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Berry Butte

An off-trail summit above Horseshoe Mesa, named for the man behind Grandview

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Grand Canyon interior, AZ

About

Berry Butte is a sandstone summit below the South Rim, reached off-trail from Grandview Point rather than by any maintained park path. It's one of the canyon's newer named formations, officially designated in the late 1990s for Pete Berry, the prospector and Grandview-era entrepreneur whose Last Chance Mine on nearby Horseshoe Mesa first drew tourists to this stretch of rim. The butte remained unnamed on maps for most of the park's history.

Getting there

There's no trail to the top. Hikers who go for it drop below Grandview Point on the Grandview Trail, then leave it to cross loose, brush-covered slopes toward the butte itself. The summit block is capped by a band of sheer sandstone cliffs; a chimney on the southeast side gives non-technical climbers a way up the last stretch, but reaching it is a full backcountry undertaking with real elevation loss and gain, not a rim stroll.

Off-trail approach from Grandview Point — no maintained path
Named for Pete Berry, founder of the Grandview-era Last Chance Mine
Summit views take in Vishnu Temple, Horseshoe Mesa, and Newton Butte

This is a route for experienced canyon scramblers, not a casual add-on to a rim visit.

Best Time for Berry Butte

Off-trail travel on exposed, brush-covered slopes is more manageable in the cooler shoulder-season months than in summer heat, when the same terrain offers little shade. Plan around the general hike-smart guidance the park gives for any off-trail inner-canyon route: avoid the hottest part of the day and check the weather before you go.

Trail Tips for Berry Butte

This is a route for experienced canyon scramblers, not a casual add-on to a rim visit — off-trail navigation skill is required.
Summit views take in Vishnu Temple, Horseshoe Mesa, and Newton Butte, a reasonable reward for the effort.
Because there's no marked path, carry a GPS track and be prepared to retrace your exact route back to the Grandview Trail.

Getting to Berry Butte

There's no trail to the top. Hikers who go for it drop below Grandview Point on the Grandview Trail, then leave it to cross loose, brush-covered slopes toward the butte itself. The summit block is capped by sheer sandstone cliffs; a chimney on the southeast side gives non-technical climbers a way up the last stretch, but reaching it is a full backcountry undertaking with real elevation loss and gain, not a rim stroll.

What to Expect Reaching Berry Butte

Berry Butte is a sandstone summit below the South Rim, reached off-trail from Grandview Point rather than by any maintained park path. It's one of the canyon's newer named formations, officially designated in the late 1990s for Pete Berry, the prospector and Grandview-era entrepreneur whose Last Chance Mine on nearby Horseshoe Mesa first drew tourists to this stretch of rim.

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