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Grand Canyon National Park
About
Everything else on this site is really about one thing: this canyon. Carved by the Colorado River, the park stretches 277 miles along the river corridor, up to 18 miles wide, and a mile deep in places, exposing nearly two billion years of rock layers. It's a lot to take in on a first visit, and most people never quite manage to — reviewers consistently describe it as looking unreal, more like a painting than a landscape, even in person.
South Rim vs. North Rim
Most visitors head to the South Rim, open 24 hours a day, year-round. It's the developed side of the park — Mather Point, Yavapai Point, and Desert View's 1932 Watchtower are the anchor stops, all linked by a free shuttle system that runs to the lodges, visitor centers, and trailheads for Bright Angel and South Kaibab.
The North Rim sits over 8,000 feet up, cooler and forested, and is only open seasonally. The July 2025 Dragon Bravo Fire destroyed roughly 70 structures there, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and the North Rim Visitor Center. For the 2026 season, the North Rim reopened May 15 for day use — roads and viewpoints (Point Imperial, Cape Royal, Roosevelt Point, Walhalla Overlook) and the full North Kaibab Trail are open for foot traffic — but there's no overnight lodging in the park itself this season; Cottonwood Campground is open. Check the park's own North Rim status page before planning a trip there, since recovery status continues to change.
What to Expect
- Rating: 4.8 stars from over 63,000 Google reviews
- Entry: $35 per vehicle, $30 per motorcycle, $20 per individual on foot or bicycle, valid 7 days. Non-US residents 16+ pay an additional $100 surcharge.
- Getting around: walking between South Rim viewpoints is easy; the in-park shuttle is free to ride for day visitors, not just lodge guests.
Bring water and sun protection no matter the season, and budget more time than you think — reviewers who planned a quick stop almost always end up staying for sunset.
Entrance Fees
$35 per private vehicle (7 days); $30 for motorcycles; $20 per individual (bicyclist/hiker/pedestrian, 7 days); $100 additional surcharge for non-US residents aged 16+.
How the Canyon Was Carved
The canyon exposes nearly two billion years of Earth's history in its walls — some of the oldest exposed rock in the National Park System sits at the bottom, near the Colorado River. The river did the carving: as the Colorado Plateau slowly uplifted over millions of years, the river cut down through the rock layers faster than they could erode away, creating a gorge up to a mile deep and 18 miles wide in places. The canyon isn't finished — the river and its tributaries are still actively eroding the rock today.
A Brief History
The canyon has been home to Indigenous peoples for thousands of years, and today sits on the ancestral homelands of 11 present-day tribal communities, several of whom — including the Havasupai, Hualapai, Navajo, and Hopi — still hold land in or bordering the park. Theodore Roosevelt protected the area early, creating the Grand Canyon Game Preserve in 1906 and, using the Antiquities Act, the Grand Canyon National Monument on January 11, 1908. It took over a decade more for Congress to act: President Woodrow Wilson signed the Grand Canyon National Park Act on February 26, 1919, three years after the National Park Service itself was created to administer it.
Overview
Entirely within the state of Arizona, the park encompasses 278 miles (447 km) of the Colorado River and adjacent uplands. Located on the ancestral homelands of 11 present day Tribal Communities, Grand Canyon is one of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world — a mile deep canyon unmatched in the incomparable vistas it offers visitors from both north and south rims.
Getting to Grand Canyon National Park
The South Rim, where most visitors go, sits about 80 miles north of Flagstaff and roughly 230 miles north of Phoenix, both reachable via I-40 and Highway 180 or 64. From Las Vegas, it's about 280 miles, roughly 4.5 hours by car. The closest commercial airport with regular service is Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG); Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) and Las Vegas Harry Reid (LAS) both have far more flight options but a longer drive. Grand Canyon National Park Airport (GCN), just outside Tusayan, handles scenic-flight and charter traffic near the South Rim entrance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to enter Grand Canyon National Park?
$35 per vehicle, $30 per motorcycle, or $20 per person on foot or bicycle, valid for 7 days. Non-US residents age 16 and older pay an additional $100 surcharge unless they hold an Annual or America the Beautiful Pass.
Is the North Rim open?
Partially, for the 2026 season — it reopened May 15 for day use after the 2025 Dragon Bravo Fire, with roads, viewpoints, and the North Kaibab Trail accessible, but no overnight in-park lodging. Check the park's official North Rim status page before planning a trip, since recovery status keeps changing.
Should I visit the South Rim or North Rim?
The South Rim, for almost everyone — it's open year-round, has the most developed infrastructure and a free shuttle system, and is far more accessible from major airports. The North Rim is quieter and higher-elevation, but is seasonal even in a normal year and currently has no in-park overnight lodging while it recovers from 2025 fire damage.
How many days do you need at Grand Canyon National Park?
One full day covers the main South Rim viewpoints via the free shuttle. Two to three days lets you add a rim trail hike, a sunrise or sunset at a quieter viewpoint, and time to actually sit and take it in rather than rushing between stops.
How deep and wide is the Grand Canyon?
Up to a mile deep and 18 miles wide in places, carved by the Colorado River over millions of years as the Colorado Plateau slowly uplifted. The exposed rock layers span nearly two billion years of geologic history.
How do you get to Grand Canyon National Park?
By car via I-40 and Highway 180 or 64 — about 80 miles from Flagstaff, 230 miles from Phoenix, or 280 miles from Las Vegas. The closest commercial airport is Flagstaff Pulliam (FLG); Phoenix and Las Vegas have more flights but a longer drive.
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