Dramatic South Rim cliff edge at The Abyss overlook reveals deep Grand Canyon layers and scattered juniper trees.
Viewpoint

The Abyss

A sheer, nearly 3,000-foot drop on Hermit Road, with none of the crowds of the Rim's busier stops.

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Grand Canyon interior, AZ

About

The Abyss sits along Hermit Road on the South Rim, where the canyon wall drops nearly 3,000 feet to the Redwall Limestone below — the longest vertical drop found anywhere along the South Rim. Unlike most overlooks here, it's set in an indentation of the rim rather than on a jutting point, which is where the name comes from: you're standing over open space on three sides instead of looking out from a promontory.

What you see

Below the rim, pale Redwall Limestone contrasts against the red Supai Group slopes beneath it, with white rockfall debris scattered across the red terrain from past collapses. The Tonto Plateau spreads out below, and Monument Creek is visible winding through the inner gorge toward an isolated sandstone butte known as The Monument. The drop here formed mostly through gravity-driven collapse rather than a side canyon cut by water.

  • Reached via the free Hermits Rest (Red) Route shuttle (seasonal, March–November) or on foot/bike along the Rim Trail
  • The paved Rim Trail connects The Abyss to Mohave Point and Pima Point
  • No food, water, or restrooms at the overlook itself

Best Time to Visit

Hermit Road's shuttle runs seasonally; outside that window personal vehicles are allowed, so check current access before planning your route here.

Trail Tips

  • The Tonto Plateau spreads out below, and Monument Creek is visible winding through the inner gorge toward an isolated sandstone butte known as The Monument.
  • No food, water, or restrooms at the overlook itself.
  • The drop here formed mostly through gravity-driven collapse rather than a side canyon cut by water — a genuinely different geologic story than most South Rim overlooks.

Getting to The Abyss

Reached via the free Hermits Rest (Red) Route shuttle (seasonal, March–November) or on foot/bike along the Rim Trail. The paved Rim Trail connects The Abyss to Mohave Point and Pima Point.

What to Expect at The Abyss

The Abyss sits along Hermit Road on the South Rim, where the canyon wall drops nearly 3,000 feet to the Redwall Limestone below — the longest vertical drop found anywhere along the South Rim. Below the rim, pale Redwall Limestone contrasts against the red Supai Group slopes beneath it, with white rockfall debris scattered across the red terrain from past collapses.

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