What to Do in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

When President Theodore Roosevelt established Grand Canyon National Monument in 1908—something that many locals weren’t all too happy with at the time—, he said about it:

In the Grand Canyon, Arizona has a natural wonder which is in kind absolutely unparalleled throughout the rest of the world. I want to ask you to keep this great wonder of nature as it now is.

I hope you will not have a building of any kind, not a summer cottage, a hotel or anything else, to mar the wonderful grandeur, the sublimity, the great loneliness and beauty of the canyon. Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it.

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One of the most overwhelming places I’ve ever visited, the Grand Canyon totally lives up to its status. It’s a magnificent place, of such magnitude I can’t imagine that someone would not be impressed by it.

The sheer size of this thing boggles the mind, impossible to picture if you haven’t actually seen it in real life.

This is a canyon that’s 277 river miles (446 kilometers) long, 18 miles (29 kilometers) wide at its widest point, and a mile (1.6 kilometers) deep.

This mighty canyon is the obvious cornerstone of any Arizona national parks road trip and the centerpiece of Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park, which encompasses a section of the Colorado River and both the North and South Rims.

Often considered to be one of the Wonders of the World, Grand Canyon National Park is also one of the national parks that are also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Almost six million people visit the park each year, doing all kinds of Grand Canyon tours and making it the second most-visited of all national parks in America. If you’re planning on becoming one of them, consider at least a few of the things to do in Grand Canyon National Park highlighted below.

More About Grand Canyon National Park

• Park Website
• Travel Guide
• Topographic Map
• Best Grand Canyon Hikes
• Scenic Views of the Grand Canyon
• Accommodation

Top Things to Do in Grand Canyon National Park

Most visitors will limit their time at the Grand Canyon to the South Rim. (The North Rim is much more remote and harder to get to.) So, for that reason, as well as the fact that I’ve only been to the South Rim myself so far, we’ll keep our focus on that area.

It’s large enough and there are plenty of things to do in Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim to keep you occupied for several days anyway.

Ride a Mule into the Grand Canyon

Mule rides have been one of the most Grand Canyon tourist attractions even since before it was a national park. In fact, they were—and still are—the only means of getting supplies down into the canyon.

Places deep in the Grand Canyon, such as Phantom Ranch, still receive their supplies by mule train. These reliable animals are, after all, the safest and fastest way down and back up the canyon.

Mules may just be the safest way to descend into the Grand Canyon. Extremely sure-footed, these pack animals have not lost a rider in the 100+ years they have taken people on trips down the canyon.

Still one of the most popular things to do in Grand Canyon National Park, mule rides at the South Rim require reservations up to 15 months in advance. Planning and booking early is the advice I can give you.

This has become such a popular activity that reservations for rides to Phantom Ranch on the Bright Angel Trail are now drawn by an online lottery.

Admire the Night Sky

The National Park Service has had a Night Sky Team since 1999, a group of scientists collecting information on the actual darkness of the night sky in various American national parks.

Their data clearly shows that the Grand Canyon is one of the darkest places in the America, even though there is still some room for improvement. For one, there are still many light fixtures in various spots in the park that could be removed or dimmed to increase visibility at night even more.

That said, the Grand Canyon’s vastness and its innumerable remote areas make it a phenomenal night sky watching destination. Stargazing is among the most impressive things to do in the Grand Canyon.

Even from the South Rim, by far the most developed area in the park, you can clearly see the Milky Way shimmering overhead on a clear summer night.

Therefore, I highly recommend spending at least one night in the park—two or more to do it justice—and heading out for some epic stargazing.

Go Whitewater Rafting

Although it may look like a tiny sliver of a stream from the canyon rim, the Colorado River is actually a wide and wild river. Its average width in the canyon is 900 feet and average depth no fewer than 40 feet.

This, in other words, is a huge waterway. And when you think about it, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, it was the Colorado River that singlehandedly created this massive canyon.

Filled with challenging and sometimes-dangerous rapids alternated with beautifully quiet sections, the Colorado River is a fantastic place for whitewater rafting.

One of the easiest and most popular Grand Canyon activities is a one-day river trip with a commercial company. Alternatively, you can also set out on your own on multi-day river trips.

Whitewater rafting in the Grand Canyon can last between 1 and 25 days. You can find much more specific information on the national park’s website.

Walk the South Rim Trail

If you’re looking for an easy to moderate hike at the Grand Canyon, there’s no better option than the Rim Trail.

Running along the South Rim from the South Kaibab Trailhead to Hermits Rest, the total length of the trail is 13 miles (21 kilometers). If your time in the national park is limited, this would be the hike I suggest.

