Grand Canyon National Park
Overview
Grand Canyon National Park encompasses 1,218,375 acres and lies on the Colorado Plateau in northwestern Arizona. Highlighted by the Grand Canyon, which is one of the most studied geologic landscapes in the world, the park's rich geologic history is astounding in scope and immense in size. The Grand Canyon, incised by the Colorado River, is 277 miles long and averages 4,000 feet deep. At its deepest point, the canyon is 6,000 feet deep and spans 18 miles at its widest point. The park offers an excellent record of three of the four eras of geological time, a rich and diverse fossil record, a vast array of geologic features and rock types, and numerous caves containing extensive and significant geological, paleontological, archeological, and biological resources.
To learn more about Grand Canyon National Park, visit www.nps.gov.
Explore the Grand Canyon in 3D with onX Backcountry.
Local Info
Visitor Centers:
- Grand Canyon Visitor Center: 8 am to 5 pm daily, year round.
- Desert View Watchtower: Hours vary according to season, open year round
- The North Rim Visitor Center: 8 am to 6 pm daily, May 15-October 15.
Visiting Tips
The South Rim of the park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All visitor services are available year round. Reservations are strongly recommended during spring, summer, and fall. Some facilities close during the winter.
The North Rim of the park is open from May 15 through October 15 each year. Reservations for lodging and camping are strongly recommended. The North Rim Campground site may be booked through October 31. The campground is open two weeks longer than the Grand Canyon Lodge which closes on October 15.
Fees & Passes:
To find out more about park fees, click here.
Camping & Lodging
Grand Canyon National Park offers a variety of camping and lodging options at the South and North Rim. For most sites, reservations are required, and it is recommended that reservations are made far in advance as most of the park lodging tends to be full much of the year. Reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance by calling 1-877-444-6777 or online at www.recreation.gov. For more information on camping and lodging in and around Grand Canyon National Park, visit the park's website.
- Mather Campground: Open year-round. Group sites are also available.
- Desert View Campground: Open April 19 through mid-October. This campground is first come, first served only. No reservations are accepted.
- Trailer Village: A concessioner-operated RV park with full hook-ups located in Grand Canyon Village.
- North Rim Campground: Open May 15 through October 31. Group sites are also available.
- Phantom Ranch: Open year round and located at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Reservations are required and can be made up to 13 months in advance through Xanterra, 888-297-2757.
Food & Drink
Grand Canyon National Park offers a variety of restaurant options. Click here for a list of restaurant options inside and outside of the park.
Other Activities
While you definitely want to spend some time hiking around and below the rim of the Grand Canyon, don't let your exploration of the park stop there. Grand Canyon National Park offers a variety of other activities that you'll want to take advantage of including museums, mule trips, road biking, scenic shuttles, historic sites, whitewater and smoothwater rafting, scenic drives, and a trip on the Grand Canyon railway. If you are feeling a bit more adventurous, come prepared to rock climb one of the many technical routes up the various temples, mostly featuring soft sandstone and lots of excitement.
If you are looking for other nearby activities on your way to and from the park, a great option is mountain biking the Rainbow Rim Trail just outside of the park. The Rainbow Rim Trail offers 18 miles (one-way) of exceptional solitude on a remote rim of the Grand Canyon. The trail offers an extremely unique experience as it is the only singletrack trail on the rim of the Grand Canyon open to bikes. Trails in nearby Grand Canyon National Park are closed to bicycles.
Maps & Guidebooks
To download free visitor guides and trail brochures, click here.
Gems in Grand Canyon National Park - 8
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Recommended Routes in Grand Canyon National Park - 13
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Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim (R2R2R)
47.5 mi 76.5 km • 10,919' Up 3328.07 m Up • 10,919' Down 3328.18 m Down
South Kaibab/Bright Angel Loop
21.6 mi 34.7 km • 4,968' Up 1514.22 m Up • 4,978' Down 1517.24 m Down
Bright Angel Trail Out-and-Back
16.0 mi 25.7 km • 4,366' Up 1330.9 m Up • 4,367' Down 1331.07 m Down
Rim Trail
13.1 mi 21.0 km • 469' Up 142.87 m Up • 990' Down 301.78 m Down
Plateau Point From South Rim
12.4 mi 19.9 km • 3,208' Up 977.81 m Up • 3,208' Down 977.85 m Down
Bright Angel Point
0.5 mi 0.8 km • 70' Up 21.3 m Up • 69' Down 21.12 m Down
Cape Royal Trail
0.9 mi 1.5 km • 32' Up 9.71 m Up • 32' Down 9.71 m Down
Desert View Point
0.5 mi 0.7 km • 27' Up 8.35 m Up • 26' Down 7.99 m Down
Cape Final Trail
4.3 mi 6.9 km • 425' Up 129.56 m Up • 425' Down 129.46 m Down
Whitmore Trail
2.2 mi 3.5 km • 921' Up 280.63 m Up • 920' Down 280.52 m Down
Grand Canyon National Park Running
- 431 Miles 694 Kilometers of Trail
- 13 Recommended Routes
- 8 Gems
- 30 Easy Trails
- 44 Intermediate Trails
- 29 Difficult Trails
Areas Within Grand Canyon National Park
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Trails in Grand Canyon National Park - 90
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6.6
mi
10.6
km
#1AZT - Passage 38 - South Kaibab
Grand Canyon, AZ
|
Grand Canyon, AZ | 75 | ||
8.1
mi
13.0
km
#2Bright Angel Trail
Grand Canyon, AZ
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Grand Canyon, AZ | 72 | ||
14.7
mi
23.6
km
#3AZT - Passage 38 - North Kaibab
Grand Canyon, AZ
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Grand Canyon, AZ | 26 | ||
4.9
mi
7.8
km
#4Widforss Point Trail
Grand Canyon, AZ
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Grand Canyon, AZ | 24 | ||
11.3
mi
18.2
km
#5Escalante
Grand Canyon, AZ
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Grand Canyon, AZ | 16 | ||
1.0
mi
1.7
km
#6Shoshone Point
Grand Canyon, AZ
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Grand Canyon, AZ | 18 | ||
5.9
mi
9.4
km
#7Hermit Trail
Grand Canyon Village, AZ
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Grand Canyon Village, AZ | 20 | ||
3.2
mi
5.2
km
#8Deer Creek
Fredonia, AZ
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Fredonia, AZ | 8 | ||
12.6
mi
20.4
km
#9Thunder River
Fredonia, AZ
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Fredonia, AZ | 8 | ||
2.3
mi
3.7
km
#10Tapeats Creek
Grand Canyon Village, AZ
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Grand Canyon Village, AZ | 4 |
Photos of Grand Canyon National Park - 466
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