Cheops Pyramid

Best Time to View It

South Rim overlooks near the Village are accessible year-round, so the practical timing question here is when you're already planning a Village-area visit rather than a season specific to this formation.

Tips for Viewing Cheops Pyramid

• Most visitors will only ever see Cheops Pyramid from a distance, framed against the inner canyon from a South Rim viewpoint — reward enough given how rarely its summit gets a visitor.
• Look for it distinct from the taller temples rising behind it, a useful way to pick it out from the Village-area rim.
• Pair it with a search for neighboring Isis and Buddha Temples for the full Egyptian-themed cluster.

Getting a Closer Look

This isn't a maintained trail or an easy viewpoint hike. Reaching the base means dropping off-trail from the Utah Flats area past Phantom Ranch, and the final approach to the summit involves exposed scrambling over sharp, broken limestone — a route for experienced canyoneers, not a casual outing.

What You're Looking At: Cheops Pyramid

Cheops Pyramid is a butte rising north of the Colorado River in the heart of the canyon, its stacked limestone tiers giving it the stepped, triangular profile that earned it the name — a nod to the Egyptian pharaoh, part of a cluster of Egyptian-themed formations that also includes Isis Temple and Buddha Temple nearby. From South Rim overlooks near Grand Canyon Village you can pick it out low in the canyon, well below the rim and north of the river.