America is a country brimming with timeless beauty, attracting millions of tourists every year. One such enchanting nature’s gift – which pulls everyone’s attention is the ‘Grand Canyon National Park’. Words cannot be put together to describe what it is like to gaze across the sweeping landscapes for the first time. And if you are unsure about the place or one of the many things you do could out here, then read our in-depth guide below on the ‘Best Things to do on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park’.
Over a few million years, the Colorado River has chiseled its way through the Colorado Plateau, to form this all-embracing landscape we know – Grand Canyon. It’s one of the most visual-appealing sites in America that needs to be visited by every traveler. The formations, the zig-zag hiking trails, pathways, and lookout points – all make your trip worthwhile.
Grand Canyon National Park teems with canyons, river tributaries, open-wide areas, and surrounding grounds. Being situated in Arizona’s quadrant, Grand Canyon is easily accessible from other nearby cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas. Since it’s one of the most visited places in the world – Grand Canyon has also been coined as a UNESCO World Heritage Site back in 1979.
| TRAVEL FACT – Grand Canyon wasn’t deemed as a national park back in the 1880s. Several congressional bills passed and with the help of former US President Theodore Roosevelt, Grand Canyon became a National Monument in 1908. It was then, later, declared a national park in the year 1919 – signed by then-President Woodrow Wilson. |
On your first-time visit to Grand Canyon, there is more to do than just gazing at the landscape from the Visitor Center. You can indulge yourself in activities like – touring the sight-points, discovering trails, bicycling across the paths, and even taking up a helicopter flight.
Grand Canyon National Park is divided into two public areas – the North and South Rims. Both of these rims are accessible to the public – meaning you could traverse across the canyon and do rim-to-rim hikes. But, the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park is the most accessible section considering the routes and hiking trails it has carved. You could even travel to the North Rim, but it isn’t as popular as its southern sibling – especially because of the harsh winter weather. Roads are mainly closed, and the experience isn’t pleasant.
In this guide, I’ll be focusing more on the best things to do in Grand Canyon of South Rim. At the end of the article, you’ll get much more familiarised with visiting the canyon and nearby attractions.Â
BEST THINGS TO DO IN THE GRAND CANYON
VISIT THE SOUTH RIM VIEWPOINTS
One of the best things to do in Grand Canyon is to explore its viewpoints. There are dozens of viewpoints dispersed along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. All of it, offering phenomenal views of the canyon. Few of these viewpoints are just better in terms of lookout areas and accessibility. Some of them are less crowded, some are unspoiled and some make your experience worthwhile admiring the scenic vistas.
In total, there are three main gateways to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park – Desert View Drive, Grand Canyon Village, and Hermit Road. Each of them is unique, offering different experiences according to the season you travel.
Viewpoints along Desert View Drive –
To explore the viewpoints on Desert View Drive, you’ll have to exit the Grand Canyon Village and go around the canyon rim for at least 26 miles. You’ll reach a vantage point of Desert View, which is nestled at the East entrance of Grand Canyon National Park.
Located on Desert View Drive, of the 246-mile marker west – is the Shoshone Point Trail. The wide-ranging views of the eastern Grand Canyon are something that will attract your attention. You’ll need to be careful across the edgy Shoshone Point, because of the loose rocks and narrow ledges.
Get amazing views of Hance Rapids, Horseshoe Mesa, Desert View Tower, and other landmarks from the rim. The viewpoint is also a popular location to witness sunsets.
Moran Point. Enjoy a broad expansive look of the Grand Canyon, directly south of Cape Royal. Below you’ll see the Red Canyon – which is known for its vibrant tributary assorted with deep red-orange layered rocks.
Desert View Watchtower is another great viewpoint located along Desert View Drive. Constructed in 1932, this pre-historic Indian Tower provides vast boundless views of the Grand Canyon. The best part about Desert View Watchtower is the fact you could get a 360- degree view of the Painted Desert to the east, and the San Francisco Peaks to the south. It’s also the highest point on the South Rim.
Grandview Point. As the name suggests, this is a must-visit sight point for tourists exploring the Desert View Drive. It is located just below 7,500 feet, offering grand views of prominent buttes like Shiva Temple, Vishnu Shrine, and Rama Shrine.
Viewpoints on Grand Canyon Village –
All the viewpoints mentioned are located near the Grand Canyon Village. To reach, you can use the Grand Canyon Shuttle (Kaibab Rim Route) or you could hike the Rim Trail.
The first overlook you’ll face is the Mather Point, which is elevated at an impressive height of 7,000 feet. You’ll be filled with astonishment, once you soak in the views from this area. Below the Mather Point, is the Phantom Ranch surged with red-orange glitters.
