores, and museums, plus plenty of trailheads into the canyon. Visitor services and facilities are open and available daily, including holidays. Four free shuttle routes cover more than 35 stops, and visitors who’d rather relax than rough it can treat themselves to comfy hotel rooms and elegant restaurant meals (lodging and camping reservations are essential).
North Rim. Of the nearly 5 million people who visit the park annually, 90% enter at the South Rim, but many consider the North Rim even more gorgeous—and worth the extra effort. Open only from mid-May to the end of October (or the first good snowfall), the North Rim has legitimate bragging rights: at more than 8,000 feet above sea level (1,000 feet higher than the South Rim), it has precious solitude and seven developed viewpoints. Rather than staring into the canyon’s depths, you get a true sense of its expanse.
West Rim and Havasu Canyon. Though not in Grand Canyon National Park, the far-off-the-beaten-path western end of the canyon, often called the West Rim, has some spectacular scenery. In Havasu Canyon, on the Havasupai Reservation, you can view some of the most gorgeous waterfalls in the United States. On the Hualapai Reservation, the Skywalk along the West Rim has become a major draw. This U-shape glass-floored deck juts out 3,600 feet above the Colorado River and isn’t for the faint of heart.
Grand Canyon Planner
When to Go
There’s no bad time to visit the canyon, though the busiest times of year are summer and spring break. Visiting during these peak seasons, as well as holidays, requires patience and a tolerance for crowds. Note that weather changes on a whim in this exposed high-desert region. The North Rim shuts down mid-October through mid-May due to weather conditions and related road closures.
Festivals and Events
August
Grand Canyon Music Festival.
For three weekends in late August–early September, this festival brings mostly chamber music to the Shrine of Ages amphitheater at Grand Canyon Village. In the early 1980s, music aficionados Robert Bonfiglio and Clare Hoffman hiked through the Grand Canyon and decided the stunning spectacle should be accompanied by the strains of a symphony. One of the park rangers agreed, and the wandering musicians performed an impromptu concert. Encouraged by the experience, Bonfiglio and Hoffman started the festival. | 928/638–9215, 800/997–8285 | www.grandcanyonmusicfest.org.
December
Mountain Village Holiday.
The city of Williams hails the winter holidays with a parade of lights, holiday decorations downtown, and live entertainment from early December to early January. | 928/635–1418 | www.experiencewilliams.com.
Planning Your Time
Plan ahead: Mule rides require at least a six-month advance reservation—longer for the busy season (most can be reserved up to 13 months in advance). Multiday rafting trips should be reserved at least a year in advance.
Once you arrive, pick up the free detailed map and the Guide, a newspaper with a schedule of free programs, at any of the visitor centers. The free Grand Canyon Accessibility Guide is also available.
The park is most crowded on the South Rim, especially near the south entrance and in Grand Canyon Village, as well as on the scenic drives, particularly the 23-mile Desert View Drive.
Grand Canyon in 1 Day
Start early, pack a picnic lunch, and drive to the South Rim’s Grand Canyon Visitor Center, just north of the south entrance, to pick up info and see your first incredible view at Mather Point. Continue east along Desert View Drive for about 2 miles to Yaki Point. Next, continue driving 7 miles east to Grandview Point for a good view of the buttes Krishna Shrine and Vishnu Temple. Go 4 miles east and catch the view at Moran Point, then 3 miles to the Tusayan Ruin and Museum, where a small display is devoted to the history of the Ancestral Puebloans. Continue another mile east to Lipan Point to view the Colorado River. In less than a mile, you’ll arrive at Navajo Point, the highest elevation on the South Rim. Desert View and Watchtower is the final attraction along Desert View Drive.
On your return drive, stop off at any of the picnic areas for lunch. Once back at Grand Canyon Village, walk the paved Rim Trail to Maricopa Point. Along the way, pick up souvenirs in the village and stop at historic El Tovar Hotel for dinner (be sure to make reservations well in advance). If you have time, take the shuttle on Hermit Road to Hermits Rest, 7 miles away. Along that route, Hopi Point and Powell Point are excellent spots to watch the sunset.
Grand Canyon in 3 Days
On Day 1, follow the one-day itinerary for the morning, but spend more time exploring Desert View Drive and enjoy a leisurely picnic lunch. Later, drive 30 miles beyond Desert View to Cameron Trading Post, which has a good restaurant and is an interesting side trip. Travel Hermit Road on your second morning, and drive to Grand Canyon Airport for a late-morning small plane or helicopter tour. Have lunch in Tusayan and cool off at the IMAX film Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets. Back in the village, take a free ranger-led program. On your third day, hike partway down the canyon on Bright Angel Trail. It takes twice as long to hike back up, so plan accordingly. Get trail maps at Grand Canyon Visitor Center, and bring plenty of water.
