Rim Trail Grand Canyon: Hiking the South Rim in 3 Days

Day 1 of 3

Arrive & the Rim Trail · Mather Point to Yavapai

Get your first look at the canyon from Mather Point, right by the main visitor center, where the whole South Rim opens up at once. From here, walk a stretch of the Rim Trail, the flat, paved, mostly easy path that runs along the edge for miles. A great first segment goes from Mather Point to the Yavapai Geology Museum and Yavapai Point, with non-stop views and free shuttle stops if you want to ride back.

4 stopsDay one

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

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   Drive from where are you driving from?~1.5 hr · or PHX ~3.5 hr · Drive

   Flagstaff (FLG) is the closest airport at about 1.5 hours from the South Rim, with Phoenix (PHX) about 3.5 hours and Las Vegas about 4.5 hours. Drive in through the south entrance near Tusayan, pay the entrance fee or show your pass, and head straight for the main visitor center to park and pick up the shuttle.

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   Mather PointClassic first viewpoint · by the visitor center · Viewpoint

   Get your first look at the canyon from Mather Point, right by the main visitor center, where the whole South Rim opens up at once. It is the busiest viewpoint for a reason, and a perfect place to start before you set off along the Rim Trail.

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   Rim Trail · Mather to Yavapai PointPaved · easy · Yavapai Geology Museum · Hike

   Walk a stretch of the Rim Trail, the flat, paved, mostly easy path that runs along the edge for miles. The segment from Mather Point to the Yavapai Geology Museum and Yavapai Point has non-stop views, and free shuttle stops let you ride back whenever you like.

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   Stay in an in-park lodgeEl Tovar, Bright Angel, Maswik · book direct · lodge

   The in-park lodges (El Tovar, Bright Angel, Maswik, Yavapai, Thunderbird, and Kachina) put you steps from the rim and the trailheads. They are run by the concessioner Xanterra and book up to a year ahead, so reserve direct at grandcanyonlodges.com as early as you can. If they are full, stay in Tusayan just outside the south entrance.

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Day 2 of 3

Best below-rim hikes · South Kaibab & Bright Angel

This is the big hiking day. Start at sunrise and take the shuttle to the South Kaibab Trail, the most scenic of the corridor trails, which follows a ridgeline with huge open views the whole way down. Turn around at Ooh Aah Point (about 1.8 miles round trip), Cedar Ridge (about 3 miles round trip), or, if you are fit and started early, Skeleton Point (about 6 miles round trip). South Kaibab is steep and has no water and almost no shade, so carry everything you need.

4 stopsDay two

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

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   Sunrise at Yaki PointShuttle-only overlook · sunrise spot · Viewpoint

   Start the big day with sunrise at Yaki Point, a quiet shuttle-only overlook on the Orange (Kaibab Rim) route near the South Kaibab trailhead. Private cars are not allowed out here, which keeps the crowds down and makes it one of the best sunrise spots on the South Rim.

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   South Kaibab to Ooh Aah Point / Cedar Ridge~1.8–3 mi RT · steep · no water · Hike

   Take the shuttle to the South Kaibab Trail, the most scenic corridor trail, which follows an open ridgeline with huge views the whole way down. Turn around at Ooh Aah Point (about 1.8 miles round trip), Cedar Ridge (about 3 miles round trip), or Skeleton Point (about 6 miles round trip). It is steep with no water and almost no shade, so carry everything you need.

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   Bright Angel to a resthouse (alt)1.5 & 3 mi resthouses · seasonal water · Hike

   If you prefer a trail with seasonal water and a bit more shade, hike the Bright Angel Trail instead, turning around at the 1.5-Mile Resthouse, the 3-Mile Resthouse, or, for a long strenuous day, Havasupai Gardens (about 9 miles round trip). As on every below-rim hike, it is downhill out and uphill back, so budget twice as long for the climb.

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   Second night in an in-park lodgeStay put for dawn trailheads · lodge

   Stay a second night in the village so you can be at the trailheads at first light, before the heat builds and the lots fill. Keeping the same base means no packing up between your arrival day and your big hiking day, and you wake up steps from the rim.

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Day 3 of 3

Hermit Road sunset & the Desert View Watchtower

Spend the morning on Hermit Road, the seven-mile scenic drive west to Hermits Rest. From March through November the road is closed to private cars, so ride the free Red Route shuttle and hop off at the best overlooks: Hopi Point, Mohave Point, and Pima Point, all of which look straight down toward the Colorado River. Hopi Point is one of the most famous sunset spots on the whole South Rim if you would rather save Hermit Road for the evening.

5 stopsDay three

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

1. ⠿↑↓1
   Hermit Road · Red Route to Hermits Rest~7 mi · Hopi, Mohave & Pima Points · Viewpoint

   Ride the free Red Route shuttle out Hermit Road, the seven-mile scenic drive west to Hermits Rest. From March through November the road is closed to private cars, so hop off the shuttle at the best overlooks: Hopi Point, Mohave Point, and Pima Point, all of which look straight down toward the Colorado River.

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   Sunset at Hopi PointTop South Rim sunset overlook · Viewpoint

   Hopi Point is one of the most famous sunset spots on the whole South Rim, jutting out far enough to catch light on both sides of the canyon. Arrive 30 to 45 minutes early to claim a spot on the rim, and ride the Red Route shuttle back to the village after dark.

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3. ⠿↑↓3PIERRE ANDRE LECLERCQ / CC BY-SA 4.0
   Hummer & hiking tour · Buck Wild Hummer ToursBackcountry 4x4 + short hike · Tusayan · activity

   For a guided add-on, book a Hummer and hiking tour with Buck Wild Hummer Tours out of Tusayan, just outside the south entrance. The open-air 4x4 drive pairs backcountry forest and rim views with a short guided hike, and it is an easy half-day option if you want a break from driving yourself.

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   Desert View Drive & Watchtower~25 mi east · Mary Colter tower · Viewpoint

   Drive east on Desert View Drive, about 25 miles of pullouts and overlooks, to the Desert View Watchtower, the 70-foot stone tower designed by architect Mary Colter. It has sweeping views of the canyon and the Colorado River bending east, and it sits right by the park's east entrance for an easy exit toward Flagstaff.

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   Getting home: Flagstaff, Phoenix or Las VegasFLG ~1.5 hr · PHX ~3.5 hr · Drive

   From Desert View it is about 1.5 hours to Flagstaff (FLG), about 3.5 hours to Phoenix (PHX), and about 4.5 hours to Las Vegas. The east entrance puts you straight onto Highway 64 toward Cameron and Flagstaff, so leave the watchtower with daylight to spare for the drive out.

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