Introduction:
What? :
Nothing prepare
you to the sight you will see at your first visit to the Grand Canyon Rim, a one
mile deep and 18 miles across canyon with the length more than 250 miles long.
It is one of the 7 natural wonders of the world and there is a good reason for
that.
The park area
was declared as a national monument in 1908 and was change status to National
Park in 1919. There are many things to see and do here, from watching the
sunrise or sunset color the canyon cliffs and mountains from the many viewing
points, to walking the flat rim trail or hiking a mile down to the Colorado
River, there is something for everyone.
Grand Canyon
National Park is one of the most visited National Parks, it divided into two
distinct regions: the South Rim and the North Rim.
Plan your visit
and be aware that there is a 200-mile, 4-hour drive between them.
Most visitor
only visit the south park and, in this blog, I will describe in details this
section of the park.
I will dedicate
another blog post to the North Rim Park section.
The South
Rim that is open year-round is the most accessible and visited. It has
extensive visitor and touristic facilities including the main Grand Canyon
Visitor Center, historic sites and museums, many in the park and nearby accommodations,
and restaurants.
The North
Rim section of the park is open only seasonally from mid-May to
mid-October, less accessible and has relatively limited facilities.
The West Rim,
or Grand Canyon West, is on Hualapai Indian Reservation land and it is not part
of the National Park.
The terms
“Grand Canyon East” is referred to the area centered around the town of Page,
Arizona, and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, also this is not part of the
National Park.
Grand Canyon National Park – North Rim Visit Planning
How many days should you plan to
spend in Grand Canyon National Park?
As with many
other large National Parks, the longer you stay and explore different areas of
the Grand Canyon Park the more you enjoy it.
Still, in my
view, one day and night at the South Rim is enough time to enjoy the main elements
of the Grand Canyon.
You will be
able to be at the visitor center and not far away Yavapai Geology Museum,
explore the historic district village, walk along the Rim Trail, and be amazed
by the amazing and unforgettable canyon vistas at sunset and sunrise from one
of the many viewing points.
.
You can also
take it slow and extend your stay, visit more locations, hike longer hikes or
even go down parts of the 2 hikes going down into the canon, all the way to the
Colorado River.
Where? :
The Grand Canyon South Rim main
park entrance is located 1.5 hours’ drive from Flagstaff (that has the closest
commercial airport), 3.5 hours from Phoenix, AZ and 4 hours drive from Las
Vegas, NV.
There is
another entrance to the Grand Canyon South Rim by highway 64, this road will
lead you to the east entrance of the park, near Desert View. People that are
coming or going to Page AZ use this park entrance.
Google map link
When? :
Typically, the
best times to visit the Grand Canyon are the spring and fall months.
The summer
temperatures can be 100 degrees at the rim level and much higher if you are hiking
down into the canyon. The summer nights can be colder and pleasant.
In the spring
and fall, daytime temperatures are around 60 to 70 degrees at the rim, though
nighttime lows will be much colder.
Summer thunderstorms
are common late afternoon in July, August, and early September.
The winter
month are cold, and you can have snowstorm in the rim level.
The south side of the park (~7,000 ft elevation) stayed open year-round but the North Rim that is higher in elevation (8,300 ft) is covered in deep snow and closed for the winter months (about mid-October to mid-May).
For up-to-date
weather, road information, and live webcam view:
https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/weather-condition.htm
Crowded Park:
The South Rim
is very popular year-round and can get quite crowded during peak summer months.
This is reflecting on accommodation availability for hotels and campground, hotel
price, park entrance time, parking, driving around and dining.
If you are
coming at peek ours it is common to wait in line for 30-60 minutes at the park
entrance.
This is a
National Park, addition is 35$ per vehicle for 7 days (keep the receipt in the
car with you for the following days!), or you can buy 80$ yearly entry to all
National Parks.
The park south
rim entrances are open 24/7 all year.
If you are not
staying within the park I do recommend coming into the park as early as you can,
plan to be at the entrance around 8am to avoid the line at the entrance and the
crowded parking lots.
Another option,
if it fit your schedule is to come later at the afternoon.
In summer, when
coming early you will also enjoy cooler hours of the day, this is the best time
to do your long hikes before it gets too hot.
Plan for slow
driving and at peek crowded days even finding parking spot at the visitor
center parking lots can be challenging.
