The Grand Canyon, Arizona

Visit the Grand Canyon National Park to take in the iconic views, and experience some thrilling adventures while you’re there with white water rafting, helicopter tours, and hiking to the bottom of the canyon on the Bright Angel Trail.

  1. Three areas of the Grand Canyon to visit

    1. South Rim - HOT in the summer

      1. 90% of visitors go to the South Rim. 

      2. See the Grand Canyon Village, Grand Canyon Railway, Scenic Hermit Drive, and Desert View Drive.

      3. South Rim shuttle buses take you to various hiking trails and areas of interest from the main parking lot. 

      4. Plan Your Visit - Grand Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

    2. North Rim - open seasonally from May 15th through October 15th.  220 miles to drive around to South Rim.

    3. Grand Canyon West - glass skywalk, ziplining, closest to Vegas, located on Native American Land.

  2. LODGING on the South Rim

    1. Stay in Grand Canyon National Park - this website allows you to book any of the lodging options in the park.

      1. Bright Angel Lodge - at the top of the park's most popular trail. ***We stayed here. The rooms were very simple, but the location was great, and the price was reasonable!

      2. El Tovar - is said to be the Crown Jewel of National Park Lodges, and has hosted several presidents. Steps from the canyon rim. Book a year in advance. If you want one of the 3 balcony suites on the canyon side you have to call the hotel directly. 

      3. Kachina Lodge

      4. Thunderbird Lodge

      5. Maswik Lodge

      6. Phantom Ranch - is located at the canyon floor. You have to enter a lottery to be eligible to stay here. It’s only accessible by hiking or a mule ride.

    2. Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel (outside park)

    3. The Grand Hotel (outside park)

    4. Hotels in Tusayan, Williams and Flagstaff are also an option.

  3. ACTIVITIES on the South Rim

    1. Hiking

      1. Walk along the Rim Trail in either direction from the Grand Canyon Village to get away from the crowds. Along the way see several attractions.

        1. Yavapai Museum of Geology

        2. Verkamp’s Visitor Center featuring historical exhibits

        3. Hopi House (gift shop built to resemble a Hopi pueblo-style structure)

        4. Kolb Studio- showcases fine artwork, photography, and films.

        5. The Rim Trail begins at the Hermit Road Shuttle Transfer Station. From the transfer station, the trail climbs a hill to Trailview Overlook. The hill was created by the Bright Angel Fault, and is one of the steepest sections of the Rim Trail. But the views along the way are worth the climb!

      2. Bright Angel Trail 

        1. Most popular South Rim trail. It is well maintained and offers some shade along the way. There are multiple rest areas and restrooms along the way. Drops into the canyon right at the village. Hike to the 1.5 or 3 mile Resthouse. Or past that to the Indian Gardens (4.5 miles down). 

        2. It’s a shadier trail than South Kaibab because it’s in a fault line so views will be framed by cliffs. More plant and animal life to be seen. 

      3. South Kaibab Trail 

        1. More dramatic views, less shade, and steeper than Bright Angel. You have to take the shuttle bus to get to the trailhead. The 7 mile path descends 4,780 feet all the way to the river, but many people turn around at Ooh Aaah Point (1.8 miles roundtrip) or Cedar Ridge (3 mile round trip, restrooms available). There is a water spigot at the trailhead, but there is no water on the trail.

      4. Mather Point is the most popular overlook, and is a great place to watch the sunset or sunrise.  It’s right next to the Grand Canyon Information Plaza. From there take the Rim Trail to the next overlook - Yavapai.

      5. East Rim Drive (overall much less visited than the West Rim Drive)

        1. Drive 40 minutes east from Grand Canyon Village to the Desert View Watchtower - a cool old tower built in 1932. It’s a 40 minute drive from the Village.

    2. Shuttle Bus Tours

      1. Village Loop

      2. Hikers Express Shuttle Bus - leaves at a select few times for transportation to the South Kaibab Trailhead.

      3. Kaibab Rim Shuttle Bus (Orange)

        1. 50 minutes without getting off the bus. Runs every 15 minutes.

        2. This route provides transportation between the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, hotels, restaurants, and campgrounds.

        3. Stops on the route: Grand Canyon Visitor Center, Market Plaza, Shrine of the Ages/Park Headquarters, El Tovar/Hopi House/Train Depot, Village Amphitheater, Verkamp’s Visitor Center, Bright Angel and Maswik lodges, Lookout Studio, Kolb Studio, Bright Angel Trail, Backcountry Information Center, Mather Campground/Trailer Village

        4. This shuttle provides the only motorized transportation to the South Kaibab Trailhead.

      4. Hermits Road Shuttle Bus (Red Route)

        1. The Hermit Road winds seven miles along the rim from the west side of the village and is closed to private cars from March through November, making it one of the most scenic cycling paths in the world. A shuttle runs from March through November to the Hermit’s Rest Viewpoint. 75 minute round trip without getting off the bus. 7 miles to Hermits Rest. Stops at 9 overlooks.

