Grand Canyon travel guide

Walk the Rim Trail

About 13 miles along the South Rim, mostly paved and fairly level, with a free shuttle back from any section. It’s by far my favourite walk in the park. Between Powell Point and Monument Creek Vista it becomes a narrow dirt path close to the edge.

Watch the sunset from the South Rim

I watched my first sunset from Mather Point, five minutes’ walk from the visitor centre. For something quieter, ride the shuttle out to Mohave or Pima Point on Hermit Road, and get there an hour early in summer.

Fly over the canyon in a helicopter

I flew Papillon’s North Canyon tour from Grand Canyon Airport in Tusayan, around 25 to 30 minutes over the canyon towards the North Rim. The scrubland transforms into a miasma of colours and shapes as you cross the rim. Pay extra for the front seat if you can.

Drive Desert View Drive

A 23-mile road along the rim east of the village, open to cars all year, past Grandview Point, Moran Point and Navajo Point to Mary Colter’s Desert View Watchtower. I watched my second sunset out here, at Lipan Point (closed for repairs until 23 December 2026).

Ride the shuttle to Hermits Rest

Hermit Road is closed to private cars from March to November, so the free red shuttle takes you 7 miles west past nine viewpoints to Mary Colter’s 1914 stone rest house at the end of the road.

Hike a little way below the rim

Ooh Aah Point (0.9 miles each way) on the South Kaibab Trail and the 1.5 Mile Resthouse on the Bright Angel Trail are classic turnaround points. Every step down has to be climbed back up, and the water taps on the trails were turned off after the August 2026 flood.

Learn how the canyon formed at Yavapai Point

The free Yavapai Geology Museum has big windows looking straight out over the canyon, and the Trail of Time runs west from it to the historic district, past El Tovar, Hopi House and Kolb Studio.

Ride the Grand Canyon Railway

The vintage train runs from Williams on Route 66 to the historic depot in Grand Canyon Village, about two hours and 15 minutes each way, with time on the rim before the return.

Two days on the South Rim

Two days

Mather Point – Yavapai Point – Rim Trail west – Hermits Rest – sunset on Hermit Road – helicopter flight – Ooh Aah Point – Desert View Drive – sunset at Navajo Point

My 2-day itinerary is built around the experiences I loved most.

Three days on the South Rim

Three days

The two-day route, then the South Kaibab Trail to Cedar Ridge – the Trail of Time and the historic district – sunrise at Yavapai Point

More time below the rim, with an early start.

The Grand Canyon, Page and Utah

Ten days

Las Vegas – the South Rim – Page for Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and Monument Valley – Zion – Bryce Canyon – Las Vegas

My Southwest road trip follows my own early-summer route.

Shoshone Point

A flat, mile-long dirt road through ponderosa pines from an unsigned car park on Desert View Drive leads to one of the South Rim’s quietest viewpoints. It’s occasionally closed for private events from mid-May to mid-October.

Yaki Point

Closed to private cars all year, so it’s calmer than Mather Point at sunrise. Take the orange shuttle, or walk or cycle in.

The dirt path to Monument Creek Vista

Between Powell Point and Monument Creek Vista, the Rim Trail leaves the pavement for a narrow path right by the edge, with far fewer people. Hop on the shuttle for that stretch if you don’t like heights.

Lipan Point

Most of the way along Desert View Drive, with the river curling round the Unkar Delta below. It’s where I watched my second sunset, and much quieter than Hermit Road (closed until 23 December 2026; Navajo Point is next door).

Dishes to try

• Navajo tacos – fry bread topped with beans, chilli and cheese, a staple on the Navajo Nation, which you cross on the drive east towards Page.
• Southwestern steaks and ribs – the speciality of the Arizona Steakhouse at Bright Angel Lodge.
• A packed lunch – on the Rim Trail, the chances of lunchtime coinciding with anywhere selling food are slim.

Drinks to try

• Grand Canyon Brewing beer – brewed in Williams and served at the bar of the Grand Canyon Inn & Motel in Valle.
• Plenty of water – the rim is around 7,000 ft up and the air is dry, so drink more than you think you need.