The best way to
get around the south rim is to park your car at the visitor center, take a small
backpack with all what you need for your day visit, hike from ther along the
rime or use the free shuttle bus system to access the village facilities,
viewpoints, and hiking trails.
Free Park Shuttle service:
It is highly
recommended to park your car in one place, near the main visitor center, and use
from here the extensive and efficient free shuttle service that implemented
here.
There are 3 different
shuttles routs (Orange, Blue, Red) connecting all main south rim attractions.
You do not need
any reservation for the shuttle.
Shuttles bus
run every 10-15 minutes.
Shuttle hours
start before sunrise and well after sunset, check exact schedule and last bus
times.
There is one line
connecting to Tusayan (Purple), this line active only in main season and it need
reservation + it has a fee.
Important notes:
During winter months
there is no Hermit (Red) Route shuttle bus service, (December, January and
February). At thoughts month Hermit Road is open to all vehicles, but may be
temporarily closed due to snow.
There is no
shuttle service on the 25-mile-long Desert View Drive (SR 64) between Visitor
center to Desert View. If you want to visit Desert View, you must drive there.
Accommodations and Dining Options:
There are several
accommodations and dining options available in the Grand Canyon Park, few are
in the village area, right on the canyon rim, and there are other somehow inner
in the park.
You can also
find in the park a large supermarket, Grand Canyon Village Market & Deli.
South Rim: Lodging
There are
several hotels at the South Rim, reservations should be made way in advance for
any month of the year.
Name few of the
hotels (there are more option within the park):
El Tovar Hotel:
Built in 1903, this is the most upscale lodging option within the park. It’s
located right on the rim.
Bright Angel
Lodge: Historic lodge, which offers a range of room types including historic
cabins.
Yavapai Lodge: A
great midrange option conveniently located at Market Center.
Camping in the Grand Canyon South
Rim:
There are few
large campgrounds’ options in the park: Mather Campground (year around), Desert
View (Seasonal).
All campgrounds
within the park are booked well in advance (up to 6 months in advance).
Make
reservations prior to your visit: recreation.gov
National Park
Service RV campgrounds in the park do not have RV hook-ups.
Outside the park:
Additional
accommodations (including national hotel chains) can be found in the gateway
town of Tusayan, just a few miles outside the national park entrance.
The cities of Williams
(1 hr drive) and Flagstaff (1.5 hr drive) that are located along highway I-40 offer
many hotels’ options in all price levels.
Where to eat in and around Grand
Canyon National Park?
The local park hotel
offer several options of restaurants that serve full meal and smaller food
stores & bars.
In some you
need reservation, other are based on first come first serve.
Canyon Village
Market General Store and Delicatessen. Here you can buy supply or pick up
sandwiches.
In the nearby Tusayan,
Arizona you can find many different restaurants.
General Visit Information
Restrooms:
Restroom
facilities are located at many locations in the park.
You can find
restrooms in the Village hotels, Yavapai and Desert Viewpoints and the Visitor
Center. Chemical toilets are placed at many viewing points like Hopi, Yaki, Grandview
Points and many more.
Water:
Water bottle
filling stations can be found near: Hermit's Rest, Bright Angel Trailhead,
Verkamp's Visitor Center, Yavapai Point, Grand Canyon Visitor Center, and the
South Kaibab Trailhead.
You should
carry your own water, especially if you are hiking along the rim trail or
walking down into the canyon.
Time Zone:
Most of
Arizona, including Grand Canyon National Park, stays on Mountain Standard Time
year-round (no summer daylight saving time change).
Important Note: The northern
Arizona Indian reservation may have different time zone than the state of
Arizona. The time in Page AZ may be different than the local time and the same
is for Utah State time zone. This is important for people visiting Antelope
Canyons, make sure you arrive to your tour on time.
Bicycle
Cyclists can
enjoy approximately 13 miles (21 km) of roads and Greenway Trails that allow
for more intimate explorations along the rim and cover more distance. If you
get tired, load your bike or e-bike on one of the park’s bicycle-friendly
shuttle buses
Mule Trips
Another and
different visiting option when coming to the Grand Canyon is to take a mule
ride down into the Grand Canyon or perhaps along the rim. There are companies
that offer two guided mule rides.
South Rim Mule
Trips are offered year-round.
