How to Explore the Grand Canyon: A Complete Guide -

The enormity and beauty of the Grand Canyon cannot be captured in photos or videos. To be fully appreciated, you have to stand at the edge as you prepare to hike it. Not up for a nearly ten-mile hike to the bottom? You have other options.

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The certainty of your trip is you will stand in awe of its beauty at some point. Called the “Big Canyon” or “Great Canyon” before 1869, it was John Wesley Powell who coined the name Grand Canyon.

Covering 1.2 million acres and 277 miles in length, I have experienced more than most over dozens of trips. But haven’t even touched 1% of the total. Exploring the canyon can be accomplished a few ways: hike it, bike it, helicopter it, or simply view it.

Random Facts about the Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
6.2 million visitors come to the Grand Canyon’s south rim per year.
The canyon is bigger than the state of Rhode Island.
The canyon is home to six rattlesnakes, including the Grand Canyon Pink Rattlesnake.
The Hopi tribe considered the Grand Canyon the “gateway to the afterlife”
Temperatures between the rim and the bottom of the canyon can vary by 25 degrees.

You cannot see the Grand Canyon in one view, as if it were a changeless spectacle from which a curtain might be lifted, but to see it you have to toil from month to month through its labyrinths.
John Wesley Powell

To get the most out of your Grand Canyon adventure plan well in advance. More than six million visitors a year are making their plans too. 😉

There are several well-maintained trailheads on the south rim. From west to east: Hermit, Bright Angel (mule trail, but you can hike it too), South Kaibab, New Hance, and Tanner. More remote trails exist, but these are the main trails. Remember, a permit may be required. Before your hike, check with the Grand Canyon’s Back Country Office for requirements and conditions.

Trails change your view as you descend into the canyon. Some of my favorite views are Indian Gardens (along the Brite Angel Trail) and the “Ooh Ahh Point” along the South Kaibab Trail. You reach Indian Gardens about 4 miles into the canyon where you find a grassy oasis plateau. The “Ooh Ahh” Point is about a mile into the canyon. ‼️ Whatever your choices keep in mind the canyon is unforgiving. Inclines are steep. Water is scarce (if available at all). Last of all, if you need help getting out, you will receive a bill for the recovery. If this gives you pause, call for a mule ride and enjoy! I always felt like a location as beautiful as the Grand Canyon had to be earned so I hike it (most of the time).

When I don’t hit the trails, I grab a helicopter and take the easy and very scenic way to the bottom! There are a few helicopter companies flying out from Las Vegas or the south rim. We have flown with Maverick and Pappillion. Both have provided an excellent experience. (Hint: If you fly out of Vegas/Boulder City you will get the aerial view of Hoover Dam too.)

“…a natural wonder which is in kind absolutely unparalleled throughout the rest of the world.”
Theodore Roosevelt

what to see at the grand canyon

The scenery is amazing, but take a bit of time to read the history on the rim too. Some stories you might like:

The Kolb Studio is a prominent south-rim building. The Kolb brothers developed a business selling photos to tourists. Their photos were taken on the rim as they descended and awaited them upon their return for purchase, of course.
The Federal Aviation Administration exists because of the Grand Canyon. Commercial flights in the 1950s often took slight detours to show off the canyon. In 1956, two planes collided. The crash had no survivors and led to the government forming the FAA.
Egyptian artifacts in the canyon? Well, it was a hoax, but tricked a lot of people. In 1909, the Arizona Gazette reported that archeologists discovered artifacts from ancient Egypt. The artifacts were said to be in an underground tunnel. The Smithsonian denied knowledge of the archeologists.
Teddy Roosevelt’s 1903 visit to the Grand Canyon was all he needed to know he needed to protect the land. Anticipating problems with Congress in 1906, he used a presidential proclamation to include the canyon in protections for a nearby forest preserve. The proclamation developed the Grand Canyon Game Preserve. Two years later, he further protected the canyon by naming it a national monument. Formal approval for the Grand Canyon National Park came in 1919.

The canyon has been a favorite of mine since I first visited in middle school. It draws me back again and again and always feels like home. There is no one aspect I can name. It is just an amazing place!
Angela DiLoreto

I found the scale of the Grand Canyon amazing. To walk into the canyon, or fly in aboard a helicopter as we did, and not feel incredibly small is impossible. And to understand the awesome power and combination of time and water, left me truly humbled.
Vince Diloreto

Getting to the Grand Canyon

You will (at least partially) road trip to the canyon. Flights are often made into Phoenix, Flagstaff, or Vegas. From there rent a car and prepare for a scenic ride.

Tips for your Trip to the Grand Canyon

Check the temperature for the rim/area you will be visiting. But understand going into the canyon the temperatures can vary (by up to 25 degrees)!
WATER! Take it. Drink it. Drink more.
The South Rim of the Grand Canyon offers an audio tour. Call (928) 225-2907 and each stop (30) will be marked with signage.
Prepare for it (proper shoes, health, and water), but go into the canyon (permits are required in some cases). The canyon views and feelings change drastically below the rim. You haven’t fully experienced the Grand Canyon if you have only seen it from the rim.
Data service is getting better, but notoriously bad in the area. If you need WiFi while visiting the Grand Canyon head to the Canyon Village Market Deli on the south rim. On the North Rim General Store (near the entrance) offers WiFi. Don’t expect great speeds though.