5 Things to Know About Grand Canyon Travel Amid COVID-19
In light of the spread of COVID-19, trying to find out what is open and closed in our national parks is a moving target these days. Here are updates.
Explore Grand Canyon National Park
Without the Colorado River, one of the Seven Wonders of the World wouldn’t exist. Digging deep into 1.8 billion-year-old rock, the river revealed ancient history and unlocked thousands of stories while forming the Grand Canyon. Today, the stunning mile-deep canyon is protected as a national park. While people often refer to Grand Canyon National Park as one place, there are actually several distinct areas you can visit including the popular the south rim and quiet north rim. Browse our pages to plan your own personal trip of a lifetime.
Visit Grand Canyon Virtually
You don’t have to visit Grand Canyon National Park to experience its spectacular attractions like Hopi Point, Bright Angel Trail and Phantom Ranch.
8 Ways to Live in the Moment, Grand Canyon Style
Here are 8 exceptional ways to have fun and be present, Grand Canyon-style.
Neighboring Parks
View nearby Lake Powell, Lake Mead, Monument Valley, Utah's five national parks as well as recreation areas, state parks, and national forests.
48 Hours in the South Rim of the Grand Canyon
Get ready for adventure. Here are some of our favorite things to do while at the South Rim from biking in solitude to exploring some of the rim’s most historic treasures.
Best Grand Canyon Hiking Trails
The Grand Canyon has hundreds of miles of hiking trails, most departing from the South Rim Village or the North Rim Village.
10 Best Things to do in the Grand Canyon
What to do and see on your Grand Canyon vacation. Go hiking, ride a train or a mule, raft down the Colorado River, and more.
What to Pack for Your Grand Canyon Vacation
How do you pack for vacation in this desert climate? Here are the top 21 items to bring along with you to the Grand Canyon.
2020 National Park Photo Contest presented by Tamron
Love to take photos in national parks? Whether it’s a landscape, a wildlife pic, or a Milky Way shot, send it our way. You could win a Tamron camera lens!
Where is Grand Canyon National Park?
The Grand Canyon was carved out by the Colorado River in northern Arizona in the United States. The northeast end of the Grand Canyon starts at Lake Powell and the city of Page at the Utah-Arizona border. The western end of the Grand Canyon is where the Colorado River empties into Lake Mead at the Arizona-Nevada border.
Which rim of the Grand Canyon should I visit?
There are three rims to the Grand Canyon – north, south, and west – with long driving distances between. The South Rim houses Grand Canyon Village and has the most developed attractions. The West Rim is the location of the Skywalk glass bridge. Tusayan, Flagstaff, Page, Kingman, Williams, and Sedona are gateway towns close to the park with many hotels, camping areas, and attractions all their own.
4 Sides of the Grand Canyon: North, South, West plus Havasu Falls
What is the difference between the three rims? Two are in the national park and the third is owned by the Hualapai Nation. And Havasu Falls is in between.
Grand Canyon West
The region to the west of the national park is privately owned and operated by the Hualapai Tribe. It's 242 miles from Grand Canyon National Park visitors center.
Gateway Towns
Towns in the greater Grand Canyon area are destinations in themselves. These include Tusayan, Williams, Kingman, Flagstaff, and Page.
How should I get to the Grand Canyon?
Most people drive to the park. check out our road trip ideas. If you fly, the nearest international airports include Phoenix, Arizona, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Once you get to the park, you will need a car or tour transportation to get around the more remote park roads. However, the South Rim has shuttles and bike rentals during the high season.
7 Best Road Trips to the Grand Canyon
Driving to the Grand Canyon is the ultimate road trip. Here are scenic, adventure-packed itineraries with interactive maps and best places to stop.
Airports Near the Grand Canyon
Commercial airlines are in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and Flagstaff, Arizona. Plus there is limited air service into the Grand Canyon Airport.
Ride the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams, Ariz.
If it's adventure, sightseeing and history all rolled into one that you want on your Grand Canyon vacation, then Grand Canyon Railway is your answer.
Where should I stay on my Grand Canyon vacation?
There are several campgrounds and lodges inside the park. There are also many lodging options in gateway towns to the South Rim. Depending on the season, you will need to reserve hotels and campgrounds well in advance.
Hotels and Cabins
Visitors to northern Arizona will find lots of hotels to choose from to fit every need and budget near the North, South and West Rims and in the park.
Campgrounds & RV Parks
Sleep under the stars inside the national park. The greater Grand Canyon region is also chock full of campgrounds and RV Parks.
What is there to see in the Grand Canyon?
Visit the many overlooks on top of the canyon for views that change with the time of day. Scour the skies to see endangered condors and falcons fly overhead. And at night stargaze at the deep dark skies lit up with the Milky Way.
Natural Wonders
See mile-deep canyons, lush waterfalls, and glorious overlooks at the rim in Grand Canyon National Park and the northern Arizona region.
Wildlife
From reptiles to rodents, bighorn sheep to wolves and coyotes, the Grand Canyon is teeming with wildlife.
Attractions
Natural wonders aren't the only attraction at the Grand Canyon. Visit a wildlife center, observatory, or garden. Watch an IMAX movie. Or learn at a visitor center or museum.
What is there to do in the Grand Canyon?
Hiking, mule riding, rafting, museum browsing, and air tours are the main activities here. See our list of the top ten things to do in the park and beyond. Are you prepared for desert weather? Be careful of the heat and bring a bottle to top off at our water filling stations.
10 Best Things to do in the Grand Canyon
What to do and see on your Grand Canyon vacation. Go hiking, ride a train or a mule, raft down the Colorado River, and more.
Outdoor Recreation
Hike hundreds of miles of trails that provide unmatched scenery and panoramic views. Raft a stretch of the Colorado River. Bike along the Rim.
Guided Tours
Get the most from your Grand Canyon vacation by taking a guided tour.
What's New
Backcountry Camping in the Grand Canyon
Backcountry permits are required for all overnight backcountry camping in Grand Canyon National Park.
4 RV Tips for Visiting Grand Canyon National Park
While other parks may need to wait until summer, the Grand Canyon’s warmer temperatures allow for year-round camping and exploring.
Bat Cave Mine at the Grand Canyon
Estimates stated that the cave held 100,000 tons of guano with a net worth of $12 to $15 million as fertilizer. Read about elaborate schemes to mine the cave.
Petrified Forest National Park in Eastern Arizona
Home to fossils 200 million years old, some of the largest concentrations of petrified wood, "painted desert" badlands, and archeological sites.
Bad Selfies: 3 Places Not to Pose in the Grand Canyon
Don't pose too close to the rim, river, or wander unprepared down the canyon. Ouch! Here are suggestions on how to take pain-free photos.
Take a Scenic Drive Near the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon National Park region is one big road trip. There are so many scenic drives, it's hard to limit our favorites.
2020 National Park Photography Workshops
National Park Trips Media and Tamron have teamed up to offer photo workshops inside your favorite national parks.