Visit
Xanterra's website for more details and to book a trip.
South Rim Mule
rides may be booked 15 months in advance and fill up early.
One-hour rides
along the rim and ½ day rim or inner canyon trips may be available daily.
Phantom Ranch:
Phantom Ranch,
at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, is a popular destination for both hikers and
mule riders. Overnight hiker dormitories and cabins can be reserved, and meals
are available for purchase.
Reservations
are made through Xanterra via an on-line lottery 15 months in advance.
For more
information look at:
https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/photosmultimedia/grand-canyon-in-depth-03.htm
Things to do outside the Grand
Canyon Park:
Grand Canyon West - The Hualapai
Tribe and Skywalk
This area of
the Grand Canyon is outside the National Park, it is being mange by the local
Indian tribe that this area is under their jurisdiction.
The Skywalk is
the most famous attraction at Grand Canyon West, it consists of a horseshoe
shaped steel frame with glass floor that projects about 70 feet (21 m) from the
canyon rim.
Because its
relative proximity to Las Vegas (122 miles, 2 hours’ drive) there are private
day tours that visit here and call it “Grand Canyon Day Tour”, this is not the national
park.
I never visit
here so I can’t say if the visit and involved cost “worth” it or this is yet
another tourist “trap”.
Tusayan - Grand Canyon Visitor
Center IMAX
The Grand
Canyon Visitor Center IMAX, located at the South Rim in Tusayan just outside
the Grand Canyon National Park. The Visitor Center offers an entertaining and
informative overview of Arizona’s famous landmarks.
Here you can
view the IMAX movie: Grand Canyon: Rivers of Time
I saw a movie
here only one time, more than 25 years ago. They probably update the movie and
I’m sure seeing it can be a memorable experience, especially if you are
traveling with kids.
Helicopter Grand Canyon tours:
Although not a
National Park activity there are Helicopter or airplane tours operated out of Tusayan
Airport.
I saw there are
few options: Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours, Grand Canyon Helicopters -
Grand Canyon Village, or Maverick Helicopters.
Airplane: Grand
Canyon Scenic Airlines.
I understand
that the tours do not fly within the Grand Canyon National Park area, because
it create noise, but they explore the canyon on both rims.
I did Helicopter
tour more than 25 years ago and it was a special experience for the family, the
view of the deep canyon cliffs below you, the Colorado River, and the snowed
covered north rim (in April) was amazing.
Grand Canyon Railway:
The historic
Grand Canyon Railway departs daily from the city of Williams, Arizona to the
Grand Canyon Village, right near the south rim. This train ride featuring
western musicians and cowboy characters on vintage rail cars.
The 64-mile
railroad was completed on September 17, 1901, and it operate today for tourist
as it was more than 100 years ago. The ride takes 2 hours and 15 minutes each
way, The train departs Grand Canyon Depot each afternoon for the return trip to
the Williams Depot. It's possible to ride the railway one way or choose a
round-trip ticket that allows for almost four hours to explore the national
park village.
https://www.thetrain.com/
River Trips and Permits:
There are
different river trip opportunities through Grand Canyon National Park.
1 Day
Commercial River Trips or 2 to 5 Day River Trips.
I never did any of them so can’t provide and information.
List Of the Main Tourist Locations
in the South Rim:
The main park Visitor center
South Rim
Visitor Center will probably be your first stop of your Grand Canyon visit,
park your car here and hike or get a shuttle to your next destination.
The visitor
center is open daily from 8 am to 3 pm and you can get here update on local
park conditions, get advice and recommendation from the rangers and see the
explanations about the park.
Ranger Programs and opening hours
As one of the
most visited National Park there are many options for ranger programs and
activities.
Park activities
and exact times is change along the year and dependent on staffing levels.
Please check at the park web site:
https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/sr-programs.htm
You can find near
the visitor center the Bright Angel Bikes & Café at Grand Canyon Visitor
Center, GCC Park Store, and the main Shuttle service connecting the Park
Village (Blue Route) and Kaibab Rim (Orange Route).
Near the
visitor center you can access the Rim Trail, there is no wrong spot to see the Grand
Canyon.
The most popular
viewing point is Mather Point, located not far behind the visitor center.
From here you
can walk for one mile west to the Yavapai Geology Museum, a small museum
located right on the rime.
