A dramatic Grand Canyon view from the South Rim showing Coronado Butte rising above layered canyon walls and deep shadows.
Viewpoint

Coronado Butte

A lone sandstone tower rising from Red Canyon, best seen from Moran Point

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Grand Canyon interior, AZ

About

Coronado Butte is a freestanding summit rising from the canyon depths about a mile west of Moran Point on the South Rim, its cream-colored cap of Kaibab Limestone and Coconino Sandstone catching the light differently than the surrounding cliffs. At 7,162 feet, it stands roughly 4,600 feet above the Colorado River, and from Moran Point or the pullouts along Desert View Drive it reads as a distinct tower separated from the main rim by Red Canyon.

What you're looking at

  • Named for Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, whose 1540 expedition produced the first European sighting of the canyon; the name was officially adopted in 1906.
  • The butte sits near the start of the New Hance Trail, which drops into Red Canyon below it — the butte itself is not a maintained hiking destination, just a formation you view and photograph from the rim.
  • Best light is early morning, when the sandstone cap picks up warm color before the sun climbs high over the canyon.

Best Time to View It

Best light is early morning, when the sandstone cap picks up warm color before the sun climbs high over the canyon.

Good to Know

  • Named for Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, whose 1540 expedition produced the first European sighting of the canyon; the name was officially adopted in 1906.
  • Treat it as a formation to view and photograph from Desert View Drive rather than a hiking objective.
  • Pair a Moran Point stop with the other Desert View Drive overlooks for a fuller East Rim outing.

Where to See Coronado Butte

View it from Moran Point or the pullouts along Desert View Drive. The butte sits near the start of the New Hance Trail, which drops into Red Canyon below it, but the butte itself is not a maintained hiking destination.

What You're Looking At: Coronado Butte

Coronado Butte is a freestanding summit rising from the canyon depths about a mile west of Moran Point on the South Rim, its cream-colored cap of Kaibab Limestone and Coconino Sandstone catching the light differently than the surrounding cliffs. At 7,162 feet, it stands roughly 4,600 feet above the Colorado River, reading as a distinct tower separated from the main rim by Red Canyon.

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