Essentials
Sure, you'll want to see a few sights while you're here, but don't forget to include these experiences on your to-do list.
Appreciate the humbling splendor of one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World walking or biking the Grand Canyon Greenway, a growing network of trails that, once completed, will span 73 miles along both rims. About 4 miles along the South Rim are currently open to the public.
For a bird's-eye view, fly over the 277-river-mile-long chasm on an aerial tour. Helicopter and airplane flights leave from Grand Canyon National Park Airport near Tusayan, Sedona, Scottsdale and other nearby locales.
Gaze out vintage train windows and get lost in the same inspirational landscapes President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Clark Gable and Bill Gates rolled past while traveling from
Williams to Grand Canyon National Park via the
Grand Canyon Railway.
Remember muscles you forgot existed rafting some of Colorado River's more than 100 major rapids. Take a breather floating along slower sections of the 300-foot-wide waterway before tackling Granite and Horn Creek's roaring white waters. Experienced guides are recommended.
Drink plenty of water hiking along
Bright Angel Trail,
South Kaibab Trail and
North Kaibab Trail. You can lose 1 to 2 quarts of water per hour just by sweating, making dehydration a common and dangerous Grand Canyon problem.
Tour oak and juniper-lined Desert View Drive past Yaki and Moran points to
Tusayan Ruin and Museum, which features Ancestral Puebloan cultural exhibits and an 800-year-old excavated pueblo.
Park your horseless carriage at Hualapai Hilltop in
Supai and traverse
Havasu Canyon astride a steed, flanked by red sandstone cliffs and brilliant blue-green creeks. The Havasupai, the “people of the blue-green waters,” have been residents since about 1300.
Hoof it to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and settle into one of 11 comfy cabins at rustic
Phantom Ranch.
South Rim Mule Trips offer an alternative means of transport to the only lodging available below the rim.
Navigate the 215 miles separating the South and North rims, taking in erosion's vivid composition, the
Painted Desert, along the way. During the 5-hour journey, American elk and white-tailed deer frequent roadside pastures lining
Kaibab National Forest.
Help the family connect with nature as your child earns certificates, badges and a junior ranger title through participation in such special learning activities as organized hikes and environmental observation. The park newspaper, The Guide, provides educational program schedules as well as shuttle times and facility details.
= Requires AAA Membership for access.