Hancock Butte
A quiet sandstone summit framing the Nankoweap gorge, seen from Point Imperial
About
Hancock Butte is a 7,683-foot summit rising from the upper reaches of Nankoweap Canyon, about a mile south of Point Imperial on the North Rim. You don't hike to it — you see it, from the Point Imperial overlook, where it stands alongside Mount Hayden and Alsap Butte, the three of them framing the narrow upper gorge where Nankoweap Creek drops toward the Colorado. The butte tops out in pale Esplanade Sandstone over the sheer red-brown Redwall Limestone below, the same layered stack that gives every North Rim overlook its stripe-cake profile.
Seeing it
- Best viewed from the Point Imperial overlook, reached by a short paved walk from the parking area — no trail out to the butte itself.
- Sits about a mile south of Point Imperial, with Mount Hayden closer in and more prominent from the same vantage.
- Named for William A. Hancock, a Phoenix pioneer and surveyor; the name was officially adopted in 1932.
It's a quiet counterpoint to Mount Hayden's spire — less photographed, but part of what makes the Point Imperial panorama one of the North Rim's best.
Best Time to View It
Point Imperial is accessible whenever North Rim roads are open for the season; morning light tends to bring out the layered stripe-cake profile best.
Good to Know
- Named for William A. Hancock, a Phoenix pioneer and surveyor; the name was officially adopted in 1932.
- It's a quiet counterpoint to Mount Hayden's spire — less photographed, but part of what makes the Point Imperial panorama one of the North Rim's best.
- Look for Alsap Butte nearby to spot all three formations together.
Where to See Hancock Butte
Best viewed from the Point Imperial overlook, reached by a short paved walk from the parking area — no trail out to the butte itself. It sits about a mile south of Point Imperial, with Mount Hayden closer in and more prominent from the same vantage.
What You're Looking At: Hancock Butte
Hancock Butte is a 7,683-foot summit rising from the upper reaches of Nankoweap Canyon, about a mile south of Point Imperial on the North Rim. You don't hike to it — you see it, from the Point Imperial overlook, where it stands alongside Mount Hayden and Alsap Butte, the three of them framing the narrow upper gorge where Nankoweap Creek drops toward the Colorado. The butte tops out in pale Esplanade Sandstone over the sheer red-brown Redwall Limestone below.
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