Travel Guide
Everything you need to know β hours, tickets, tips, and how to make the most of your visit.
Overview
The South Rim's most popular hiking trail, dropping from Grand Canyon Village down a series of switchbacks below the rim. Day hikers usually turn around at the 1.5-Mile or 3-Mile Resthouse for a real taste of the inner canyon without attempting the punishing climb from the river.
Insider Knowledge
Turn around at the 1.5-Mile Resthouse (3 miles round trip) or 3-Mile Resthouse (6 miles round trip).
Nearby
grand-canyonA series of slot canyons on Navajo Nation land near Page, with sculpted, glowing sandstone walls and famous midday light beams. Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon can only be visited on guided tours led by authorized Navajo-owned operators.
grand-canyonThe South Rim's most popular hiking trail, dropping from Grand Canyon Village down a series of switchbacks below the rim. Day hikers usually turn around at the 1.5-Mile or 3-Mile Resthouse for a real taste of the inner canyon without attempting the punishing climb from the river.
grand-canyonA 70-foot stone tower designed by architect Mary Colter in 1932, standing at the eastern end of the South Rim about 25 miles from Grand Canyon Village. It offers sweeping views of the Colorado River and the Painted Desert, and its interior features murals by Hopi artist Fred Kabotie.
grand-canyonThe most visited part of Grand Canyon National Park, open year-round, with a paved Rim Trail linking famous viewpoints such as Mather Point, Yavapai Point and Hopi Point. Hermit Road and Desert View Drive extend the views west and east, and the historic Grand Canyon Village has lodges, shops and the main visitor center.
grand-canyonThe giant 726-foot concrete dam on the Colorado River, completed in 1936 on the Nevada-Arizona border about 40 minutes from Las Vegas. You can walk across the top for free, take a guided powerplant or dam tour, or look down on it from the pedestrian walkway on the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge.
grand-canyonA dramatic 270-degree meander of the Colorado River just outside Page, Arizona, seen from a sandstone rim about 1,000 feet above the water. A wide, mostly flat trail of about 1.5 miles round trip leads from the parking lot to the overlook.
Allow twice as long for the climb up as the walk down, and start early to avoid the afternoon heat.
Do not try to hike to the river and back in one day, especially in summer; rangers strongly advise against it.
Check the current status of seasonal water stations and trail repairs before you set out.
Common Questions
For most day hikers, the 1.5-Mile Resthouse is a good turnaround point; fit hikers can reach the 3-Mile Resthouse.
Upper sections can be icy from late fall to spring, so bring traction devices in winter.
Overnight hikes below the rim need a backcountry permit from the National Park Service, booked well in advance.
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