Grand Canyon National Park, located in northwestern Arizona, is the 15th site in the United States to have been named as a national park. The park’s central feature is the Grand Canyon, a gorge of the Colorado River, which is often considered one of the Wonders of the World. The park, which covers 1,217,262 acres (1,901.972 sq mi; 4,926.08 km2) of unincorporated area in Coconino and Mohave counties, received more than six million recreational visitors in 2017, which is the second highest count of all American national parks after Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Grand Canyon was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. The park celebrated its 100th anniversary on February 26, 2019.
Location: Arizona
Established: February 26, 1919
Size: 1,201,647.03 acres
Visitation: 4,532,677 (2024)
Entrance Fees
$30 per vehicle OR if you plan to visit more National Parks within the next 12 months I suggest you go ahead and purchase the America the Beautiful Pass (which can be found at the entrance gates to most national parks). This pass gets you into all National Parks, Forests, Monuments, and more including 2,000 sites for free after a one time $79 fee.
Know the Four Regions of the Grand Canyon
Most folks think of the Grand Canyon in terms of North Rim / South Rim. There’s also an area referred to as Grand Canyon East and Grand Canyon West.
- South Rim: The most popular and most heavily visited section of Grand Canyon National Park is the South Rim area located just beyond the South Rim Entrance Station which includes Mather Point & Grand Canyon Village
- East Rim: The east section refers to the area near the east entrance to Grand Canyon National Park which includes the Desert View Watchtower.
- North Rim: Located across the canyon from the south rim, the north rim of the Grand Canyon has become increasingly popular in recent years as visitation continues to surge. Despite being roughly 10 miles as the crow flies across the canyon, the drive to the north rim from the south rim takes about 4 hours.
- West Rim: Accessed via the South Entrance followed by Hermit Road or West Rim Drive and includes many of the best overlooks in the park.
- Grand Canyon West: Grand Canyon West is the most recently developed section of the Grand Canyon and managed by the Hualapai Tribe rather than the National Park Service. The famous Grand Canyon Skywalk is located here.
Best Time to Visit the Grand Canyon
The best time to visit the Grand Canyon is in the Spring and Fall. I recommend the months of April and September when crowds will be down and temperatures will be pleasant.
Hours of Operation
The South Rim of the Grand Canyon is open 24 hours a day all 365 days of the year. The North Rim however is closed to all vehicles between December 1st and May 14th with no services offered. From October 15 to December 1 on the North Rim services are limited.
Top 20 Best Things to Do in Grand Canyon National Park
- Desert View Watchtower
- Discover the Tusayan Ruin
- Ride a Mule into the Grand Canyon
- Take a Guided Ranger Tour
- Take a Helicopter Flight Over the Grand Canyon
- Watch the Grand Canyon IMAX Movie
- Drive Hermit Road (West Rim Road)
- Visit the Yavapai Geology Museum
- Walk the Trail of Time
- Experience the Grand Canyon Skywalk
- Hike the South Kaibab Trail
- Cruise the Scenic Desert View Drive
- Visit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon
- Catch a Sunrise at Point Imperial
- Catch a Sunset at Cape Royal
- Hike the Famous Bright Angel Trail
- See Ooh Aah Point
- Camp (or Lodge) at the Bottom of the Grand Canyon
- Soak in the Epic Overlooks at Mather Point & South Rim Viewpoints
- Sunset from Desert View
Best Views of the Grand Canyon
- Moran Point
- Shoshone Point
- Grand Canyon Lodge
- Mary Colter’s Lookout Studio
- Bright Angel Point
- Yavapai Point
- Powell Point
- Hopi Point
- Hermits Rest
- Grandview Point
- Yaki Point
- Lipan Point
- Mather Point
- Pima Point
- Toroweap Overlook
- Ooh Aah Point
- Point Imperial
- Cape Royal
- Desert View
Where to Stay at the Grand Canyon
South Rim Campgrounds & Lodging Options
- Mather Campground
- Desert View Campground (East Rim)
North Rim Camping Options
- North Rim Campground