Since my move to northern Arizona, I have taken full advantage of close proximity to the Grand Canyon National Park. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: it is really fricken grand. It really never stops being impressive! For the purpose of this post, I will be focusing on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon as it is open year-round and I am significantly more familiar with it than the North Rim.

Fun To-Dos:

• If you’re early enough, see the sunrise. I really think it is an experience everyone should have at least once! Mather Point Visitors Center is a popular sunrise spot, but I also really like Yaki Point for smaller crowds.
• Visiting The Watch Tower. On the East side of the park, entering from Cameron, AZ (which also happens to be my favorite entrance, because there are way less people). You can climb up the 2-3 flights of stairs and get a great view of the east side of the park.
• Raptor counting. During summer through ~November, there is a spot beyond the roadside trees where rangers have been counting large birds of prey for 20+ years! You can take the Orange Kaibab route shuttle and get off at the Yaki Point stop; there will be laminated signs to direct you where to walk! It’s a great spot to sit and have lunch, and learn a little bit more about the local fauna of the park.
• I love listening to Ranger Talks when I visit National Parks. It’s a great opportunity to get a little insight on the region, animals, or special occurrences from someone who truly knows the land. Check the current times on the park’s official website.
• Take one of the four shuttle routes around the park. Even if you don’t have a stop in mind, this is a great way to see different areas of the park generally unaccessible by personal vehicle while also listening to a tour. Here is a route map – they all come super frequently to the main visitors centers so you should have no issues with scheduling.
• HIKE!

 

Day Hikes:

It’s estimated that only one in every ten visitors actually hikes inside the Grand Canyon. I highly highly highly recommend taking a hike, even if it is short for time constraints! The Canyon is vast and amazing when you first see it … and it only gets better as you descend. Pack lunch, bring plenty of water, and take your time!

• South Kaibab Trail: This moderate trail has different viewpoints that generally serve as markers to turn back out. The first is Ooh-Ah-Point, which is fittingly named as a bomb view of the canyon layers. This point is ~1.5 miles down (so ~3 miles roundtrip) and takes the average person about three hours. This is also where most people stop; I like to go down to the next viewpoint, Cedar Ridge, which is ~6 miles roundtrip. This larger viewpoint is usually pretty empty, and I like to sit here to have lunch and just listen to the wind moving around the canyon slots. This is my favorite day hike in GCNP because the colors and views of the canyon change pretty strikingly within just a few miles.
• Bright Angel: This is also a moderate trail, more heavily trafficked, and can get mushy as ice melts. This trail is particularly packed because you do not need to take a shuttle to get to the trailhead. It’s great to do at least once, as it is also the trail that leads down to Havasu Falls (which cannot be reached and returned out of in a day). However, I feel like the view of the canyon does not change much as you descend. If you only have one day, and don’t forsee coming back soon, I would much, much prefer South Kaibab.
• If you’re short on time, there are flatter trails at about a mile out of all visitor’s centers. Entering from Desert View, The Watchtower has a nature loop. From the main south entrance, The Rim Trail is an easy, flat hike that does not at all feel like a hike. Essentially sidewalk along winding overlooks and nice vistas!

Spending the Night

If you are spending the night, there are plenty of campgrounds within the park. I have only camped at Mather Campground – while it has the luxury of bathrooms and water, it is quite large and kind of formal in its organization. Sites can be booked in advance which is great if you’re visiting during the summer! In the future I hope to stay at the smaller campsites of Desert View Campground; I have heard great things about its small size and intimacy with the environment, but it is not open year-round. The nearest major town for hotel accommodations is Flagstaff, Arizona, about an hour south.

If you are hoping to visit Grand Canyon National Park on a larger road trip, check out this post for my Southwestern US road trip itinerary or this post for spending 24 hours in Page, exploring the AZ-UT border!