You can also
hike east on the rime trail to the direction of South Kaibab Trailhead.
The Rim Trail section
from Yavapai Geology Museum to Verkamp's Visitor Center called “Trail of Time”.
This scenic
paved 1.3-mile walkway has interpretive plaques describing the geologic history
of the Grand Canyon as you walk down the gentle slope. Along the timeline trail
are a series of rocks and exhibits that explain how Grand Canyon and its rock
formed.
The Village
The Village is
the center of the park old hotels, trail station, and other buildings and services.
Nearby you can
find:
El Tovar Hotel,
Kachina Lodge, Thunderbird Lodge, Bright Angel Lodge.
Verkamp's
Visitor Center – old visitor center and store, established at 1906.
Hopi House –
1905 like Hopi pueblo house, place for local Indian artist to show their art.
Lookout art Studio
- right over the canyon cliff, art and pictures as well as viewing point.
Grand Canyon Railway
terminal - restored building from the original 1888 building. It still offer
daily train ride from Williams Az to the Grand Canyon and back.
Rim Trail:
The paved and
relatively flat rim trail full length is about 13 miles long one way, starting at
the east side at south Kaibab trailhead and ending at its west side at Hermit's
Rest. You do not need to walk it all, there are many shuttle stations along the
trail where it is close to the park road.
Hermit Road Scenic Overlooks
Hermit Rd and
house is located 8 miles west from the park village, the road is closed to
private vehicles between March 1 and November 30.
During these 9
months period, all visitors access the road via the free Hermit Road (Red)
Route) shuttle bus or hiking and biking the rime trail.
Hermit Road is
open to private vehicles during the winter months of December, January and
February, when there is no shuttle service on Hermit Road.
Hermit Road
shuttles (Red Route) provide public transportation between the Village Route
Transfer Station and Hermits Rest (7 miles) with 9 stops at canyon overlooks,
return drive do not stop in all of them. The full shuttle round trip is an 80
minute round-trip ride (without getting off the bus) so take this in your tile consideration
when planning your day.
At the end of
the road, you will reach to Hermits Rest.
Mary Colter (architects)
built Hermits Rest in 1914 to look like an old miner's cabin, complete with a
giant fireplace and front porch. Today Hermits Rest has a gift shop and small
snack bar. Restrooms are available here.
The Rim trail heading
to Hermits Rest offer the opportunity for short or long walks between viewpoints,
and you can combine this hike with using the shuttle service.
Desert View
Located at the
very far east of the south rim road, 25 miles from the main visitor center. The
speed limit in the park is slow (usually 35 m/h) and you may stop on the
viewing points along your way, plan for about one hour of driving time.
The Desert View
offer great and different viewpoint on the Grand Canyon and it is a lot less crowded
compared to the main park section near the village and main visitor center.
The East
Entrance to the Grand Canyon Park at Desert View is open 24 hours/day, 7
days/week (Unless temporarily closed by snow). The road the connect the village
to the Desert View, Desert View Drive, is open to all vehicles throughout the
year.
Along the Desert
View drive, you can stop at several viewing points; includes Grandview, Moran,
Lipan, and Navajo.
The main
attraction at Desert View is the watchtower building as well as the unique viewing
point of the Grand Canyon below you. Unlike most of the viewing point near the
visitor center from this point you can clearly see the Colorado River down in the canyon. You will enjoy the vast view to the west and the main section of the canyon as well as
the area to the east. There is a fence protected viewing platform near the Watchtower
but if you will walk to the left of the building the canyon cliff is without
any protection so be careful.
The Watchtower was
built in 1932, today there is a store and a small visitor center.
The upper
floors of the tower are open, when staffing allows, from 8:20 am to 4:40 pm.
Nearby you can
find a trading Post with Native American Handicrafts, Convenience store, market
and deli.
The Desert View
Campground is open mid-April to October, available by reservation only at
www.recreation.gov and can be made up to 6 months in advance.
Near the
campground entrance there is a Pay-at-the-Pump Gas Station, credit/debit card
only.
My dedicate blog on Desert View:
Grand Canyon National Park – Desert View Watchtower
Hiking:
Safety:
Before I cover
the few hiking options, I will cover in short, the following safety aspects: Hot
temperature and water, Cliffs.
