EXPLORING THE SOUTH RIM OF THE GRAND CANYON

Simply put, the Grand Canyon is incredible! When Chris and I visited the South Rim in November, we couldn’t take our eyes off the various rock formations that go on for miles. As we visited various lookout points, we were pleasantly surprised at the different views each one offered, especially when we caught glimpses of the beautiful Colorado River. We reveled in the quietness of the canyon which put how enormous it is into perspective. With one look, it was obvious to us why it’s considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world – and it’s crazy to think we were there!

The Grand Canyon is located in northern Arizona. According to History.com, it was formed 5 to 6 million years ago as erosion from the Colorado River cut a deep channel through layers of rock. The canyon is 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide and one mile deep, making it one of the largest canyons in the world. The Grand Canyon became an official United States National Park in 1919 after President Benjamin Harrison protected it as a forest reserve in 1893.

While there are many ways to experience the canyon (visiting lookout points, hiking, rafting, mule rides, helicopter tours, etc.), Chris and I stuck to exploring the Grand Canyon Village and adventuring down Hermit Road and Desert View Drive to different lookout points. No matter how you plan your trip, you’ll experience how extraordinary the canyon is. Below are some highlights of our Grand Canyon adventure!

GRAND CANYON VILLAGE

The Grand Canyon Village is a great centralized location for touring the South Rim. In addition to the beautiful canyon views and easy access to hiking trails and tours, it’s home to the El Tovar Dining Room, Hopi House, and other lodges and attractions. I highly recommend picking up a free Grand Canyon pocket map to read all about what you can explore on the South Rim, including details on the complimentary shuttle bus service.

The El Tovar Dining Room is located in the El Tovar Hotel and offers a fine dining experience. Given its historic relevance and popularity, it’s difficult to make reservations less than 30 days out. We were fortunate enough to enjoy lunch and dinner at El Tovar, even after waiting two hours for dinner since we didn’t have a reservation. The food was delicious! Our favorite meal was the French onion burger at lunch (we ate it too fast to take a pic!).

The Hopi House is a historic landmark that pays tribute to the 11 American Indian tribes who have cultural ties to Grand Canyon National Park, including the Hopi. The Hopi House sells Native American arts and crafts and was designed to resemble a Hopi pueblo.

The Grand Canyon Safari & Rim Walk tour we joined explored the Village, Bright Angel Trailhead, Yavapai Point, and Pipe Creek Vista. We also traveled through the Kaibab National Forest in a 4×4 where we saw wild horses before entering Grand Canyon National Park. The tour was full of history and fun facts and was a nice combination of walking and driving.

SOUTH RIM LOOKOUT POINTS

It’s so hard to choose which viewpoint was our favorite because they are all so unique! Seeing the Colorado River from afar was special and watching how the sun made the canyon change colors was interesting. We found some really great spots along Hermit Road and Desert View Drive, which is where we caught two sunsets and one sunrise.

HERMIT ROAD

Pima Point – Monument Creek Vista – The Abyss – Mohave Point – Hopi Point – Powell Point – Maricopa Point – Trailview Overlook

Hermit Road is only accessible to shuttle buses and bicycles, which means no cars and a lot of walking (private cars are permitted from December to February). We took the shuttle bus from the Village to Pima Point and then walked to each point until we stopped to catch the shuttle bus back. We skipped Maricopa Point and Trailview Overlook because we lost daylight. We found the shuttle bus system to be a little unreliable, but you could take the shuttle bus from point to point to cut out some walking – just keep in mind that the eastbound stops are not the same as the westbound stops.

Pima Point

Monument Creek Vista

The Abyss

Mohave Point

Hopi Point

Powell Point

DESERT VIEW DRIVE

Desert View Watchtower – Navajo Point – Lipan Point – Moran Point – Grandview Point – Mather Point

Desert View Drive is a great option if you have a car and don’t want to do a lot of walking. The points are pretty far away from each other, so you’ll need some mode of transportation. If you’re driving, there are free parking lots at every point. When we visited the Desert View Watchtower point, the actual watchtower that offers 360° views at the top was closed, but the views from the ground were still amazing!

Desert View Watchtower

Navajo Point

Lipan Point

Moran Point

Grandview Point

Mather Point

SUNRISE & SUNSET

If you have the opportunity to catch a sunrise or sunset during your visit to the Grand Canyon, do it! We watched the sunrise at Powell Point and caught two sunsets (on different nights) at Mohave Point and Mather Point. All were totally different and amazing! My favorite was the cotton candy sky at Powell Point.

Sunrise at Powell Point

Sunset at Mohave Point

Sunset at Mather Point

Shoutout to this blog for being a great resource for lookout points during my trip! And no, none of my photos have a filter!

NEED TO KNOW

*Based on the above experiences only, does not include advice on hiking, rafting, mule trips, or other excursions.*

Weather

When we visited in mid-November, the temperature was moderate during the day, but very cold in the morning and at night.

What to wear

Layer up! Given the change in temperature from morning to night, you’ll want to bring layers, especially if you’re planning on catching a sunrise and/or sunset (100% recommend!) – think leisure or workout clothes like a sweatshirt, jacket, t-shirt, shorts, leggings, and sweatpants.
Comfortable shoes. Your choice should depend on your activities for the day, but as a safety precaution, I would recommend wearing sneakers or hiking boots at the lookout points.

What to bring

Water. If you visit any tourist spot in Arizona, you’ll hear about the elevation. And without going into the science, one of the effects is becoming dehydrated faster than you’re used to. On your visit, make sure to drink plenty of water.
Snacks. It doesn’t hurt to have a granola bar or snack in your bag during a long day, especially if you’re walking along Hermit Road.
Sun protection. Arizona’s sun is strong! Pack sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat.

Entering the park

Entrance fees to visit the Grand Canyon vary on how you arrive (car, motorcycle, bicycle, etc.). Regardless, each pass is good for seven days and includes both the North Rim and South Rim. If you frequent national parks and federal recreational lands, you may want to consider purchasing an annual pass.
We heard that long lines can form at the entrance gate, but we didn’t experience that the two days we entered the park.

Food options

El Tovar Dining Room is the only restaurant we ate at in the Village.
There was a hotdog food truck in the center of the Village and there are other restaurants and food options at nearby lodges.
There are also some food options at Hermit Rest and the Desert View Watchtower.

Visiting the Grand Canyon was a surreal experience. I am excited to go back to explore the North Rim. During this particular trip, we continued our adventure to Sedona, AZ. Stay tuned!