A vivid rainbow arches over the Grand Canyon's layered red rock formations under dramatic storm clouds.
Day Hike

Shoshone Point Traihead

A quiet South Rim overlook off the beaten path

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Grand Canyon interior, AZ

About

Shoshone Point is an easy, roughly 2-mile round-trip walk on the South Rim, starting from an unsigned dirt parking area just west of mile marker 246 on Desert View Drive, about 3 miles east of the Grand Canyon Visitor Center. The route follows an old dirt road through ponderosa pine forest that gives way to pinyon-juniper woodland as you near the rim, ending at a quiet overlook facing north-northeast toward the Desert View Watchtower and across to the North Rim.

What to expect

  • Trail is unmarked from the road — look for the small dirt pullout, not a developed trailhead
  • Covered pavilion, picnic tables, grills, and a vault toilet at the point, but no water
  • Spring snowmelt can leave the road and trail muddy — stay on the path
  • Shoshone Point is the park's only site available for reserved private events (weddings, gatherings); if the access gate is locked, the area may be booked for a permit that day

It's one of the least-crowded rim viewpoints in the park, popular with hikers and birders looking for a break from the main overlooks along Desert View Drive.

Best Time to Hike

Spring snowmelt can leave the road and trail muddy — stay on the path during that season.

Trail Tips

  • Covered pavilion, picnic tables, grills, and a vault toilet at the point, but no water.
  • Shoshone Point is the park's only site available for reserved private events (weddings, gatherings); if the access gate is locked, the area may be booked for a permit that day.
  • One of the least-crowded rim viewpoints in the park, popular with hikers and birders looking for a break from the main overlooks.

Getting to This Trailhead

Trail is unmarked from the road — look for the small dirt pullout, not a developed trailhead, just west of mile marker 246 on Desert View Drive.

What to Expect at Shoshone Point Trailhead

Shoshone Point is an easy, roughly 2-mile round-trip walk on the South Rim, starting from an unsigned dirt parking area just west of mile marker 246 on Desert View Drive, about 3 miles east of the Grand Canyon Visitor Center. The route follows an old dirt road through ponderosa pine forest that gives way to pinyon-juniper woodland as you near the rim.

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