You don’t have to hike the entire thing, though. There’s always the possibility to hike parts of it and take the shuttle bus onward and/or back. I recommend, however, to hike as much of the Rim Trail as you can.

It’s the best introduction to the magnificence of the Grand Canyon I could possibly imagine, infinitely better than a shuttle bus or car ride.

On the way, you’ll pass several of the South Rim’s most iconic viewpoints—much more rewarding if you’ve walked there yourself. The view from places like Yavapai Point, the Trailview Overlook, Hopi Point, Mohave Point and Pima Point are among the top attractions Grand Canyon National Park.

If you’re wondering what to do at the Grand Canyon, this should probably be activity number one.

Drive / Bike Desert View Drive

One of the greatest national park roads in America, the Desert View Drive runs for 25 miles from Grand Canyon Village to the Desert View Watchtower. The latter happens to be among the most photogenic buildings in America’s national parks.

For people coming from the east, this will be the first of these Grand Canyon National Park attractions they’ll come across. If you’ve entered via the South Entrance, this would be the suggested way out.

On the Desert View Drive, there are six developed viewpoints and five unmarked pullouts, all offering a (slightly) different perspective of the canyon.

Additionally, the Tusayan Museum and ruins are a great place to learn more about local Native American history.

Watch the Sunrise at the Grand Canyon

As impressive as the Grand Canyon may be in the middle of the day, it’s at its most glorious at sunrise. Watching the sun pop over the horizon, slowly illuminating the different geological layers and mesas, is an almost spiritual experience, one of the top Grand Canyon activities.

From dark browns to faint yellows to bright oranges to fiery reds, Grand Canyon’s ever-changing sunrise colors really showcase its depth and grandeur unlike anything else.

Even if you’ve spent some of the night admiring the night sky, I still recommend making the effort to get up for sunrise.

You’re not in Grand Canyon National Park every day, after all. You might as well make the most of it, right?

Hike the Bright Angel Trail

There are no other things to do in Grand Canyon National Park I recommend more than hiking the Bright Angel Trail. It’s without a shadow of doubt one of my favorite day hikes in the national parks ever.

The trailhead located just west of Bright Angel Lodge, this historic trail zigzags down the canyon, all the way to the Colorado River. On the way, you’ll pass a few resthouses and the Indian Garden campground and horse corral.

If you don’t want to make it an overnight Grand Canyon hike—hiking from the rim to the river and back in one day is strongly discouraged—, a solid alternative is the 12-mile roundtrip to scenic Plateau Point.

I can’t stress enough how much a hike into the canyon changes your perspective of it. If you limit your visit to just the viewpoints along the South Rim, you never really experience the Grand Canyon.

Only by hiking in and out will you appreciate the sheer enormity and power of this place. The Bright Angel Trail is the best way to do that, Plateau Point one of the greatest places to see in the Grand Canyon.

Where to Stay at the Grand Canyon

More than six million people visit the Grand Canyon each year, which has resulted in more development than in most national parks in America.

Although this is definitely not what Teddy Roosevelt had in mind, the canyon is now protected for eternity. And that is what he wanted in the end. If he had been alive today, he probably still would’ve been happy with the way it turned out, especially considering the alternatives.

Grand Canyon Village / Market Plaza

On the South Rim, Grand Canyon Village and the Market Plaza are where it’s all at.

There are no fewer than six lodges, one RV park and one campground. Additionally, there are a post office, train station, grocery store and a few information centers.

Free shuttle buses link all facilities in the developed area on the South Rim as well as many viewpoints along the Rim Trail.

Note that all lodges, including the RV park and campground, require advance reservations. Again, Grand Canyon National Park is crazy busy and each day there are more people visiting the park than can actually stay inside it.

Tusayan

If you’re not able to book anything within the park, however, you still have several Grand Canyon hotels options just south of the South Entrance in Tusayan, which is just north of Route 66.

Las Vegas

Alternatively, Grand Canyon National Park also happens to be a hugely popular day trip destination from Las Vegas, which is 270 miles (435 kilometers) to the west.

It may be a long drive, but flights to “Sin City” are typically super-cheap so a splurge on a day trip and an adventurous Grand Canyon tour is justified. This is especially true if you’ve had some gambling success during your visit.

Other National Parks to Explore

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• Death Valley National Park Attractions
• Hot Springs National Park Attractions
• Joshua Tree National Park Attractions
• Mesa Verde National Park Attractions
• Mount Rainier National Park Attractions
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• Shenandoah National Park Attractions
• Theodore Roosevelt National Park Attractions

What Are Your Favorite Things to Do in Grand Canyon National Park? Can You Recommend Other Grand Canyon South Rim Attractions? Share Them in the Comments Below!