Next to the Mather is the Yavapai Point, where visitors can get sweeping panoramas of Havasupai Point and Desert View. Along with gorgeous displays of the canyon, tourists can take guided ranger tours across the viewpoint areas. Be sure to visit the Yavapai Observation Station – where you can indulge yourself in the interpretation offered by guides. Many of these include three-dimensional geological displays, photographs, and interpretive panels – allowing travelers to learn and understand the geological importance of the Grand Canyon.
An observatory station is a great place for curious travelers to even dive deep into understanding the rock formations, layers, and the carving of the canyon over the years.
Yaki Point. Enjoy yet another extensive view of the canyon’s horizon from the South Rim. The Yaki Point Road and Kaibab Trail Parking are accessible only via shuttle bus during peak tourism season. Private vehicle access is closed due to immense traffic.
Viewpoints along Hermit Road –
Hermit Road offers spectacular scenes of the Grand Canyon, with over nine viewpoint areas to choose from. All of the overlooks could be visited by traveling the west end side of the South Rim. From March onwards, till November – you can only access the road via shuttle bus. Some of the points you could observe via your journey include Hopi, Maricopa, and Pima.
One of the highlights is the Abyss along the Hermit Road. The vantage point drops 3,000 feet, offering breath-taking scenes of the Tonto Plateau and the Colorado River.
Some of the famous viewpoints here include visiting Powell Point, Mohave Point, and Pima Point.
EXPERIENCE SUNRISE NEAR MATHER POINT
One of the best things to do on the South Rim of Grand Canyon – is to experience the magical sunrise. I know it can be difficult for travelers, to get up early and travel from one of the nearby cities. But if you get the opportunity, don’t miss it!
Mather Point lookout at Grand Canyon is one of the popular lookout areas to witness the canyon’s gorgeous setting. The sight is unbelievable, especially when the deep blues of first light cascade into orange shades. You could see the dull-colored rocks of Grand Canyon beaming with life, once the rays hit them!
My advice would be to avoid Mather Point because it will be crammed with tourists. Yes, there are early-morning visitors, who travel just to grab the sunrise moment. Instead, head east and walk a few minutes (facing towards the sun), until you reach a rocky outcrop. You’ll find a quiet little spot here, to look over the spanning horizon. It’s all rewarding once you gaze at the dramatic scenery illuminate.
Just take care across the sharp rocky edges, as they are steep and vertical.
FAMOUS SOUTH RIM GRAND CANYON TRAILS
Exploration to Grand Canyon is incomplete without experiencing the South Rim hiking trails. Once you reach the canyon, you get plenty of options to choose from. Although, it might get overwhelming for first-time travelers.
Here are a few options of South Rim Grand Canyon trails you could take up –
BRIGHT ANGEL TRAIL TO 1.5 / 3 MILE RESTHOUSE
The Bright Angel Trail is one of the most popular hiking trails at the Grand Canyon, because of its accessibility and moderate difficulty. The starting point of the trail is exactly in Grand Canyon Village and ends near Bright Angel Campground.
The trail is 9.5 miles long. But, it is further broken down into smaller trails that form the entire Bright Angel. You can choose to cover 1.5 Mile Resthouse (3 miles round-trip) or even the further portion 3 Mile Resthouse (6 miles round-trip).
Honestly, the views in my opinion aren’t that great when compared to other trails (especially South Kaibab). Since a large portion of the trail descends through a canyon, it’s unlikely to get spanning views of the rim. But it still offers a pleasant experience for first-time travelers hiking the Bright Angel.
For visitors, who want to continue the larger portion of Bright Angel Trail can further continue hiking towards Indiana Garden and Plateau Point.
| NOTE – The National Park discourages hiking from one rim to Colorado and reverses in just a single day, as the trail is long and strenuous. People have been rescued from the region due to fatigue and heat exhaustion. |
SOUTH KAIBAB TRAIL TO OOH AAH POINT
South Kaibab Trail is also one of the famous trails on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Being a shorter and steeper version of the trail, South Kaibab offers more spectacular when compared to the Bright Angel Trail. Amazingly, this trail too starts on the rim and ends at the Colorado River. So if you’re on a day trip to the Grand Canyon, then probably you’d have to make a tough call between Bright Angel and South Kaibab.
The South Kaibab Trail is 7 miles long, offering jaw-dropping scenes as you walk down the trail. Again the trail is broken down into shorter versions – for tourists to hike up only to a certain portion. However, if you’re up to with your fitness level – you could do the entire South Kaibab Trail.