Alternatively, spend Days 2 and 3 exploring the remote West Rim, 150 miles toward Nevada or California and far away from major highways. Fill the first day with a horseback ride along the rim, a helicopter ride into the canyon, or a pontoon boat ride on the Colorado River. The next day, raft the Class V–VII rapids. Another option is to get a tribal permit and spend Days 2 and 3 in Havasu Canyon, a truly spiritual backcountry experience. You can opt to hike, ride horseback, or take a helicopter 8 miles down to the small village of Supai and the Havasupai Lodge.
Getting Here and Around
South Rim
Air Travel
Several carriers fly from North Las Vegas Airport to the Grand Canyon National Park Airport in Tusayan (GCN | 928/638–2446) including Grand Canyon Express (800/940–2550 | www.airvegas.com), Scenic Airlines (800/634–6801 | www.scenic.com), and Vision Holidays (702/261–3850 or | 800/256–8767 | www.visionholidays.com).
Car Travel
The best route into the park from the east or south is from Flagstaff. Take U.S. 180 northwest to the park’s southern entrance and Grand Canyon Village. From the west on Interstate 40, the most direct route to the South Rim is taking Highway 64 from Williams to U.S. 180.
Park Shuttle Travel
The South Rim is open to car traffic year-round, though access to Hermits Rest is limited to shuttle buses part of the year. There are four free shuttle routes: The Hermits Rest Route operates March through November, between Grand Canyon Village and Hermits Rest. The Village Route operates year-round in the village area, stopping at lodgings, the general store, and the Grand Canyon Visitor Center. The Kaibab Rim Route goes from the visitor center to five viewpoints, including the Yavapai Geology Museum and Yaki Point (where cars are not permitted). The Hiker’s Express shuttles hikers from the village to the South Kaibab Trailhead twice each morning. TIP In summer, South Rim roads are congested and it’s easier, and sometimes required, to park your car and take the free shuttle. Running from one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset, shuttles arrive every 15 to 30 minutes at 30 clearly marked stops.
Taxi and Shuttle Travel
Although there’s no public transportation into the Grand Canyon, you can hire a taxi to take you to or from the Grand Canyon Airport or any of the Tusayan hotels. Arizona Shuttle, which has service between Phoenix, Sedona, Flagstaff, Williams, Tusayan, and Grand Canyon Village (at Maswik Lodge), is another option.
Taxi and Shuttle Contacts
Arizona Shuttle. | 928/226–8060, 877/226–8060 | www.arizonashuttle.com.
Xanterra. | 928/638–2822.
Train Travel
Grand Canyon Railway.
There’s no need to deal with all of the other drivers racing to the South Rim. Sit back and relax in the comfy train cars of the Grand Canyon Railway. Live music and storytelling enliven the trip as you journey past the landscape through prairie, ranch, and national park land to the log-cabin train station in Grand Canyon Village. You won’t see the Grand Canyon from the train, but you can walk (¼ mile) or catch the shuttle at the restored, historic Grand Canyon Railway Station. The vintage train departs from the Williams Depot every morning and makes the 65-mile journey in 2¼ hours. You can do the round trip in a single day; however, it’s a more relaxing and enjoyable strategy to stay for a night or two at the South Rim before returning to Williams. | 800/843–8724 | www.thetrain.com | $70–$178 round-trip | Rates include $8 park entry fee but not tax. Add-ons, like snacks, increase your fare.
North Rim
Air Travel
The nearest airport to the North Rim is St. George Municipal Airport (435/627–4080 | www.flysgu.com) in Utah, 164 miles north, with regular service provided by both Delta and United Airlines.
Car Travel
To reach the North Rim by car, take U.S. 89 north from Flagstaff past Cameron, turning left onto U.S. 89A at Bitter Springs. At Jacob Lake, take Highway 67 directly to the Grand Canyon North Rim. You can drive yourself to the scenic viewpoints and trailheads; the only transportation offered in the park is a shuttle twice each morning that brings eager hikers from Grand Canyon Lodge to the North Kaibab Trailhead (a 2-mile trip). Note that services on the North Rim shut down in mid-October, and the road closes after the first major snowfall (usually the end of October); Highway 67 south of Jacob Lake is closed.
