Grand Canyon is so vast and rugged that it seems completely beyond the human experience. Yet people have lived along its river and rim for 10,000 years, moving with the seasons and leaving behind signs of their passing in rock art, stone pueblos, and pottery shards. The canyon’s diverse environments, from low desert to montane forest, support more than 2,000 species of plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, including several endangered and threatened species.
The canyon’s cliffs are a history book of the planet. The layered spectrum of red, orange, gray, and tan stone record three eras of geological time, with rocks along the Colorado River that are 2 billion years old. The canyon itself is “only” 5 or 6 million years old... and still changing. Wind and moisture continue to sculpt fantastical stone shapes one grain of sand at a time. But nature doesn’t always work slowly — a room-sized platform of limestone at Mather Point toppled overnight after appearing in thousands of postcards and snapshots. One storm turned Crystal Rapids from a mellow ride to a feared torrent. Recent floods destroyed one waterfall in tributary Havasu Canyon and created two more. Grand Canyon is a place of grand drama and serene vistas.
Grand Canyon National Park’s mile-deep abyss and 1.2 million acres hold a multitude of experiences and environments, from the North Rim’s boreal forests to the desert environs along the Colorado River, from bustling Grand Canyon Village to wild and lonesome wilderness. Visitors can tour a 1,000-year-old pueblo or step onto the Skywalk, the 70-foot-long glass-bottomed observation deck stretching over Grand Canyon West at the Hualapai Reservation.
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Ever since travelers began coming to the canyon more than 100 years ago, they have struggled to describe its vastness. Although one 1892 visitor referred to Grand Canyon as a “great hole in the ground,” the canyon is actually a collection of gorges and peaks. Sinuously curved side canyons, secret waterfalls, towering monuments of stone — any one of these would be a landmark attraction someplace else. Here, places like Vishnu Temple, Elves Chasm, or Matkatamiba Canyon are just small pieces of a whole that is considered one of the world’s seven greatest natural wonders.
In 1903, Teddy Roosevelt urged every American to see Grand Canyon. Today, some 5 million visitors each year explore the canyon’s expanses by hiking, backpacking, mule riding, or river rafting. With something here for everyone, Grand Canyon truly is America’s park.
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The South Rim, the most visited area of Grand Canyon National Park, extends roughly 40 miles from Hermits Rest to Desert View. Scenic overlooks offer views of the canyon and its maze of tributaries, monuments, and rivers. For most visitors, Mather Point offers the stirring first glimpse of the canyon. Grand Canyon Village bustles with lodging, dining, shopping, and activities from bicycle tours to star parties. Architect Mary Colter’s eccentric buildings perch along the rim, and several South Rim hiking trails lead into the canyon’s depths.
The North Rim, inaccessible in winter due to heavy snow, is 1,000 feet higher than the South Rim and more remote. Only one in 10 park visitors sees the North Rim. Most activities center on Bright Angel Point, where Grand Canyon Lodge and the park’s campground offer canyon views. Scenic Cape Royal Drive leads to Point Imperial and Angel’s Window, with stops for picnicking and hiking along the way. Jacob Lake is the nearest town, about 30 miles from the park’s entrance station and the heart of neighboring Kaibab National Forest, where back roads wind through 1,000 square miles of evergreen and aspen to canyon overlooks, open meadows, and trails. The North Rim’s mixed boreal forests include fir, spruce, and aspen.
Accessible only on foot, by mule, or by boat, the inner canyon contains tall buttes and monuments, hidden waterfalls, and tributary canyons, all connected by the Colorado River. The river drops nearly 2,000 feet on its 277-mile journey from Lees Ferry to Lake Mead, churning over close to 200 rapids. The dangerously hot desert environs of the Inner Gorge are relieved by springs and creeks. Historic Phantom Ranch offers the only lodging and dining in the heart of the canyon.
The rims and tributaries of Grand Canyon extend beyond national park boundaries into land managed by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management or held by the Havasupai, Hualapai, and Navajo tribes. Havasu Canyon, the Grand Canyon Skywalk, historic Lees Ferry, and Marble Canyon overlooks all lie beyond the boundaries of the park but share the spirit of Grand Canyon. Though exploring remote areas sometimes requires a high-clearance vehicle and a permit to enter Native American lands, those who want to escape the crowds will be rewarded by lonely vistas, rich cultural traditions, and landscapes that vary from stark desert to dense forest.