I saw in the
park website that over 250 people are rescued from the canyon each year.
The main aspects
you need to aware of from safety perspective when hiking in the Grand Canyon is
the temperatures, water and your personal hiking abilities.
Summer temperatures
on the South Rim, at 7000 feet (2135 m), are generally in the 80-90s (27-32°C).
Summer temperatures within Grand Canyon typically warm to over 100 degrees (
> 38°C ).
·
Hikers can lose one or two quarts
(liters) of water per hour, this with the load on your body can case heat
exhaustion or even heatstroke.
·
Use sunblock and reapply throughout
the day
·
Carry with you enough water for all
your group members.
·
Stay hydrated by drinking water or
electrolyte drinks.
·
Salty and light foods are preferred
in order to balance water intake during the hot summer season.
·
If it is an option plan to start your
long hiking before dawn, in the evening to avoid dangerous heat. Try not to hike
in the canyon between 10 am and 4 pm.
Any hike down into
the canyon and back up to the rim level is challenging.
Even when going
down the trail is steep and rugged. As you walk down the temperatures getting higher
and it may be less windy.
When you are
climbing up, the trail is steep and relatedness, walk slow, listen to your
body, take rests and drink water.
Don't
overestimate your capabilities, when walking down it can looks easy and you can
extend your hike down, “let’s just walk to the next lower level”… but you will
need to climb all the way back to the rim. This steep walk up may be
challenging than it looks, especially when you have less energy after walking
down.
Be aware the
farther into the canyon you go the hotter it gets. As a role of thumb getting
back up will take you about twice the time walking down.
Appropriate
footwear is important, choose comfortable shoes that have traction and grip.
Summer
thunderstorms (July through September) introduce lightning risk, stay out of
exposed areas.
When you are
hiking always stay on designated trails and walkways and keep a safe distance
of at least six feet (2 m) from the edge. When taking pictures be aware where
the rocks ends, and the cliff start.
It is good habit
not to ware hat in a windy day, it may fly away, and your first instinct will
be to try and grab it.
Keep an eye on all
the people in your group, especially small children.
Winter Hiking safety tips:
Winter bring,
rain, snow and icy conditions.
·
Good Base layer and hiking socks, waterproof
and warm clothing as layers so you can get them down when you are getting hot
and use them when it is cold.
·
Over-the-shoe traction devices as
well as Hiking Poles – to help with footing on icy trails.
Day Hiking Trails:
Flat, relatively easy, hikes:
Rim Trail Center Section: Visitor
Center – Village
This is 2.8
miles from the visitor center to the village area. Along this trail you will
pass countless viewing point, Yavapai Geology Museum, “Trail of Time” and Verkamp's
Visitor Center. There are only few bass stops along this trail section. If you
are tired when you reach the village you can take the bass on your way back.
This section of
the trail is relatively crowded.
Rim Trail west Section: Village -
Hermits Rest
This trail following along the 8-miles-long Hermit Road and the canyon rim cliffs. This long section of the Rim Trail offers visitors who desire longer hike along the rim.
No water
west of Bright Angel Lodge. By using the shuttle buses, you can customize your hike
to meet your needs. Part of the trail is paved and accessible.
This trail is
less crowded than the center section.
Rim Trail west Section: Visitor Center
to South Kaibab Trailhead
If you will hike from the visitor center along the rim to the east you can enjoy many viewing points, like the center section but here you will have a lot less people. At some point the trail get away from the rim and you will pass through a burned forest section but soon after it is returning to the rim. There are few bus stops along this trail section, and it end in South Kaibab Trailhead.
Here you have restrooms and drinking water as well as a shuttle stop.
From here a one stop shuttle ride will take
you to the nearby Yaki Point. From here you can get the shuttle back to the
visitor center.
Private
automobiles are not allowed to access the South Kaibab trailhead.
Hiking - Descending Down into the Canyon:
There are no
easy trails into or out of the Grand Canyon, you start by steep hiking down the
canyon cliffs, and you need to hike back all the way up.
Most people do not hike all the way to the Colorado river and hike back in one day.
This hike
can be done by well fit and experience hikers, starting early and not in the
hot summer months.
People that do
want to experience going down are usually hiking one of the 2 popular trails for
about a mile down and from this turning point climb back up.
