Sweeping Grand Canyon view of Newton Butte's layered red rock formations beneath a dramatic overcast sky.
Viewpoint

Newton Butte

A rim-named formation on the South Rim skyline

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Grand Canyon interior, AZ

About

Newton Butte is one of the named formations that gives the South Rim skyline its jagged, layered profile. Rising to 5,940 feet below the rim, northwest of Grandview Point, the butte is capped in pale Coconino Sandstone over darker bands of Hermit Formation and Supai Group redbeds, with Muav Limestone showing at its base. It was named for Sir Isaac Newton, with the name officially adopted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names in 1906 — part of the wave of scientist-and-scholar names given to canyon formations in that era.

Where to see it

You don't hike to Newton Butte; you look out at it. It's visible from four South Rim overlooks — Yavapai Point, Yaki Point, Shoshone Point, and Grandview Point — each giving a slightly different angle on the ridgeline it sits on. Hikers on the Tonto Platform get the closest look, where the Tonto Trail passes near its lower elevations on the south side of Granite Gorge; the Clear Creek Trail across the gorge offers a distant view from the north side.

  • Best seen from Shoshone Point, Yaki Point, Yavapai Point, or Grandview Point
  • Closest trail-level views are from the Tonto Trail below the rim

Best Time to View It

All four viewing overlooks are accessible year-round on the South Rim, so timing follows your broader visit rather than a season specific to this formation.

Good to Know

  • You don't hike to Newton Butte; you look out at it from established rim overlooks.
  • The Clear Creek Trail across the gorge offers a distant view from the north side, for backpackers on that route.
  • Compare the view from all four overlooks if you want to see how the angle changes across the South Rim.

Where to See Newton Butte

It's visible from four South Rim overlooks — Yavapai Point, Yaki Point, Shoshone Point, and Grandview Point — each giving a slightly different angle on the ridgeline it sits on. Hikers on the Tonto Platform get the closest look, where the Tonto Trail passes near its lower elevations.

What You're Looking At: Newton Butte

Newton Butte is one of the named formations that gives the South Rim skyline its jagged, layered profile. Rising to 5,940 feet below the rim, northwest of Grandview Point, the butte is capped in pale Coconino Sandstone over darker bands of Hermit Formation and Supai Group redbeds, with Muav Limestone showing at its base. It was named for Sir Isaac Newton, officially adopted in 1906.

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