Flagstaff, Williams, Page, Fredonia, and Kanab all promise convenient access to the canyon, but each of these gateway towns offers much more than that. The mountain town of Flagstaff combines urban pleasures with a dazzling array of outdoor activities. Williams will delight train buffs and Route 66 fans. At Page, Lake Powell’s sandstone canyons lure boaters and backpackers alike. Fredonia and Kanab straddle the Arizona-Utah border and make a convenient jumping-off point not only for the North Rim but also for Zion, Bryce Canyon, and other national parks and monuments on the Grand Circle of the Southwest.
High season is April–October (with an early blip in March on the South Rim during spring break). For the North Rim, high season doesn’t begin until mid-May, and summer is the only season, unless a snowy 50-mile trek sounds like fun. But don’t let winter keep you from the canyon: The South Rim can be magical in winter, and the inner canyon is temperate for hikers and backpackers, though commercial river trips don’t run. Winter is also an especially good time for watching wildlife. Deer and elk wander close to Grand Canyon Village, and ponderosa pines shelter juncos, nuthatches, and chickadees. Keep in mind that the higher North Rim can be inaccessible in winter months.
Autumn is a glorious time to visit Grand Canyon. Summer crowds have eased, and summer temperatures lose their grip on the South Rim and inner canyon. Warm, sunny afternoons and clear nights bring ideal hiking weather. On the North Rim, aspens begin to turn gold in September, peaking the first week of October. Summer lingers longer on the South Rim—fall doesn’t arrive with a burst of color but with a musical crescendo as the annual Grand Canyon Music Festival begins. If you’re a birder, bring your binoculars, because September and October are great months to watch migrating raptors use the canyon as a flyway.
Spring is a little chancier—snow can blanket North Rim locations into May, and spring snowstorms aren’t uncommon on either rim. Wildflowers begin blooming in the inner canyon deserts, moving up to the South Rim by April, adding splashes of red, yellow, and purple along rocky rim overlooks. Temperatures are usually comfortable, though the rim can be windy, especially in March.
Summer at Grand Canyon requires coping strategies. Though mornings and evenings on both rims are relatively cool, the midday sun bakes trails and overlooks, and the inner canyon becomes a shadeless furnace. Time hikes for early or late in the day, choose trails with afternoon shade, and pack plenty of water. Or head for the higher environs of the North Rim, where purple lupine lingers under a canopy of aspen and spruce, and mule deer graze in mountain meadows.
Be ready for anything. Even on the South Rim, it can snow in June, and it isn’t uncommon for temperatures to hit 90°F in October. Canyon roads, trails, and buildings may close temporarily for needed maintenance. Your cell phone may not get a signal, and the train could be late. But the afternoon thunderstorm that spoils your hike to Indian Garden might yield a rainbow during a sunset viewed from Yaki Point.
No matter what season you visit, you’ll want to bring an easy-to-carry water bottle and moisturizers for your skin and lips as well as protection from wind and sun. Weather conditions can change quickly. Layering is the best strategy to help you shift from chilly mornings to sunny afternoons. Pack for your activities: broken-in boots for a hike, a small flashlight for camping or for walking around Grand Canyon Village at night, a waterproof jacket if you’re visiting during the summer monsoon.
What you won’t need at Grand Canyon is a tie or dressy heels. As long as you lose the backpack and put on a pair of clean jeans and a nice shirt, you’ll pass—even at El Tovar, the canyon’s swankiest restaurant.
Visitors to the Grand Canyon most often fly into Phoenix or Las Vegas and then travel overland via bus, train, or car. Accommodations outside the canyon can be found in the gateway cities of Flagstaff, Williams, and Page. Reservations are a must. River trips and mule tours often fill up six months to a year in advance, and backpacking permits require careful trip planning and applications up to four months before the month of your trip. Accommodations on the South Rim often sell out during high season. North Rim rooms are especially hard to get during autumn, when aspens turn gold and leaf-peepers head for higher elevations.