Check when you
started your hike down, it will probably take you twice the time to climb up. Most
first-time Grand Canyon hikers walk uphill at an average speed of one mile per
hour or less.
If you're
descending, slow down and yield to uphill travelers, some time they will stop
for a short rest.
When you
encounter mules, follow the directions of the mule wrangler. Otherwise, step to
the side of the trail that is away from the edge and remain quiet and still.
Pack out everything
you pack into Grand Canyon.
The following
link provide a lot of information on hiking into the Grand Canyon:
https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/upload/intro-bc-hike.pdf
The 2 options to hike down the
canyon from the south rim are:
·
South Kaibab Trailhead
Ooh Aah Point 0.9-mile, Cedar Ridge 1.5-mile one way
(restrooms, no water). Cross the Colorado Rive over Black Bridge after 6.5
miles from the starting point.
·
Bright Angel Trailhead
1.5-mile Resthouse / 3 miles Resthouse, Havasupai Gardens
at 4.5 miles, River Rest House 7.8 miles. Cross the Colorado Rive over Silver
Bridge after 9.1 miles from the starting point.
The Bright
Angel Trail begins just west of Bright Angel Lodge and a full length round trip
up to 12 miles.
The South
Kaibab Trail begins south of Yaki Point on Yaki Point Road. Access to the
trailhead is by shuttle bus (Kaibab Trail Route). Offers day hikes that range
in round trip distance up to 6 miles.
The South
Kaibab, Bright Angel, and North Kaibab Trails (north rim) meet at the bottom of
the canyon near the only two hiking bridges that span the Colorado River.
Both trails are
maintained and in good condition.
They are very
strenuous and involve hiking numerous switchbacks.
The Bright
Angel Trail has water* (at Mile-and-a-half and Three-Mile resthouses and in Havasupai
Gardens), some shade, and half-way down is Havasupai Gardens. Here you can find
water and toilet facilities.
The South
Kaibab Trail has no water and very little shade but it a lot less crowded of
the two.
*Check at the
Visitor Center or Backcountry Information Center for water status.
If you are planning
to do a long and strenuous one day hike down South Kaibab Trail (TH 7200ft
(2195m)) and climbing back all the way to the south rim by using Bright Angel
Trail (6840ft (2085m)), this will be 6.8+9.3 = 16.1-mile-long hike.
The two trails
are connected on the north side of the Colorado River, North Kaibab Trail
junction (4340ft (1320m)).
How to plan your South Rim One Day
Visit:
Few points to
remember:
From the park
main entrance, it is not more than 10 minutes’ drive to the visitor center or
the Vellage, but the south rim drivable section is more than 30 miles long to
the east entrance.
There is long
bike trail along the rime, share the ride with the hikers. If you want to rent
one it is available at Bright Angel Bikes & Café at Grand Canyon Visitor
Center.
Pets are only
allowed on the Rim trail and Green Way trail.
Summer months
are very hot, even at the high rim. When hiking bring a lot of water and
protect yourself from the sun. Winter bring a mild-cold weather, and the south
rim do get snow, make sure you check the weather before your visit.
When visiting
the Grand Canyon south rim for the first time do not rush it through.
Less is more !
Quality time is
more important than numbers of places you “checked mark”.
Your trip “big picture”:
For most
travelers, the Grand Canyon National Park is only one destination of a trip to
this amazing area of the US.
Only few visitors
come only to see the Grand Canyon and do not visit anywhere else nearby
(usually this will be one day visit from Las Vegas or Phoenix).
The way you
plan your visit here depend on what you are doing before and after the visit,
where is your starting point and how much time you have.
If you are
coming after visiting Zion, Bryce and Page area or you are coming from Phoenix
or Sedona or even the Las Vegas.
If you are
coming from Page, AZ, you will drive into the park through the east entrance.
If you are
coming from Las Vegas, Phoenix, Sedona or Flagstaff you will use highway 180 or
64 that lead to the south entrance.
How many days you need to enjoy
your Grand Canyon visit?
If you are not
planning long hikes down into the canyon, I think that planning for one day
& night at the South Rim is enough time to really enjoy many of the things
this park has to offer.
Visit several viewing
points, hike sections of the rim trail and view the sunset over the canyon.
Stay in for the
night in one of the park hotels (or at the nearby city of Tusayan) and the
following morning wakeup early and enjoy the sunrise at the rim.
