Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, USA - map, photos and visitor information

Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona offers two distinct rim visits and demanding routes into the canyon. The South Rim has year-round access and the larger concentration of visitor services. The North Rim requires a separate road journey and a close check of seasonal access. Water shortages and flood damage also affect current trip planning.

Grand Canyon highlights

• South Rim viewpoints: combine overlooks with short sections of the Rim Trail instead of committing to a descent.
• Yavapai Geology Museum: add geological context to the landscape you see from the rim.
• Desert View: an eastern South Rim destination reached by the scenic road from Grand Canyon Village.
• North Rim scenery: a different perspective, subject to limited services and substantial road and trail restrictions.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Heat, exposed edges, and trail water

Stay behind barriers and keep at least 6 feet from an unprotected canyon edge. Watch children closely and stop walking before framing a photograph. Conditions at the river can be much hotter than at the rim; winter brings ice to trails and walkways.

Do not attempt a rim-to-river-and-back hike in one day. A descent ends with an uphill return, and there are no easy routes into the canyon. Carry food and enough water for your route. Inner-canyon drinking-water systems are turned off, so do not plan on refilling at the usual taps.

Bright Angel Trail is closed between Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse and Havasupai Gardens. The North Kaibab Trail, Phantom Ranch, the river bridges, and South Kaibab Trail below the Tipoff are also closed following flash flooding. A rim-to-rim hike is not available through these closed routes. Read the critical hiking and water updates before any below-rim trip.

Respect wildlife and protected places

Never feed animals or throw objects into the canyon. Leave rocks, plants, and cultural objects where you find them. Keep well away from elk, bighorn sheep, condors, and smaller wildlife, even when an animal approaches a developed area.

On the South Rim, pets can use trails above the rim on a leash no longer than 6 feet. They cannot go below the rim or ride park shuttle buses. Keep pets attended and plan their care before choosing a shuttle or hiking itinerary.

Entry and overnight bookings

General entry does not require a reservation or timed-entry slot. Overnight stays are different: reserve developed campsites and lodging separately, and confirm that your booked facility is operating.

Camping outside the developed rim campgrounds normally requires a backcountry permit, with reservations handled through Recreation.gov. A permit does not override a closure. Remote Tuweep also requires advance permission for a visit. Organized extended day hikes can have additional permit requirements.

Choose your rim before setting out

The South Entrance is north of Tusayan. The East Entrance at Desert View is reached from Cameron, while the North Rim approach follows State Route 67 south from Jacob Lake. Use the NPS directions and regional map for the entrance you intend to use.

The drive between South Rim Village and North Rim Village is about 212 miles and takes approximately 4½ hours in suitable conditions. The short distance across the canyon is not a road connection. The Grand Canyon Skywalk and Havasupai waterfalls are on tribal lands outside the national park and require separate planning.

Nearby parks along the South Rim approach

• Riordan Mansion State Historic Park: a Flagstaff stop for a trip approaching or leaving the South Rim through that city.
• Slide Rock State Park: farther along the regional route south of Flagstaff, beside Highway 89A in Oak Creek Canyon north of Sedona.

Viewpoints, walks, and canyon hikes

The South Rim's Rim Trail lets you choose a walk between viewpoints and combine it with available shuttle routes. Some stretches are paved and accessible. Carry water, especially west of Bright Angel Lodge, rather than assuming every viewpoint has a refill point.

Bright Angel and South Kaibab trails descend steeply. South Kaibab has little shade and no water along the trail. Select a turnaround point that leaves enough energy for the climb out, and follow the current closure limits rather than an old route description.

A South Rim day can also include museum exhibits and a drive toward Desert View. Park once where possible and use the free shuttles for the village and served overlooks. North Rim plans need more flexibility: there is no in-park overnight lodging there during the 2026 season.

Facilities and accessibility

Grand Canyon Village contains visitor information, shops, museums, camping, and lodging facilities, but current water restrictions limit their operation. Restrooms are present at the Bright Angel and South Kaibab trailheads; NPS identifies temporary drinking-water tanks beside them. Bring supplies and verify refill arrangements before hiking.

Designated RV parking is available on the South Rim. North Rim Campground has closed for the 2026 season. The North Rim gas station has also closed for the season; arrange fuel before arrival. Do not treat the campground's existence as evidence that services will be available for your dates.

All park shuttle buses have wheelchair ramps, but the stated wheelchair limit is 30 inches wide by 48 inches long. A Scenic Drive Accessibility Permit can provide vehicle access to some restricted roads; it does not replace a state-issued accessible parking permit. Check the accessibility guidance for your route and equipment.

About the park

Human history at the canyon

People have lived in and traveled through Grand Canyon for thousands of years. The park protects archaeological structures and objects as well as places connected with exploration, mining, settlement, and conservation. Cultural interpretation adds a human perspective to a visit often planned around scenery alone.

Wildlife beyond the overlooks

Elk, bighorn sheep, California condors, and many smaller birds and reptiles live in the canyon landscape. NPS identifies hundreds of bird species using the area. Wildlife near a road or building remains wild; observe without approaching, feeding, or blocking its path.

Contact Grand Canyon National Park

General park information: 928-638-7888. Backcountry information: 928-638-7875; this number provides advice and does not issue a permit by telephone. The official NPS website has separate email contact forms for general, campground, backcountry, and river questions. Mailing address: Grand Canyon National Park, PO Box 129, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023.