Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park offers world-class recreation — gazing into the chasm from the South Rim’s many overlooks and the historic village, hiking the corridor trails (Bright Angel and South Kaibab) into the canyon, backpacking to the Colorado River and Phantom Ranch, riding mules, rafting the legendary whitewater of the Colorado River, taking in the higher, quieter North Rim, scenic driving and shuttle touring, ranger programs, and stargazing under dark skies. Taking in the views and hiking into the canyon are the signature experiences. The combination of the canyon’s staggering scale, the rim views, the trails and the river makes the park a premier and unforgettable destination.

Spring and fall are ideal for the South Rim, with mild rim temperatures and good hiking weather (though the inner canyon is far hotter), while summer is the busy peak (and dangerously hot in the canyon depths). The North Rim is higher, cooler, and open only roughly mid-May through mid-October (closed by snow in winter). Sunrise and sunset set the canyon ablaze with color, the best times for photography, and the dark skies are superb. Spring and fall offer the best rim weather; never hike to the river and back in a summer day, and check North Rim seasonal access.

The Grand Canyon has been home and sacred to Native peoples for thousands of years — the Havasupai, Hualapai, Hopi, Navajo, Paiute and others, who live in and around the canyon and hold it sacred, with the Havasupai still living within it. Spanish explorers reached the rim in 1540, and John Wesley Powell led the first known passage of the river through the canyon in 1869. Protected as a national park in 1919 after long advocacy (including by Theodore Roosevelt), the Grand Canyon preserves the immense chasm and the living heritage of its Native peoples, a treasured American and World Heritage landscape.

The Grand Canyon is one of the world’s greatest geological showcases, where the Colorado River, over roughly five to six million years, has cut down through nearly two billion years of Earth history, exposing layer upon layer of rock — from young limestones at the rim down through sandstones and shales to ancient, dark Vishnu schist nearly two billion years old at the bottom. The uplift of the Colorado Plateau and the river’s relentless carving created the mile-deep chasm, while erosion widened it and sculpted the buttes and side canyons. The exposed rock layers, spanning vast time, make the canyon a profound record of the planet’s past.

The Grand Canyon’s range of habitats — from rim forests to desert canyon to river — hosts elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, coyotes, the rare Kaibab squirrel (found only on the North Rim), and a rich community of birds, including the magnificent endangered California condor (reintroduced and now soaring over the canyon), peregrine falcons and golden eagles, while the river supports fish. The immense elevation and habitat range support diverse wildlife. The park is an outstanding place for wildlife watching and birding, with the soaring condors over the canyon among the great wildlife highlights in America.

Grand Canyon National Park protects a remarkable range of ecosystems across its mile of elevation — from the higher, cooler forests of the rims (ponderosa pine and, on the North Rim, spruce-fir) down through pinyon-juniper woodland to the hot desert scrub of the inner canyon, and the riparian oasis along the Colorado River. This range, equivalent to traveling from Canada to Mexico, creates exceptional biodiversity, including endemic species. The river and its tributaries (like Havasu Creek’s blue-green waters) sustain rich life. Protecting the river, the canyon, the rim forests and the wildlife sustains a globally significant and biodiverse landscape.

The Grand Canyon holds a treasured and profound place as one of the seven natural wonders of the world, an icon of America, and a sacred living homeland to the Native peoples of the region. Its staggering scale and beauty have inspired awe, art and reverence for generations, drawing millions from around the world to stand at its rim. Embodying both the immense power of nature and the deep heritage of its Native peoples, the Grand Canyon is a cherished symbol of the American landscape and one of the most magnificent and meaningful natural wonders on Earth.

Grand Canyon National Park is in northern Arizona, with the popular South Rim reached via State Route 64 from US-180/64 near Tusayan, about 1.5 hours from Flagstaff and four hours from Phoenix and Las Vegas, and the higher North Rim reached via State Route 67 (open roughly mid-May to mid-October). An entrance fee applies. The South Rim offers visitor centers, the historic village, lodges, campgrounds, shuttle buses, overlooks and trailheads. The inner canyon is for prepared hikers. Check the National Park Service for shuttle, lodging, North Rim season and conditions before visiting.

The National Park Service protects the canyon, the Colorado River, the rim forests, the wildlife (including the endangered condor) and the cultural sites of Grand Canyon National Park. Visitors help by staying on trails and behind railings at the rim (the drop-offs are deadly), never feeding wildlife (especially the squirrels and condors), packing out everything, protecting the river’s water quality, respecting the sacred and archaeological sites and the Native peoples, preserving the dark skies, and following permits and Leave No Trace. Protecting the river, the canyon, the forests and the heritage sustains this globally significant and treasured landscape.

The Grand Canyon is far more dangerous than it looks — the rim drop-offs are sheer and deadly, so stay behind railings and back from the edge, and supervise children closely (falls are fatal). The inner canyon is brutally hot (often over 100°F in summer); never attempt to hike to the river and back in a single day, carry far more water and food than you think you need, and turn back early, as the climb out is grueling (heat and exhaustion injure and kill hikers every year). Watch for storms, flash floods in side canyons, and lightning on the rim. Respect the heat, the depth and the deadly edges.

An entrance fee applies. Stay on trails and behind railings at the rim; keep back from the deadly edges. Never feed wildlife. Backcountry camping and inner-canyon overnight trips require permits; river trips require permits. Camp only in designated areas. Respect archaeological and sacred sites. Pets are restricted (not allowed below the rim). Drones are prohibited. Collecting is prohibited. Pack out all trash; preserve the dark skies. Check the National Park Service for permits, shuttle, North Rim season and current rules before visiting.

The town of Tusayan lies at the South Rim entrance, with the city of Flagstaff, the towns of Williams (and the Grand Canyon Railway) and Page (with Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend), the Navajo and Havasupai lands, Sedona’s red rocks, and the broader Colorado Plateau in the region, with Phoenix and Las Vegas about four hours away. The high desert and the canyon country define the region. Grand Canyon National Park anchors the premier natural icon of Arizona and one of the great wonders of the world, a centerpiece of any Southwest journey.

Take in the South Rim’s overlooks (using the free shuttle) and watch sunrise or sunset, when the canyon blazes with color — staying behind the railings, as the edges are deadly. For a deeper experience, hike partway down the Bright Angel or South Kaibab trail (but never to the river and back in one day, and carry plenty of water in the heat). Consider the higher, quieter North Rim (open mid-May to mid-October), watch for soaring condors, stargaze under dark skies, and pair the canyon with nearby Sedona, Page and the Navajo lands.