If you travel the Grand Canyon area by car, gas up whenever you get the chance, especially if you plan on exploring roads in the national forest or reservation lands surrounding the park, where distances are great and service stations few. Even on the South Rim, there’s only one gas station inside park boundaries, and it’s 25 miles from Grand Canyon Village. And always, always keep water in the car.
To make the most of your time, do your research in advance. The National Park Service website (www.nps.gov/grca) includes helpful tools for planning a trip, including permit applications, trail closures, backpacking advice, and weather forecasts.
Though a week isn’t nearly enough time to experience all of Grand Canyon’s dimensions (length, width, and depth), it’s time enough to sample some of the best the canyon has to offer: sightseeing on both the North and South Rims, plus hiking a corridor trail or taking a mule trip into the canyon’s heart. For a sampling of scenery, history, and activity, tour the South Rim from Hermits Rest east to Desert View, driving through the Navajo Reservation and Marble Canyon area before winding up the Kaibab Plateau to Jacob Lake and the canyon’s quiet north side.
Begin at the South Rim’s Grand Canyon Village, taking a day to get used to the elevation and acquaint yourself with the canyon. Check in at the Bright Angel Lodge Transportation Desk to confirm your mule tour reservations and schedule an orientation session that afternoon. In the meantime, take in a ranger program or nature walk. If you plan to hike into the canyon rather than ride a mule, loosen up with a walk along the Rim Trail. The section from the village to Mather Point doubles as a sightseeing excursion. You’ll intersect with the path to Mather Circle and Shrine of the Ages, where many ranger programs are held. You can even travel through time with the trailside geology displays. At Yavapai Observation Station and the Grand Canyon Visitors Center and its surrounding plaza, you can learn more about the geological layers you’ll be passing through when you make your descent into the canyon. Enjoy sunset colors on the walk back to the village.
Have a hearty breakfast before meeting your mule and the rest of the riders at the Old Stone Corral near the Bright Angel Trailhead. As you enter the first tunnel on Bright Angel Trail, look up to the left at the pictographs on the cliff wall. You’re descending a route used for centuries by Havasupai Indians before it was adapted as a toll “road” by prospector and politician Ralph Cameron in the late 1800s. The trail is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Midday, you’ll have a chance to dismount, stretch your legs, and eat a sack lunch at Indian Garden, where Cameron maintained a tourist camp. Bright Angel Trail gets more scenic with every hoofbeat as you follow Garden Creek deeper into the canyon, arriving at Phantom Ranch in the afternoon. You can stretch saddle-sore legs with a stroll around the historic stone-and-wood cabins designed by architect Mary Colter, or a walk to the Ancestral Puebloan ruin near the campground. If you’re feeling more energetic, hike a mile or two up the Clear Creek Trail for fabulous views of Phantom Ranch and the Inner Gorge. Or spend the rest of the day drinking lemonade and writing postcards. Dinner at the canteen is steak, stew, or a veggie alternative.
After a flapjack breakfast at Phantom Ranch, you’ll saddle up for the trip out of the canyon. Mule trips ascend the South Kaibab Trail, traversing colorful Cedar Ridge before topping out on Yaki Point at midday, where a waiting bus returns you to the village. After lunch, rent a bike or take the Hermit Road shuttle to explore the West Rim. From the Trailview Overlook, you can see parts of the Bright Angel Trail you traveled the day before. Other overlooks offer distinct perspectives, from the wide panorama at Hopi Point to the sheer drop down from The Abyss. You can leave the shuttle to hike along sections of the Rim Trail, or find a perch to watch the play of light and shadow. Pick out a spot for sunset before heading back to the village for dinner, or come prepared with sandwiches from the General Store deli to eat at the best table in the house—the edge of the canyon.
