Grand Canyon National Park
Arizona Est. 1919

Grand Canyon National Park

Canyon River Desert
Plan a visit Check conditions
Established
1919
Size
1,201,647 acres
Visitors / yr
6.4M
Entrance
$35
Best season
March through May, September through November
Nearest airport
FLG Flagstaff Pulliam
Danger: Stage 2 Fire Restrictions—VERY HIGH FIRE DANGER +2 more Details Wildfire Tracker
01

Why Grand Canyon is worth the trip

Arizona · Established 1919

You have seen the Grand Canyon in ten thousand photographs, and the first look from the rim will still knock the words out of you. A mile deep, up to 18 miles across, 277 river miles long, layered with nearly two billion years of exposed time. No image prepares you because scale is the whole trick. The canyon does not have a best feature. It is the feature.

Here is the honest advice. Most visitors stay a couple of hours and never leave the rim. Beat that average. Walk even a mile or two down Bright Angel or South Kaibab and the canyon turns from a view into a place, with its own weather, its own silence, and ravens riding thermals below your boots. Just honor the iron rule of canyon hiking. Down is optional. Up is mandatory.

Start with our full Grand Canyon guide, then use the planning below.

02

Top things to do in Grand Canyon

Where we would start, and what we would plan a day around.

Grand Canyon National Park
Start here

Our Grand Canyon guide

Read the guide
01 History Exhibit - The Amazing Kolb Brothers Museum Exhibits · nps.gov History Exhibit - The Amazing Kolb Brothers See the Amazing Kolb Brothers; A Grand Life at Grand Canyon Exhibit - at Kolb Studio, house-turned-museum perched perilously on the precipice in Historic... 02 Geology Talk (30 minutes) South Rim Village: 3:00 pm Arts and Culture · nps.gov Geology Talk (30 minutes) South Rim Village: 3:00 pm Geology Talk Ranger Program - 3:00 pm daily (through May 22, 2026). Gain insight into Grand Canyon’s unique geologic story. Meet in front of... 03 Park Films in the South Rim Visitor Center Theater Park Film · nps.gov Park Films in the South Rim Visitor Center Theater Park Films Are Shown Daily in the Visitor Center Theater. ►At the top of the hour, the 24-minute film, ‘We Are Grand Canyon’, welcomes...
03

Best hikes in Grand Canyon

The trails that define the park, with the distance and elevation numbers that decide your day.

1 Bright Angel Trail The most famous hike in the canyon, and it earns it. 2 South Kaibab Trail A ridgeline descent with enormous views from the first switchback. 3 North Kaibab Trail The only maintained route into the canyon from the North Rim. 4 Hermit Trail The steeper, rougher choice without the corridor crowds. 5 Rim Trail The best easy hike in the park, with shuttle bailouts.
All Grand Canyon hikes
Before you go

Get the Grand Canyon heads-up

Permit windows, closures and seasonal alerts, plus our best Grand Canyon guides, in your inbox before you go. Free, no spam.

04

Plan your trip

Our guides for the big decisions, plus the gear, maps and lodging we would actually use for Grand Canyon.

Best Hikes When to Visit Fun Facts

Where to stay

Gateway towns with lodging, food and outfitters.

  • Tusayan, AZGateway town
  • Williams, AZGateway town
  • Flagstaff, AZGateway town
  • Desert View Campground (Reservations Required) 49 sites · Reserve
  • Mather Campground - South Rim 327 sites · Reserve
Compare stays near Grand Canyon

Maps & guides

Carry paper. Cell service dies fast inside most parks.

Grand Canyon Trails Illustrated map
Waterproof National Geographic topo of the park.
View on Amazon
Grand Canyon field guide
Trail-by-trail detail and planning help in print.
View on Amazon
America the Beautiful pass
$80 a year. Covers entrance fees at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites.
Get the pass

What to bring

Field-tested picks we bring on park trips.

  • Sun Hat
    Full-brim coverage for exposed trails with zero shade. View on REI
  • Water Bottles
    Carry at least 2 liters. More in desert heat. View on REI
  • Hiking Boots
    Ankle support and grip for rocky, uneven terrain. View on REI
  • Sun-Protective Shirt
    UPF 50+ fabric keeps you cool and blocks UV all day. View on REI

Getting there

  • FLG Flagstaff Pulliam 80 mi
  • PHX Phoenix Sky Harbor 230 mi
  • LAS Las Vegas McCarran 280 mi
NPS Official Page Reservations Google Maps

Some links in this section are affiliate links. If you book or buy through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend what we would use ourselves.

Grand Canyon map

VC Visitor Center CG Campground Nearby Park
05

When to go

Read our seasonal guide
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Month-by-Month Conditions

Tap any month for details

Month
High
Low
Crowds
Roads
Jan
44°
19°
Light
Open
Feb
46°
21°
Light
Open
Mar Best
54°
25°
Moderate
Open
Apr Best
61°
29°
Heavy
Open
May Best
70°
36°
Heavy
Open
Jun
82°
43°
Heavy
Open
Jul
85°
50°
Heavy
Open
Aug
82°
50°
Heavy
Open
Sep
76°
44°
Heavy
Open
Oct
65°
33°
Heavy
Open
Nov
53°
25°
Moderate
Open
Dec
43°
18°
Moderate
Open
Best months to visit Crowd level (low to peak)
06

More Grand Canyon guides

07

Parks near Grand Canyon

Within reach if you are building a longer trip.

Zion National Park
Utah

Zion

99 miles away
Bryce Canyon National Park
Utah

Bryce Canyon

106 miles away
Petrified Forest National Park
Arizona

Petrified Forest

149 miles away
Capitol Reef National Park
Utah

Capitol Reef

156 miles away

Worth protecting

Grand Canyon belongs to all of us

Protections that took generations to win can be rolled back in a single session of Congress. We keep watch so they hold.

See what's at stake Join the fight for Arizona

Threatened Lands Map

Follow what's happening on federal lands across the country with our interactive map.

View the Tracker
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