Shuttle Travel
From mid-May to mid-October, the Trans Canyon Shuttle (928/638–2820 | www.trans-canyonshuttle.com) travels daily between the South and North rims—the ride takes 4½ hours each way. One-way fare is $85, round-trip $160. Reservations are required.
Park Essentials
Park Fees and Permits
A fee of $25 per vehicle or $12 per person for pedestrians and cyclists is good for one week’s access at both rims.
The $50 Grand Canyon Pass gives unlimited access to the park for 12 months. The annual America the Beautiful National Parks and Recreational Land Pass (888/275–8747 | store.usgs.gov/pass, $80) provides unlimited access to all national parks and federal recreation areas for 12 months.
No permits are needed for day hikers, but backcountry permits (928/638–7875 | www.nps.gov/grca, $10, plus $5 per person per night) are necessary for overnight hikers camping below the rim. Permits are limited, so make your reservation as far in advance as possible—they’re taken by fax (928/638–2125), by mail (1824 S. Thompson St., Suite 201, Flagstaff, AZ 86001), or in person at the Backcountry Information centers (in the village on the South Rim and near the visitor center on the North Rim) up to four months prior to your arrival. A limited number of last-minute permits are available for the corridor campgrounds (Indian Garden, Bright Angel, and Cottonwood) each day. Camping in the park is restricted to designated campgrounds (877/444–6777 | www.recreation.gov).
All visitors (except Native Americans with a valid tribal ID) entering the Havasu Indian Reservation are required to pay an entrance fee ($35) and a $5-per-person environmental care fee, which is refunded to those who carry a bag of garbage back out of the canyon. Entrance fees are paid upon arrival at the tribal tourism office. Admission fees to Hualapai Reservation are $29.95 per person plus an $8 impact fee per person.
Park Hours
The South Rim is open continuously every day of the year (weather permitting), while the North Rim is open mid-May through October. The park is in the Mountain Standard Time zone year-round. Daylight Saving Time isn’t observed.
Cell Phone Reception
Cell phone coverage can be spotty at both the South Rim and North Rim—though Verizon customers report better reception at the South Rim. Don’t expect a strong signal anywhere in the park.
Restaurants
Within the park on the South Rim, you can find everything from cafeteria food to creatively prepared, Western- and Southwestern-inspired American cuisine—there’s even a coffeehouse with organic joe. Reservations are accepted (and recommended) for dinner at El Tovar Dining Room; they can be made up to six months in advance with El Tovar room reservations, 30 days in advance without. You should also make dinner reservations at the Grand Canyon Lodge Dining Room on the North Rim—as the only “upscale” dining option, the restaurant fills up quickly at dinner throughout the season (the two other choices on the North Rim are a cafeteria and a chuck wagon–style Grand Cookout experience). The dress code is casual across the board, but El Tovar is your best option if you’re looking to dress up a bit and thumb through an extensive wine list. Drinking water and restrooms aren’t available at most picnic spots.
Eateries outside the park generally range from mediocre to terrible—you didn’t come all the way to the Grand Canyon for the food, did you? Our selections highlight your best options. Of towns near the park, Williams definitely has the leg up on culinary variety and quality, with Tusayan (near the South Rim) and Jacob Lake (the closest town to the North Rim) offering mostly either fast food or merely adequate sit-down restaurants. Near the park, even the priciest places welcome casual dress. On the Hualapai and Havasupai reservations in Havasu Canyon and on the West Rim, dining is limited and basic.
Hotels
The park’s accommodations include three “historic-rustic” facilities and four motel-style lodges, all of which have undergone significant upgrades over the past decade. Of the 922 rooms, cabins, and suites, only 203 are at the North Rim, all at the Grand Canyon Lodge. Outside El Tovar Hotel, the canyon’s architectural highlight, accommodations are relatively basic but comfortable, and the most sought-after rooms have canyon views. Rates vary widely, but most rooms fall in the $100 to $180 range, though the most basic units at the South Rim go for just $89.
Reservations are a must, especially during the busy summer season. TIP If you want to get your first choice (especially Bright Angel Lodge or El Tovar), make reservations as far in advance as possible; they’re taken up to 13 months ahead. You might find a last-minute cancellation, but you shouldn’t count on it. Although lodging at the South Rim will keep you close to the action, the frenetic activity and crowded facilities are off-putting to some. With short notice, the best time to find a room on the South Rim is in winter. And though the North Rim is less crowded than the South Rim, the only lodging available is at Grand Canyon Lodge.