Make your last morning in Grand Canyon Village special. You could ride the early shuttle to Yaki Point and watch the sunrise, have a leisurely breakfast at historic El Tovar Lodge, or take in a ranger program. Order a box lunch from one of the lodges or pack a picnic from the deli to take with you as you explore the East Rim on Desert View Drive. Beginning just south of Mather Point, Highway 64 travels miles to Desert View. Stop at Grandview Point to gaze down at Horseshoe Mesa, then continue to Tusayan Ruin. You can take a self-guided tour of this 800-year-old dwelling, or look around the adjacent museum and bookstore while you wait for the next ranger-guided tour. You’ll want at least an hour at Desert View to enjoy the views of the eastern canyon and explore Mary Colter’s fabulous Watchtower. If you haven’t packed a picnic, try to save your appetite for the Cameron Trading Post, 30 miles away on the Navajo Reservation. En route, you’ll follow the edge of the Little Colorado River Gorge, a major canyon tributary. You can spend the night at the trading post’s comfortable motel or drive up to Page, arriving in time to watch the sun set over Lake Powell.
Start your day in Page with a smooth-water float from Glen Canyon Dam to Lees Ferry, a scenic voyage on the Colorado River between gorgeously colored sandstone cliffs. Canyon Discoveries will shuttle you back to Page, where you can begin the three-hour drive to the North Rim. As you descend toward Marble Canyon on U.S. 89A, stop at the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Visitors Center. Here, you can walk across the Colorado River on the historic Navajo Bridge. As you drive toward Jacob Lake, look south for glimpses of the canyon, a dark gash across the broad Marble Platform. The Vermilion Cliffs rise above you on the north. The road quickly ascends the Kaibab Plateau. From Jacob Lake, it’s a scenic 50 miles to the North Rim, passing through ponderosa forest and aspen-lined meadows. Watch the sunset from the tip of Bright Angel Point or, if you’ve made reservations, from the expansive dining-room windows at Grand Canyon Lodge.
Get up early for sunrise at Point Imperial. You can spend several hours exploring sights along the Cape Royal Road as it winds to the end of the Walhalla Plateau. Take time for a hike to Cape Final, about two hours, or the Cliff Spring Trail, less than an hour. Stop at Walhalla Overlook to learn more about the Ancestral Puebloans who once called the canyon home. Cape Royal, where you can gaze through Angel’s Window or look down on Wotans Throne, is a lovely picnic spot. Return to the lodge for a ranger program or a stroll through the ponderosas on the Transept Trail. Toast your last canyon sunset from the lodge’s veranda, watching as lights from Grand Canyon Village begin to twinkle across the canyon, 10 miles away.
If you don’t need an early start on the long return to back civilization, you could begin your last day at Grand Canyon with a hike, heading partway down the North Kaibab Trail or getting a fresh canyon perspective from the rim-side Widforss Trail. Or you could drive the back roads to Jacob Lake, exploring shady forest byways as you plan your next canyon visit. Because this is when it hits you: Even though you’ve toured the national park from rim to river, west to east, and north to south, there’s so much more you want to see. Maybe you could call in sick?
The most romantic time to visit the South Rim is during the winter, when crowds are light and the possibility of being snowed-in beckons. El Tovar offers a special romance package from late November to mid-February. Or reserve one of the historic cabins at Bright Angel Lodge. Some have fireplaces or rim views. If you want to impress your sweetie with a romantic candlelight dinner, make reservations for El Tovar’s elegant dining room.
After breakfast the next morning, pick up a picnic lunch at the General Store deli and spend a few hours exploring the overlooks along the West Rim’s Hermit Road. Weather permitting, you can hike the Greenway to the Abyss (the mile-deep plunge is sure to have you snuggling closer), then warm up with some hot chocolate at Hermits Rest. Rumor has it that the architect of this fanciful structure, Mary Colter, liked to steal away for a few moments of solitude along the rim close by. If it’s not too icy, you might try looking for her special perch or hiking a short distance down nearby Hermit Trail.
Winter sunsets arrive early, often painting the canyon walls in brilliant orange, pink, and lavender, thanks to the sun’s low angle. Hopi Point is the most popular sunset spot; opt for Maricopa or Mohave Points if you’d prefer to avoid a crowd. After watching the show, you can return to the village and warm up by your cabin’s fireplace. No fireplace of your own? There’s usually a blaze going in El Tovar’s Rendezvous Room, and the lounge is a cozy spot for a hot drink. After dinner, bundle up for a moonlight stroll along the Rim Trail, spend some time in the art gallery at Kolb Studio, or attend a program at Shrine of the Ages.