The scenery and
the panoramic landscape is somehow different from the many viewings point along
the rim, but you simply can’t get it wrong. All viewing point provide amazing
view of this nature wonder.
You can always
take it easy and stay for more days, this will allow you to explore more
location, hike longer sections of the rime trail or even walk down sections of
the trails leading to the Colorado river and climb up.
Detailed visit description.
Park your car
at the main visitor center.
Start at the
main visitor center to get oriented with maps, ask Ranger for recommendations, watch
exhibits, and the 20-minute park film.
From the
visitor center walk a short distance to Mather Point and get your first view of
the canyon.
From here I
recommend hiking along the rim trail to the west (left), in the direction of Yavapai
Geology Museum and the village.
After one mile
you will reach the small Yavapai Geology Museum, right on the rim edge and with
interesting displays.
Walk the Rim
Trail between Yavapai Point and Verkamp’s Visitor Center in the Historic
District (1.4 miles), taking in the Trail of Time exhibits along the way.
Walk around the
Grand Canyon Village Historic District. This is the main area for dining,
shopping, shuttle buses, and the Bright Angel Trailhead.
Don’t miss out and
pass through El Tovar hotel, the Hopi House and the Lookout Studio.
Take time to
view the historical interiors and learn about the history of humans in the
Grand Canyon, from Ancestral Puebloans to pioneering photographers.
Now you have
few options, depending on your time and what you want to do:
1. Take the shuttle bus to Hermits
Rest:
The 7-mile-long
Hermit Road includes nine overlooks that are easily accessible by hopping off
and back on the frequent shuttle buses.
2. Take the shuttle bus back to
the visitor center and hike another section of the rim trail:
From the
visitor center hike to South Kaibab Trail.
3. Take the shuttle bus back to
the visitor center and Drive to Desert View Watchtower:
The Watchtower is
probably the most iconic manmade structure in the Grand Canyon. It is located 30
miles from the Grand Canyon Visitor Center at the Desert View area, in the east
side of the park.
No matter what
you did I highly recommend making sure you are planning to watch the sunset
from one of the rim viewing point.
Watch the Sunrise or Sunset:
In my view,
enjoying sunset or sunrise from the rim is a must-see activity when visiting
the Grand Canyon, try to plan your visit around this.
For that it is
probably better stay in, or right near the park, Flagstaff is 1.5 hour away and
you probably do not want to have such drive late at night or early morning.
You can’t have
it wrong, any place along the rime is great place for viewing.
According to
other reviews the best spots for sunrise viewing, and photography are at Mather
Point (near the visitor center) and Yavapai Point (Yavapai Geology Museum).
Sunset is great from both spots, plus Hopi Point.
Shuttle buses
run from approximately one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset, and
even later the Village Loop (Blue) Route. Park your vehicle in one of the
Visitor Center lots and ride the free shuttle buses.
Which is Best, Sunrise or Sunset?
Sunrise:
If the night
has been calm and clear, sunrise may offer great clarity before breezes stir
dust into the atmosphere. The sun will be at your back lighting the north rim
and as the sun get up it slowly lighting the Colorado canyon below.
In summer months
also early morning are warm but at transition seasons, morning can be colder so
come prepared and well-dressed. Another benefit of early sunrise start is for
sure you will see a lot less people at canyon viewpoints and you can start your
hiking when it is still not hot.
Sunset:
At sunset the
sun will set into the side of the Grand Canyon (to the west) and you will have
shadows and lights sections that create photographic combinations. If you are
staying for the sunset plan to arrive at your viewpoint well before sunset and
stay also after the sun has set in the west.
After sunset don't
rush back to your car, stay in the viewing point and watch the view, this might
be the best time where the sky may light up in red, pink or orange colors.
During the
summer viewpoints are crowded during sunset.
Late summer may
bring dramatic thunderstorms, and vibrant colors or you will have “dull” blue
sky without any cloud or color.
Summery:
No matter If
you came for one day or a lot more viewing the Grand Canyon from the high rim
is unforgettable experience.
The vast
magnificent canyon, carved one mile deep by the Colorado river, is a natural
wonder you must see to believe.
You can spend
here many days but based on my many visits to the park I think that one full
day with a night and early morning sunrise is enough time to dedicate to your
visit here.
Additional Pictures:
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