The starting point of the trail is the Ooh Aah Point, which is 1.8 miles round trip. The descent is steep out, but it’s worth it in the end. Further, as you hike, you will reach Cedar Ridge (3 miles round-trip). Last is Skeleton Point which is 6 miles round-trip.
| Bright Angel or South Kaibab Trail? For tourists taking a day trip to the Grand Canyon, then without a doubt – South Kaibab Trail. It offers more splendid views, is less crowded and overall the exposure to the canyon is great. |
EXPLORE OTHER SOUTH RIM GRAND CANYON TRAILS
Apart from the two famous trails of the Grand Canyon, there are other hiking routes as well, that make your Grand Canyon tour adventurous. Honestly, all of its trails are worth the challenge and is often regarded as the best thing to do in Grand Canyon.
BEAMER TRAIL
Beamer Trails is one of the fewer trails on the Grand Canyon that follows the Colorado River. It starts from the Tanner Trail and heads across the Pallisades Creek. The first part of the trail is near river level, while the other half is along terraces and ridges. Much of the area is narrow, steep, and not maintained properly. However, it is often taken up as a challenge by many adventure enthusiasts.
DRIPPING SPRING TRAIL
The Dripping Spring Tail is 3.1 miles long and can be accessed by private vehicle in winter. You could see a huge overhanging sandstone cliff which marks the landmark of the trail. This is a difficult stretch, especially when you continue to climb up the cliffs.
WALK THE TRAIL OF TIME
The Trail of Time is a short portion of the Rim Trail, which is only 1.7 miles long. It’s a good option for beginners to hike through the canyon and discover places. The trail starts from Verkamp’s Visitor Centre and ends near Yavapai Geological Museum.
| PRO TIP – Any Grand Canyon hike requires thorough planning and basic knowledge. Understanding different routes is also essential. Click here to read the national park’s important tips, safety guidelines, and practices on having a safe Grand Canyon trip. |
VISIT CAMERON TRADING POST
Head north towards AZ-64 and US-89, and you’ll come across Cameron Indian Trading Post. If art inspires you, then you’d enjoy learning some of the finest Native American Art here.
Further, drive east of US-160 to the Tuba City Junction to witness dinosaur tracks!
TAKE A HELICOPTER RIDE
Taking a Grand Canyon helicopter tour is a thrilling way to discover the stunning beauty of the landscape. The unimaginable views, gorgeous backdrop, and never-ending canyon skies make your aerial tour worthwhile! The ride also gives you access to the South Rim areas, which you cannot see from other lookout points.
Some of the top companies to book your helicopter ride from –
Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopter Rides
Maverick Helicopters
Canyon Tours
PHOTOGRAPHY AT THE SOUTH RIM OF GRAND CANYON
Being one of the most beautiful sites around the world, Grand Canyon offers endless opportunities for tourists to hone their photography skills! Even if you’re bad at clicking snaps, don’t worry. The vastness of the canyon makes it hard to go wrong.
Here are a few of my suggestions on clicking amazing photographs –
Try to get sunrise and sunset shots – Let’s admit that Grand Canyon is a perfect place to soak in spectacular views of the sunrise and sunsets. If you could get up early, take one of the many trails to hike on, then you could get perfect shots overlooking the horizon. If you’ve got a tripod, then it’s even better to shoot a time-lapse video.
Below the canyon – The rock formations and the red-colorized layers will make your inside-the-canyon shoots Instagram-worthy!
Shadows of the canyon – There’s no way to avoid shadows at Grand Canyon. That’s the reason, it’s best to shoot photos either early or late, depending on your travel schedule.
Visit the resource section to find more tips & suggestions on Grand Canyon photography
GRAND CANYON ITINERARY
Now since you know the exact places in the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, it’s time to compile everything in a summarized itinerary. This way you could plan your travel to the canyons, and see what suits you best. The below itineraries are just a brief overview of a schedule you can expect. You can always tweak/alter plans as per your preferred travel style.
DAY TRIP TO GRAND CANYON
If you do not have much time to visit canyons entirely, or maybe just planning to visit for a few hours – then day trips to the Grand Canyon are ideal. You could visit a few of the viewpoints of South Rim + do a short hike.
Drive down the Desert View Road, and stop by at several viewpoints situated across the area. Do park your vehicle at the Visitor Center and then use the shuttle to travel across. Once you reach, you could either take on the South Rim Trail or hike below the rim.
GRAND CANYON IN ONE DAY
Leave your hotel early in the morning, and take the shuttle to reach the South Kaibab Trail.
Head your way straight to the Ooh Aah Point. An early morning hike means you’ll witness the gorgeous sunrise scenes across the trail. Remember to bring a headlamp/torch along with you, as it could be very dark.
Once you reach the Ooh Aah, you’ll probably observe lesser tourists. This marks a perfect morning before crowds start heating the trails. You can even go further up to Cedar Point or Skeleton Point.
If you don’t hike up further, then you have an ample amount of time to explore viewpoints of South Rim. Visit the overlook areas near the Grand Canyon Village and then head to lunch in one of the cafes/restaurants locally.