Sunrise or sleep in? If you decide to greet the dawn from somewhere other than your window, grab a quick bite at the Canyon Coffee House in Bright Angel Lodge, and hop the shuttle to Yaki Point. You may be the only ones to enjoy the sunrise from this beautiful overlook, but perhaps you’ll find a fellow traveler to snap a photo of you and your sweetie. Return to the village for a hearty breakfast or early lunch.
Afterward, stroll along the rim to Hopi House, designed by architect Mary Colter in 1905. Inside this historic structure is the canyon’s finest collection of Native American jewelry, perfect if you want to buy a memento of your special weekend. Spend the rest of the day exploring the East Rim by car, watching sunset from Lipan Point or the Desert View Watchtower, another Colter creation. To the west, inner canyon temples and buttes fade to blue and purple as golden light strikes the colorful hills and valleys of Unkar Delta and the sheer limestone walls of Marble Canyon — a dramatic finale for your weekend.
If this is your family’s first trip to Grand Canyon, you can learn about the canyon’s geology, ecology, and human history on a one- or two-day program led by an instructor from the Grand Canyon Field Institute. The two-day program includes meals and lodging as well as a guided hike partway down Bright Angel Trail and a walking tour of historic Grand Canyon Village. Activities are suitable for adults and children aged 10 and older.
Younger children can learn about the canyon by becoming a Junior Ranger. Kids aged 4–14 earn a certificate and badge when they participate in ranger-guided hikes or activities. The Junior Ranger activity book will help keep kids focused as your family explores the canyon through a variety of programs, such as condor talks, fossil walks, or stargazing.
If you haven’t signed up for a two-day tour, arrange a mule trip or bike ride for your second day at the canyon. There’s no age limit for the three-hour mule ride to the Abyss, though riders need to be at least 4 feet 7 inches tall. Children younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult on this ride through piñon-pine forest to the most dizzying overlook on the West Rim. If you’d rather not travel here by mule, Bright Angel Bicycles rents adult- and youth-sized bikes and guides tours to the Abyss. Children younger than age eight can ride in a pull-trailer behind Mom or Dad.
Alternately, you can spend a few hours exploring the West Rim and Hermits Rest on the park’s free shuttle buses. If you’d like to walk along the rim or picnic at an overlook, you can linger and wait for a later shuttle bus to continue your journey.
After a day or two of guided explorations, you may want to strike out on your own. Though all hikes leading into the canyon are steep (with drop-offs that will terrify some parents), many day-hike destinations partway down the trail are manageable for kids, including the hike to Ooh Aah Point (less than two miles round-trip) on the South Kaibab Trail. Start in early morning as this hike is dangerously hot and exposed during summer months, and bring plenty of water.
The Rim Trail is relatively level and easy to hike a section at a time, making it an ideal place to teach younger children about nature. The mile-long section between Verkamp’s Visitors Center and the Yavapai Observation Station, known as the Trail of Time, highlights touchable samples of the canyon’s rock layers. Rim Trail brochures, available near the Yavapai Observation Station, can be used to identify plants or animals. Seeing a squirrel or a mule deer can stimulate a conversation about why it’s important not to feed animals or to get too close while taking a photo.
If wild animals are making themselves scarce, mules are a sure thing. Take an afternoon walk to the historic barns to watch the mules eat their dinner. Or, if your youngster is crazy about trains, you can head for the depot and watch the Grand Canyon Railway arrive or depart. (Better yet, begin your trip to Grand Canyon via the train, which departs from Williams in the morning and arrives at Grand Canyon before noon.)
The South Rim in particular has so many activities and sights that it’s easy for kids (and adults) to get overwhelmed. Plan to disengage from the bustle for some quiet time, whether it’s a shady rest in the ponderosa pine forest around the village or a nap in your room. If all else fails, take the kids to the Grand Canyon IMAX movie in nearby Tusayan, guaranteed to mesmerize them for 34 whole minutes.
