Hermit Road
Located west of Grand Canyon Village, Hermit Road follows the South Rim for 8 miles and offers access to scenic overlooks via park shuttle and rim trails. It is closed to private vehicles except during the months of December, January and February.
Hermit Trail
Following the Hermit Creek drainage for 8.2 miles to Hermit Creek campground and ending on the Colorado River at Granite Rapid, (10.3 miles), Hermit Trail is a good option for intermediate level Grand Canyon backpackers. The path is named after Louis Boucher, the “hermit,” who unsuccessfully mined the area in the late 1890s and allegedly lived alone for 20 years except for goldfish that he kept in a water trough. Explore the Hermit’s stomping grounds with a 3-4 day loop hike that descends Hermit Trail to the Colorado River and then returns via the Boucher and Dripping Springs trails. An excellent day hike is to Santa Maria Spring (2.5 miles one way) or extend the route on Hermit to Dripping Springs (3.5 miles one way from the trailhead). Backpackers with permits are allowed to park overnight at Hermits Rest trailhead.
Rim Trail
A good option for families and beginning Grand Canyon hikers, the fairly level rim trail follows the rim edge for 7.5 miles connecting viewpoints between Grand Canyon Village/Hermit Shuttle Transfer and Hermits Rest (best stretch to escape road traffic noise is between Powell and Hopi points). The 3-mile section from Powell Point to Monument Creek is dirt. The multi-use paved “Hermit Greenway,” suitable for biking and wheelchairs, extends for 2.5 miles along the rim from Monument Creek to Hermits Rest. A ranger-led hike along the rim trail is offered during summer months; inquire at visitor centers for times.
1. Hermits Rest
Built in 1914 and designed by architect Mary Colter to look like a hermit’s hideaway, this long-time tourist outpost is located at the western terminus of Hermit Road. The stone structure contains a fireplace and front porch as well as a modern gift shop and snack bar. Colter even outfitted the structure with a limestone arch and authentic mission bell brought from New Mexico. Open 8 a.m. to sunset. Restrooms are nearby.
2. Pima Point
This vantage point that leads out to the northernmost edge of a wide promontory offers excellent views of the canyon to the east and west and of the Colorado River far below including Granite Rapid. During quiet moments, you can hear the rapid’s roar. In 1925, the Fred Harvey Company installed a 6,300-foot-long aerial tram here to ferry supplies down to Hermit Camp resort, located 3,600 vertical feet below the rim. It was the longest single-span cable in the United States but dismantled in the 1930s when Hermit Camp was closed under National Park Service policies aimed at returning Grand Canyon to more natural conditions.
3. Monument Creek
Peer down into the Monument Creek drainage. A paved multi-use trail begins here and extends west to Hermits Rest.
4. The Abyss
Not for the acrophobic! The view from here is 2,600 feet straight down over sheer cliffs that descend to the Grand Canyon’s redwall formation. This overlook is the destination for a guided 3 hour-long mule ride. The trip departs from Grand Canyon Village stables and winds through the forest to the Abyss Overlook (grandcanyonlodges.com).
5. Mohave Point
An outstanding view of the Colorado River 5,000 feet below; from here you can see three rapids: Salt Creek, Granite and Hermit. Use binoculars to watch river runners negotiate the whitewater.
6. Hopi Point
This overlook juts farther out into the canyon than any other viewpoint on the South Rim, making it a premium spot to watch the sunset. Among the famous formations that light up in the evening glow are Shiva Temple and Zoroaster Temple. Restrooms are available.
7. Powell Point
In addition to panoramic canyon vistas, a memorial is located here honoring pioneering Grand Canyon explorer John Wesley Powell who lead the first recorded journey down the Colorado River in 1869.
8. Maricopa Point
For travelers heading west down Hermit Road, this is the first stop with sweeping canyon views. Just west of the point (and fenced off to visitors) are the remains of the Orphan Mine, which operated from 1891 to 1969. During the 1950s it was one of the biggest uranium mines in the United States and produced 4.2 million pounds of uranium. The National Park Service acquired the site in 1987. Today, the Rim Trail detours around the closed mine site due to concerns of lingering radiation.
9. Trailview Overlook
Peer down at the snaking switchbacks of Bright Angel Trail and watch hikers make their way to the lush oasis of Indian Garden.
10. Hermit Shuttle Transfer
A public park shuttle (red route) carries visitors between here and Hermits Rest, stopping at every overlook point. During summer months (May-Sept.) buses run every 15 minutes between sunrise and sunset, and every 30 minutes for one hour after sunset. Round-trip estimate to Hermits Rest and back (without getting off the bus) is 75 minutes. Note: The Hermit park shuttle is closed November, December and January. Other shuttle routes at transfer station: Grand Canyon Village (blue).