Yavapai Tavern, next to Yavapai Lodge

A relaxed spot for a drink and a casual dinner on its outdoor patio, a short walk from Market Plaza, where I ended my first day. It closed after the August 2026 flood damaged the water supply, so check it has reopened before you go.

Only one entry: Yavapai Tavern is the only place to eat or drink at the Grand Canyon that her notes and pages say she went to.

Entry covers seven days, and once you’re in, the shuttles and most sights are free. The big costs are a helicopter flight and staying in or near the park in summer.

• Park entry: $35 per vehicle for seven days
• Non-US residents aged 16 and over: an extra $100 each from 2026, unless they hold an annual pass
• America the Beautiful pass: $80 for US residents, $250 for non-residents
• North Canyon helicopter flight: from about $270 per person, plus $50 for the front seat when I flew

Safety

Much of the rim is unfenced, so stay well back from the edge, especially on the dirt section between Powell Point and Monument Creek Vista. After the August 2026 flood, parts of the South Kaibab and Bright Angel trails closed, so check the trail alerts before you hike, and turn round before you’re tired.

Health

The rim is around 7,000 ft up, and I felt the altitude more than I expected, so take it slowly on your first day. Below the rim it’s often far hotter, topping 40°C in summer: hike before 10am or after 4pm, carry more water than you think you need, and never try to hike to the river and back in a day.

Tipping

Tip 18% to 22% at sit-down restaurants, US$1 to US$2 a drink at bars and 15% to 20% for guides and drivers. Tips for helicopter pilots aren’t included in the tour price.

Tips for travelling

• Check the National Park Service’s alerts before you travel: the in-park hotels and several restaurants have been closed since the August 2026 flood.
• Book the in-park lodges as early as you can; they can sell out a year ahead for summer.
• Park once and use the free shuttles. You’ll only need the car for Desert View Drive.
• Arrive at the viewpoints an hour before sunset in summer to get a good spot.
• Pay by card: the park no longer takes cash at the gate.
• UK and other Visa Waiver visitors need an approved ESTA (US$40.27) before flying.

How to see the best for free

Once you’ve paid the entry fee, the best of the South Rim costs nothing. The Rim Trail and every viewpoint along it are free, the shuttle buses are free, and so is the Yavapai Geology Museum, with the Trail of Time running west from it to the historic district.

The park is an International Dark Sky Park, so on a clear, moonless night you only need to walk out to a viewpoint away from the village lights to see the Milky Way. Desert View Drive is open to cars all year, with picnic areas between the viewpoints.

Packing

Packing for the Grand Canyon? Don’t forget…

• A daypack and a hydration pack: holding at least 2 litres, plus a packed lunch and salty snacks for the Rim Trail.
• Hiking poles: if you’re heading below the rim.
• Comfortable shoes: my favourites are the Tropicfeel Canyons.
• A cap, sunscreen and layers: mornings and evenings on the rim are cool, even in summer.
• Photo ID: you’ll need it for a helicopter flight.

Travel insurance

US medical bills are notoriously high, so make sure your policy has generous medical cover for the USA, including mountain rescue if you plan to hike below the rim, and check it covers scenic flights if you’re booking a helicopter tour. Compare policies with AXA Travel Insurance.

Suggested guidebooks

• Lonely Planet Grand Canyon National Park
• Moon Grand Canyon

Interesting facts

• The canyon is 278 river miles long, about a mile deep on average and up to 18 miles wide from rim to rim.
• It became a national park on 26 February 1919.
• Aircraft aren’t allowed to land in the national park, so helicopter tours from the South Rim are flights only.
• Mary Colter designed Hopi House, Hermits Rest (1914) and the Desert View Watchtower (1932).
• Indian Garden, halfway down the Bright Angel Trail, has been renamed Havasupai Gardens.

Time zone

Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time (UTC-7) all year, with no daylight saving: seven hours behind the UK in winter and eight in summer. The Navajo Nation, east of the park on the road to Page, does use daylight saving time.

Electricity and adapters

Type A and B plugs, at 120V and 60Hz.