Drive or take a motor coach tour to Desert View, the South Rim’s easternmost viewpoint. Stop to explore Tusayan Ruin, an 800-year-old pueblo that can be viewed from a gentle loop trail. Your kids will love climbing the winding staircase to the top of the Desert View Watchtower, the grand finale on this 25-mile scenic journey along the East Rim. From here, you have the option of returning to Flagstaff via U.S. 89A. If you have time, make a side trip through Wupatki and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monuments, where you can explore ancient pueblos or clamber up an extinct cinder cone.
Though it appears harsh and forbidding from the rim, Grand Canyon has provided food and shelter to people for thousands of years. Descendants of the canyon’s first residents live in the region today. A 5–7-day trip exploring the canyon’s native cultures combines archaeology, adventure, and sightseeing. The best time to schedule this trip is mid-September through October, when the South Rim and Havasu Canyon are less crowded and the monsoon season has ended. You’ll need advance reservations for all lodging and to dine at El Tovar. You can obtain permits for visiting the Hualapai reservation when you arrive, but you must reserve your permit to visit Havasu Canyon well in advance.
Travel to Grand Canyon via the Navajo Reservation. As you drive U.S. 89 north of Flagstaff, you’ll skirt the Painted Desert, passing archaeological treasures such as Wupatki National Monument and historic sites that include Cameron Trading Post. On your way to the East Entrance Station, stop for views of the Little Colorado River, an important Hopi pilgrimage route. Spend an hour or two enjoying the panoramas at Desert View and the 70-foot-tall Watchtower. Architect Mary Colter studied Ancestral Puebloan watchtowers before designing her reconstruction, which opened in 1933. The striking murals and paintings inside are a symbolic history of Southwestern Native American cultures. Along Desert View Drive, several overlooks offer dramatic canyon views.
Historians believe that somewhere near Moran or Lipan Points, Hopi guides led Spanish conquistadors to the edge of the canyon in 1540. On the way to Grand Canyon Village, stop at the Tusayan Ruins and Museum, timing your visit for a tour or ranger program. Cohonina farmers occupied this masonry pueblo 800 years ago. The adjacent museum has displays of prehistoric, historic, and contemporary Native American cultures. Spend the night at one of the lodges or campgrounds in the village. If you dine at El Tovar, note the large paintings depicting Arizona Indian tribes, part of the hotel’s original 1905 decor.
After an early breakfast, visit Hopi House, designed by Mary Colter to resemble the pueblo of Old Oraibi. The gallery upstairs has museum-quality pottery, jewelry, carvings, and Navajo rugs. If your timing is right, you may be able to watch a rug weaver at work. But try to tear yourself away by late morning, because it’s a three-hour drive from Grand Canyon Village to Peach Springs on the Hualapai Reservation. (If this is your first visit to Grand Canyon, you’ll probably want to schedule an extra night or two at the South Rim before continuing your trip.) En route, you can stop for lunch in the historic Route 66 towns of Williams or Seligman.
Desert View Watchtower, designed by Mary Colter
When you arrive at Peach Springs, check for tour possibilities at the Hualapai Lodge. The Hualapai (People of the Tall Pines), historically known for their vast trade network, have translated those entrepreneurial skills into tour operations, with rafting, 4WD, helicopter, and bus tours centered around Grand Canyon West, which is home to the Skywalk. If you don’t have time for a tour today, you can arrange one for the last day of your trip.
Spend the night at Hualapai Lodge and get an early start for the 65-mile dirt-road drive from Peach Springs to Hualapai Hilltop, the launch point for the 8.5-mile hike into Havasu Canyon, which takes about 3–4 hours. You can also arrange to travel by horse, mule, or helicopter, giving you more time (and energy) to explore Havasu Canyon and its magical creek and waterfalls. Historically, the Havasupai (People of the Blue-Green Water) roamed the length of Grand Canyon in search of game and plants, forging many of the trails used today for hiking. If you spend two nights at the lodge or campground, you’ll have more time to enjoy the canyon’s waterfalls and travertine pools, although it’s possible to make this an overnight trip, especially if you travel by mule or helicopter.
You may find yourself reluctant to leave this paradise for the long hike back to the rim. If you have time, explore more of the Hualapai Reservation before heading home, or be content to end your journey with visions of blue-green water still flowing in your mind.