Just south of the South Rim park boundary, Tusayan’s hotels are in a convenient location but without bargains, while Williams (about an hour’s drive) and Flagstaff (a 90-minute drive) can provide price breaks on food and lodging, as well as a respite from the crowds. Extra amenities (e.g., swimming pools and gyms) are also more abundant. Reservations are always a good idea. At Grand Canyon West, lodging options are extremely limited; you can purchase a “package,” which includes lodging and a visitation permit, through Hualapai Tourism.
Lodging Contacts
Xanterra Parks & Resorts. | 888/297–2757 | www.grandcanyonlodges.com.
Tours
Grand Canyon Field Institute.
Instructors lead guided educational tours, hikes around the canyon, and weekend programs at the South Rim. With more than 200 classes a year, tour topics include everything from archaeology and backcountry medicine to photography and natural history. Contact GCFI for a schedule and price list. Private hikes can be arranged. Discounted classes are available for members; annual dues are $35. | GCA Waehouse, 2-B Albright Ave. | Grand Canyon Village | 928/638–2841, 866/471–4435 | www.grandcanyon.org/fieldinstitute | From $235.
Xanterra Motorcoach Tours.
Narrated by knowledgeable guides, tours include the Hermits Rest Tour, which travels along the old wagon road built by the Santa Fe Railway; the Desert View Tour, which glimpses the Colorado River’s rapids and stops at Lipan Point; Sunrise and Sunset Tours; and combination tours. Children 16 and younger are free when accompanied by a paying adult. | 303/297–2757, 888/297–2757 | www.grandcanyonlodges.com | From $22.
Visitor Information
Park Contact Information
Grand Canyon National Park.
Before you go into the park, get the complimentary Trip Planner, updated regularly, from the Grand Canyon National Park. At the main visitor center, pick up a copy of The Guide, a weekly listing of ranger talks and other park activities. | 928/638–7888 | www.nps.gov/grca.
Visitor Centers
South Rim
Desert View Information Center.
Near the watchtower, at Desert View Point, this nonprofit Grand Canyon Association store and information center has a nice selection of books, park pamphlets, gifts, and educational materials. It’s also a handy place to pick up maps and info if you enter the park at the Eastern entrance. All sales from the Association stores go to support the park programs. | Eastern entrance | Grand Canyon National Park | 800/858–2808, 928/638–7888 | Daily 9–5; hrs vary in winter.
Grand Canyon Verkamp’s Visitor Center.
This small visitor center is named for the Verkamp family, who operated a curios shop on the South Rim for more than a hundred years. The building serves as an official visitor center, ranger station (get your Junior Ranger badges here), bookstore, and museum, with compelling exhibits on the Verkamps and other pioneers in this region. | Desert View Dr. across from El Tovar Hotel | Grand Canyon Village | 928/638–7146 | Daily 8–7; ranger station 8–5.
Grand Canyon Visitor Center.
The park’s main orientation center provides pamphlets and resources to help plan your visit. It also holds engaging interpretive exhibits on the park. Rangers are on hand to answer questions and aid in planning canyon excursions. A daily schedule of ranger-led hikes and evening lectures is posted on a bulletin board inside, and a 20-minute film about the history, geology, and wildlife of the canyon plays every 30 minutes in the theater. The bicycle rental office, a small café, and a huge gift store are also in this complex. There’s ample parking by the information center; from here, it’s a short walk out to Mather Point, or a short ride on the shuttle bus, which can take you into Grand Canyon Village. The visitor center is also accessible via a leisurely 1-mile walk on the Greenway Trail, a paved pathway that meanders through the forest. | East side of Grand Canyon Village, 450 Hwy. 64 | 928/638–7888 | www.explorethecanyon.com | Daily 9–5, outdoor exhibits may be viewed anytime.
Yavapai Geology Museum.
Learn about the geology of the canyon at this Grand Canyon Association museum and bookstore. You can also catch the park shuttle bus or pick up information for the Rim Trail here. The views of the canyon and Phantom Ranch from inside this historic building are stupendous. | 1 mile east of Market Plaza | Grand Canyon Village | 928/638–7888 | Daily 8–6.
North Rim
North Rim Visitor Center.
View exhibits, peruse the bookstore, and pick up useful maps and brochures at this visitor center. Interpretive programs are often scheduled in summer. If you’re craving coffee, it’s a short walk from here to the Roughrider Saloon at the Grand Canyon Lodge. | Near parking lot on Bright Angel Peninsula | Grand Canyon National Park | 928/638–7864 | www.nps.gov/grca | Mid-May–mid-Oct., daily 8–6.