          1. Hermit Road Scenic Overlooks - Grand Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

          2. The last outbound bus leaves the Village Transfer Station 1 hour before sunset. The last return bus leaves Hermits Rest 45 minutes after sunset. The last return bus stops at all Hermit Road bus stops on the way back to the village.

          3. Bikes can be loaded onto the shuttles.

          4. Trailview Overlook, Maricopa Point (looks out over an old mine), Powell Point (stunning vistas), Hopi Point (popular for sunsets), Mohave Point (Colorado River in View), The Abyss (vertical view down), Monument Creek Vista (The Greenway Trail starts here accommodating wheelchairs), Pima Point (can hear Granite Rapids from here), Hermits Rest with a gift shop and restrooms. Can take the Hermit Trail which begins about 0.5 miles from Hermits Rest.

    3. Bike Rentals

      1. Bike rentals (including e-bikes, bike trailers, strollers etc) are available from Rentals - Bike Grand Canyon near the South Rim Visitor Center with multiple options for hourly, half day and full day. Make a reservation during peak season, walk up only during the winter.

      2. Bike Trip Options

        1. The Hermit Road - a popular 7 mile trip

          1. Bike the Rim Trail between Monument Creek Vista and Hermit’s Rest. 

        2. Head east from the Visitor Center and link the bike path with the car-free Yaki Point Road. Jutting far into the canyon, Yaki Point is a popular spot to catch the sunset. 

    4. White Water Rafting

      1. Grand Canyon Reservation | Wilderness River Adventures

      2. Grand Canyon Whitewater

      3. Hatch River Expeditions

    5. Mule Riding

      1. Mule Ride: $185.56/person. You can book at World Famous Mule Rides | or call 1-303-297-2757 15 months in advance. It’s a 2 hour trip with a short interpretive tour to the Yaki Barn, and there are typically 1-2 trip times per day.

      2. ***Friends say most people don’t make it the whole time on the mule - it gets pretty uncomfortable. 

    6. Helicopter Tours for the South Rim

      1. Papillon Grand Canyon National Park Tours

        1. This is the preferred company of the National Park Service.

        2. They operate an Antelope Canyon tour.

        3. ***We took the North Canyon Tour and really enjoyed the experience. 

      2. Grand Canyon Helicopters

      3. Grand Canyon - Maverick Helicopter Tours

        1. They offer tours of the West Rim (from Las Vegas) and of the South Rim.

  4. DINING near the South Rim

    1. If you’re driving up from Phoenix, stop in Flagstaff, a college town with a burgeoning food and brewery scene. 

      1. For lunch, pop by Diablo Burger for locally sourced beef patties served on English muffins, and grab a Blake, which features homemade Hatch-chile mayo, roasted green chilies, and sharp cheddar. 

      2. For dinner Criollo Latin Kitchen has Southwestern farm-to-table fare, and sides like collards with bacon, black-eyed peas, and smoked paprika might even overshadow its flagship carne asada taco.

    2.  El Tovar dining room in the National Park - delicious food, but very expensive.

  5. Helpful TIPS 

    1. Grand Canyon National Park: The Ultimate Guide - Outside Online

    2. Most park visitors never leave the developed enclave of Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim. They roll up in their rental car, park, stroll to the guardrail rim, browse the gift shops, and then head to the next National Park on their checklist. The park estimates that the average visit lasts less than four hours. Even hopping on the free shuttles that stop for fresh views along the South Rim every mile or so is enough to leave most of the horde behind. The farther you get from the visitor center, the more the crowds thin out.

  6. Sample ITINERARY

    1. Day 1

      1. Morning - grab coffee and get your bike rental at Rentals - Bike Grand Canyon. Bike 3.4 miles along paved trails to the panoramic Yaki Point. 

      2. Afternoon - From the visitor’s center stroll west along the Rim Trail to see the views and the various attractions along the way. And use the shuttle system to travel your desired distance.

      3. Evening - Enjoy a steak dinner at the Canyon Star Steakhouse at the Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon and then unwind with a draft beer and live music at the adjacent saloon.

    2. Day 2 

      1. Morning & Afternoon - Take the 25 mile Desert View Drive east from the Grand Canyon Village and stop at the various overlooks and attractions along the way. You’ll see the buttes and ravines at Grandview Point, the brilliantly colored Lower Red Canyon visible from Moran Point, and an alternative view of the Colorado River’s “Big Bend” area at Navajo Point. You’ll end the drive with 360 degree views of the canyon and Colorado River, seen from the observation deck at the Desert View Watchtower, built in 1932. 

      2. For lunch try the “Indian tacos” from Desert View Trading Post.

      3. Evening - take a Guided Bus Tour and enjoy a 1.5 hour sunset ride along the West Rim. 

    3. Day 3

      1. Morning & Afternoon - Hike the Bright Angel Trail to immerse yourself in the stunning views. 

      2. Evening - find a spot on the outcropping at the popular Mather Point Overlook and take in the sunset.