Grand Canyon

GrandGrand

Grand Canyon Tours

GrandGrand CanyonLearn more about your pass options, find the right pass for you, and buy your pass online.
Additional ways to purchase a Grand Canyon park pass >

First-time to Visit?

I want to visit the...
South Rim
North Rim (CLOSED for the WINTER)
Grand Canyon Skywalk

I want to learn more about:
Lodging — Camping — Backcountry Hiking — Boating

Basic Information

Operating Hours and Seasons
Fees and Passes
Permits and Reservations
Webcams
Weather & Road Conditions
Sunrise & Sunset Times
Visitor Centers

Traveling? Call 928-638-7496 for recorded information about current park road conditions and closures.
You can also follow Grand Canyon National Park'sWeather and Road Conditions >

Directions & Transportation

Park Maps
Trip Planner - available in 8 languages
Directions to the South Rim
South Rim Parking and Free Shuttle Buses
Directions to the North RimCLOSED for the WINTER

Eating & Sleeping

Lodging
Restaurants & Groceries
Camping Overview
South Rim Camping
North Rim Camping(CLOSED for the Winter)

Places To Go

South Rim Village
Hermit Road Scenic Drive
Desert View Drive (State Route 64)
Desert View(East Entrance is CLOSED)
North Rim(CLOSED for the Winter)
Remote Tuweep

Things To Do

Ranger ProgramsNo Ranger Programs at this time
Visitor Centers
Hiking — Mule Trips — Whitewater Rafting
Bicycling — Guided Tours
Special Events
Sunrise and Sunset Times

Grand Canyon App

from the National Park Service, our official app (free) provides detailed information about things to do, lodging, campgrounds, and services throughout the park.
Apple Store Preview:
https://apps.apple.com/bn/app/nps-grand-canyon/id1463843937
Google Play:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.nps.grca
Start the app and download the map before you arrive - to be able to use it - if you are not able to find an internet connection in the park.
Cell service and Wi-Fi are limited at Grand Canyon.

An Introduction to Grand Canyon National Park

  • Around 5.5 million people each year see the 1 mile deep (1.6 km) Grand Canyon each year.
  • The canyon is 277 river miles (446km) long, and up to 18 miles (29km) wide.
  • Most visitors (90%) see Grand Canyon from the 'South Rim' from overlooks accessed by free park shuttle busesor by their personal vehicles.
  • The South Rim is open all year.
A much smaller number of people (10%) see the canyon from the North Rim of the park, which lies just 10 miles (16 km) across the canyon from the South Rim, (as the California condor flies) but is a 220 mile/ 354 km drive by car. The North Rim has a short season. Lodging and food services are open between May 15th and October 15th of each year.
Download our Trip Planning 'Newspaper' as a PDF filehere. (Includes information and maps for both rims and the inner canyon.) Available in 7 additional languageshere.

The South Rim

The South Rim is the most visited part of the park and it is open all year.
Elevations average 7000 feet (2134m) above sea level.
Driving Directions to the South Rim
The South Rim includes:
  • Historic Grand Canyon Village, reached by driving and served by Grand Canyon Railwayfrom Williams, Arizona, 59 miles to the south.
  • Scenic Hermit Roadand Hermits Rest (7 miles/ 11.2 km) west of Grand Canyon Village
  • Desert View Drive and Desert View (25 miles/ 41 km) east of Grand Canyon Village (Desert View and the East Entrance to the park is Closed)

The South Rim is open all year.--South Rim Pocket Map and Services Guide---

North RimCLOSED for Winter

Averaging 8000 feet (2438 m) above sea level, the North Rim rises 1000 feet (305 m) higher than the South Rim, and because of its remote location, is less accessible. The North Rim has a short season; facilities, lodging and restaurants, are open May 15 through October 15, of each year.

During winter months, all roads are closed due to snow. However, hikers and cross country skiers are able to enter the North Rim with a valid backcountry permit.
Detailed information for visiting the North Rim during 2021: Lodging >
Restaurants >Campground >Overview >
Driving Directions to the North Rim >

Even in good weather the North Rim is harder to get to. It is 220 miles (354 km) by car from the South Rim, or 21 miles (34 km) by foot across the canyon by way of the North and South Kaibab Trails.
North Rim Pocket Map and Services Guide. --North

The Inner Canyon

  • includes everything below the rim and is seen mainly by hikers, backpackers, mule riders, or river runners.

  • The inner canyon is a harsh desert environment with little shade and summer temperatures over 100°F. (>38°C).

  • Introduction to Backcountry Hiking Brochure(download)
    How to prepare for an inner canyon trip. (webpage)
    Critical Backcountry Updates: Including Trail Closures and Restrictions


There are many opportunities here for adventurous and hardy persons to backpack, camp, take a mule trip to Phantom Ranch, or take a river trip through Grand Canyon on the Colorado River. River Trips can last anywhere from several days to three weeks. There are no one-day river trips through the length of Grand Canyon.

Trail Courtesy Practices that Leave No Trace With so many of us participating in a wide range of trail activities, it really helps when we are considerate of each other. Trail Courtesy Guidelines help protect Grand Canyon's plants, animals and history, and enhance everyone's experience.
There is only one way to cross the Colorado River by automobile, and that is 137 miles / 231 km from the South Rim Village (at Marble Canyon, AZ) via theNavajo Bridge, a few miles downstream from Lees Ferry, where the Canyon is only 400 feet/ 122 m wide.
There is no longer an airstrip on the North Rim of the park. That means that the North Rim village may only be reached by driving all the way around - or by hiking across the canyon.

Grand Canyon National Park Area Map
(83kb PDF File)
If you are hiking across the canyon, the South Kaibab Trail crosses the Colorado River on a narrow foot bridge 70 feet/ 21 m above the water.
It is a 21 mile/ 34 km hike to go 'Rim To Rim,' with a vertical descent - followed by a climb - of 1 mile/ 1.6 km. This is an overnight hiking trip for 95% of individuals, and most people really shouldn't attempt it during the hot summer months, when high temperatures often average over 100 F. (38 C)
Visit our keyboard shortcuts docs for details
Duration:
8 minutes, 39 seconds

In 'More Than A View,' Park Ranger Stephanie Sutton invites us to go beyond the rim and explore all that Grand Canyon National Park has to offer; diverse life zones, landforms, and cultural history.

Visiting Grand Canyon with your pet ?Things you should know...

Traveling Green

is a great way to help Grand Canyon and other areas you visit reduce carbon emissions, divert and reduce what goes into the waste stream, and to generally help the environment. Visit our Traveling Green page for helpful tips on planning your next green adventure.

Thanks for doing what you can to help protect our environment!

Grand Canyon North Rim

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon Sightseeing By Car

Havasu Falls is one of the most gorgeous falls in the Grand Canyon, but it is difficult. Grand Canyon Dories. What’s more, our means to these incredible ends are unlike most other Grand Canyon rafting experiences. By raft or dory, OARS and Grand Canyon Dories represent a legendary fixture in Arizona river running. Our dories navigate the river in the finest of styles, slipping through rapids and drops as effortlessly as they do silent, still eddies —a unique mode of navigation.