You could spend the rest of the afternoon, cycling down Hermit Road. Either go out exploring more viewpoints or visit the Geology Museum to learn & understand the history of the Grand Canyon.
In the evening, you could go for a helicopter ride (check for time-slots) to enjoy sunset views of the canyon.
End your one-day trip with a dinner in the village.
GRAND CANYON IN TWO DAYS
Follow the same travel plan for your Day 1 in Grand Canyon.
On the second day, you could explore the viewpoints along the Desert View Road. Hike a portion of the Brighton Angel Trail, or you could just go on to complete the entire route.
Alternatively, to add up an exciting adventure – hike from the rim to rim on the same day. You could camp overnight or spend a night at the Phantom Ranch Lodge.
| NOTE – Camping at South Rim Grand Canyon requires a permit. For more details, visit the website. |
If you’re super fit, you could do both the hikes on the same day (Brighton Angel Trail and South Kaibab Trail).
HOW TO GET TO THE SOUTH RIM OF GRAND CANYON
South Rim is easily accessible from three major cities of the U.S – Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Flagstaff. You could travel via car, bus, train or plane.
It takes approx. 3.5 to 4 hours from either Phoenix or Las Vegas to reach Grand Canyon and 1.5 hours from Flagstaff. All of the cities are well-connected, so traveling becomes very convenient. Most travelers reach Grand Canyon via car, usually as a part of their American Southwest road trip.
If your time at Grand Canyon is limited only to a day trip, then I recommend booking a stay as close to the park as possible. For visitors, staying up to 2 nights or more – could choose any accommodation they prefer around the region. This is because you could maximize your time spent visiting the Grand Canyon, and not instead on traveling.
If you’re traveling via plane, then can directly fly to Tusayan. It’s a small nearby town, located 15-minutes away from the Grand Canyon Village.
Additionally, public transportation is also available for you to reach the canyon.
GRAND CANYON TICKET PRICES AND OPERATIONS
The South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park is open for tourists 24 hours, 365 days a year.
The entrance fee is $35, which includes your visit to both the Rims (North and South).
| NOTE – The entrance fee is charged per vehicle and not per person. The same ticket is valid for 7 days. |
HOTELS NEAR THE SOUTH RIM GRAND CANYON
Tourists need to book their accommodation nearby to the park, so they can maximize more travel at the Grand Canyon. This gets sorted out with the help of Grand Canyon National Park Lodges that has 6 hotels/cabins spread across the park. Booking up a stay at one of these places gives you the added advantage of easy access to the shuttles, nearby viewpoints, and no in-out travel from the park.
El Tovar Hotel, Bright Angel Lodge & Cabins, Kachina Lodge, Thunderbird Lodge, Maswik Lodge, and Phantom Ranch are some of the options.
You can get further information on Grand Canyon lodge, and updated pricing here on their website.
I’d also recommend booking your stay at least 4-6 months before your departure.
For more hotel options & perfect stays, visit the site here. Through amazing deals & clubbed offers, you could find your ideal stay in Grand Canyon National Park.
POPULAR TOURS OF THE GRAND CANYON
CONCLUSION
Hope you had a good read! I covered pretty much everything you need to know about the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Also, major things to do and a brief itinerary. I hope this guide will help you in planning a perfect trip to the South Rim.
Below are some of the general questions many tourists have, and these are our answers –
FAQs
Which Grand Canyon Rim is the best?
The South Rim. The reason I covered this guide on South Rim is that the rim is open to tourists year-round. In comparison to the North Rim, the south has more viewpoints, areas that are easily accessible, great facilities around the region, and plenty of visitor services. Overall, having a perfect experience is what I believe in, and South Rim does fulfill all of it.
Is a day trip enough for Grand Canyon?
Ideally, no. However, yes you can visit Grand Canyon for a day trip. The only drawback would be to rush across viewpoints and trails. As you read in the article above, there’s so much to do at Grand Canyon – and a day trip won’t fulfill your experience bucket list.
Can citizens age above 50 travel to Grand Canyon?
Yes, definitely! This question is more around the fitness level – whether or not citizens aged above 50 could participate in hiking trails. I wouldn’t recommend longer trials, because of fatigue and heat exhaustion. However, citizens can travel across viewpoints, access shuttle rides, be at the visitor centers, and much more. The point is – you don’t have to hike to see the canyon. You could get the same breathtaking views from other places in the park.
What is the best time to visit Grand Canyon?
South Rim is a year-round region. However, an ideal time would be March to May and September to November. The weather is pretty decent and the viewpoints are not heavily crowded. I recommend booking hotel stays as early as possible. I’ve seen people not getting their preferred stays, and then end up changing dates.
Can you visit Grand Canyon from Las Vegas?
Yes, you can. The closest access point would be the Grand Canyon Skywalk from Vegas. You can also book guided tours directly to reach the park in the early morning.
