Self-Guided Itinerary Details
Grand Canyon's South Rim:
The best locations to begin this trip from are Flagstaff, Williams, Tusayan or Grand Canyon Village (South Rim). Once you're on the road and ready to explore, head out to the South Rim to explore its awesome vistas, ancient ruins, and unparalleled hiking trails.
You can adjust this itinerary to either arrive before sunrise and get your photos at Mather Point, or arrive later in the day and catch sunset in Grand Canyon Village.
- Begin your South Rim exploration at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center and enjoy a short walk to the first breathtaking view of the canyon at Mather Point.
- From there, you can either choose to walk along the easy, paved Rim Trail (.7 miles) or take the park’s free Orange/Kaibab shuttle bus to the Yavapai Geology Museum. Yavapai Geology Museum includes in-depth exhibits about how Grand Canyon formed, but most people just marvel at the view through the incredible windows that look right down at the bottom of the canyon. Look closely and you’ll be able to spot two small glimpses of the Colorado River below you.
- Your last stop should be Grand Canyon Village, which is either another easy and scenic walk along the rim (2 miles) or you can choose to drive (finding parking will be difficult) or use the park’s free Blue/Village shuttle bus. Grand Canyon Village is the park’s most famous historic area that includes Verkamp’s Visitor Center, the El Tovar Hotel, Bright Angel Lodge and Kolb and Lookout Studios. Stroll along the rim, check out the beautiful interiors of the buildings and keep an eye out for a condor overhead!
