Manu Temple
A mythologically named sandstone temple rising above Bright Angel Canyon
About
Manu Temple is one of the great sandstone buttes of the inner canyon, rising to 7,184 feet a mile south of Widforss Point on the North Rim. From Bright Angel Canyon to its east, the formation climbs nearly 3,600 feet in just two miles — a scale that’s hard to register until you’re standing across from it. Its cliff-forming cap is Coconino Sandstone, laid down roughly 265 million years ago as wind-blown dune fields, sitting atop the older Hermit Formation, Supai Group, and Redwall Limestone that stack down toward the Colorado River.
Where to see it
Manu Temple is best viewed from Widforss Point and Komo Point on the North Rim, including stretches of the Widforss Trail, where it appears alongside its larger neighbor, Buddha Temple, across the drainage. It’s a tougher spot from the South Rim, where the Kaibab Plateau tends to blend it into the background, though it stands out clearly under the right light.
- Named for Manu, the Hindu lawgiver, continuing geologist Clarence Dutton’s 19th-century practice of giving canyon buttes names drawn from world mythology
- Officially adopted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names in 1906
Best Time to View It
The Widforss Trail is only accessible during the North Rim's seasonal operating window; morning light tends to bring out the formation's contrast best.
Good to Know
- Named for Manu, the Hindu lawgiver, continuing geologist Clarence Dutton's 19th-century practice of giving canyon buttes names drawn from world mythology; officially adopted in 1906.
- It's a tougher spot from the South Rim, where the Kaibab Plateau tends to blend it into the background, though it stands out clearly under the right light from the North Rim.
- Pair a Widforss Trail hike with the Manu Temple view for a longer North Rim outing.
Where to See Manu Temple
Best viewed from Widforss Point and Komo Point on the North Rim, including stretches of the Widforss Trail, where it appears alongside its larger neighbor, Buddha Temple, across the drainage.
What You're Looking At: Manu Temple
Manu Temple is one of the great sandstone buttes of the inner canyon, rising to 7,184 feet a mile south of Widforss Point on the North Rim. From Bright Angel Canyon to its east, the formation climbs nearly 3,600 feet in just two miles. Its cliff-forming cap is Coconino Sandstone, laid down roughly 265 million years ago as wind-blown dune fields, sitting atop the older Hermit Formation, Supai Group, and Redwall Limestone.
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