There are simply far too many activities in Grand Canyon National Park. This place is huge, more than a million acres, and an endless array of canyons that lead into other canyons, which then lead into other canyons. There are miles and miles of hiking trails, canyons to run, mules to ride, scenic roads to drive… Oh yeah, and there is world class river rafting at the bottom of all of that… Oh, what to do?
Here are some of Park Junkie’s favorite activities in the Grand Canyon.
Views into the Grand Canyon can be somewhat intense… approach with caution.
All overnight trips in Grand Canyon National Park, with the exception cabin rentals at Phantom Ranch, require a backcountry permit. This can be reserved online, or attained at one of the park’s three visitor centers. Day hikes do not need a permit. All boating activity in the park is regulated and permits are needed. Certain areas of the park require permits for stock use. See the park service backcountry page for more information or to reserve a permit for your chosen activity.
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All overnight trips inside Grand Canyon National Park require a backcountry permit. The backcountry of the park is divided into four separate management zones. The Corridor Zone, which is the main section of the canyon, hosts the majority of Grand Canyon hiking traffic. This area has designated campsites and several water fountains along its popular trails.
Other zones often require wilderness route-finding skills. Some have designated campsites, while others require wilderness camping practices on a random flat spot. There are different regulations pertaining to each zone. These zones are listed as the Threshold, Primitive and Wild Zones.
Backcountry camping is popular in the park’s Corridor Zone, and these campsites are often booked months in advance.
Most people who visit the Grand Canyon foster a desire to become better acquainted with its vast rugged landscape. Many find that no readily available activity presents a more complete picture of this area than a good, old-fashioned hike. Some stroll along the rim, or out to viewpoints that provide stunning views of the massive recess in the Earth’s surface. Others strap on a pack and journey down into the depths of this national landmark.
Backpacking in Grand Canyon
This park is massive, with more than 1.2 million acres of rugged desert landscape available for exploration. For those who wish to access some of the park’s more remote areas, backpacking in Grand Canyon National Park offers the best access.
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This park is replete with backcountry trails and many of these are simply too far removed to be considered feasible for day hikes. That said, there is likely no better place to spend an evening or two than some of the remote sites accessible to backpackers in this park.
There is just too much information to cover in the activities section, so Park Junkie created another page dedicated to backpacking in the Grand Canyon. It will be expanded as more shit comes to light… Check it out…
Bicycles are permitted on all roads open to vehicles and are a good way to get around Grand Canyon Village. All shuttle busses are equipped with bike racks, which allow convenient bike transportation for those who want a one-way ride.
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Bike Rentals and guided tours are an option. The Bright Angel Bicycle Company provides tours and rents bikes in Grand Canyon Village. They offer tours that include a ride along the Hermit’s Rest Road while you learn about the unique history of the Grand Canyon. The bike shop is closed in winter. See the link below for more info.
This is the trip of a lifetime for many who choose to journey through the depths of the Grand Canyon on the water. There is no better way to become intimate with this rugged landscape than to retrace the route of John Wesley Powell, who led the first successful descent through the canyon in 1869.
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For three long months, Powell and his crew of men endured the elements and slowly navigated the treacherous waters of the Colorado River. They knew the canyon eventually opened some 250-300 miles away, but they knew nothing of the challenges awaiting them in the canyon itself.
Today, you can follow his lead and take your own trip through this desert wonderland. Both private and commercial trips are available and trip lengths can vary greatly, allowing you to customize your experience to your desire. Tours can be motorized or manually oared and different companies offer different options regarding lengths and options.
Here are a couple of reputable companies with numerous options to investigate. Western does motor only trips whereas Oars offers the classic manually powered trip.
For many, a mule or horseback journey below the rim of the Grand Canyon creates a lifetime memory. There’s just something nostalgic and wildly romantic about heading down into the canyon on the back of your trusty steed. For those who want such an adventure, there are options to provide that unique experience.
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South Rim
Those who wish to ride from the South Rim can choose between a 2-hour ride and an overnight ride that leads to Phantom Ranch, where weary riders take shelter for the night.
The two-hour ride runs along the East Rim Trail, which provides stunning views into the canyon. This trip stops occasionally to provide information about history and geology in the canyon.
Rides to Phantom Ranch provide a unique experience and take riders from the Rim to the bottom of the Grand Canyon on the back of a sturdy mule. The descent is 10.5 miles, and takes about 6 hours. Riders stay in cabins at Phantom Ranch and eat at the Phantom Ranch Canteen. The exit ride is 7.8 miles and takes about 5.5 hours.
One or two night stays are available at Phantom Ranch. Reservations are required and book up far in advance. So get your plans together soon if this option interests you.
Rides from the North Rim do not go to the river, however the options available here can provide a memorable experience, as the views along the North Rim are unforgettable.
Riders can choose the one hour Rim of the Grand Canyon Ride, which winds through the tall pines of the Kaibab Forest and skirts the canyon rim.
Two other choices allow a longer ride with a bit more adventure. The three hour Uncle Jim’s Point trip follows the Ken Patrick Trail along the North Rim. The three hour ride to the Supai Tunnel takes riders more than 2,000 feet below the canyon rim into the cliffs below.
The Grand Canyon’s scenic drives do not garner the attention of those in Glacier or Rocky Mountain. However, there are a number of nice routes that will provide stunning scenery and plenty of pullouts from which to enjoy the visual specter of our grandest canyon.
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Desert View Drive: A cruise along the South Rim is probably necessary if you’re driving into the South Rim area. This drive runs 25 miles from the Desert View entrance to Grand Canyon Village. It provides access to some of the most famous vistas in the park. Along the way, motorists can stop at Desert View Watchtower, Navajo Point, Moran, Grandview, Shoshone, Yaki and Mather Points.
Cape Royal: The 23-mile-drive to Cape Royal provides a view of the canyon country from the highest points along the North Rim. The road winds through a mixed forest of ponderosa pine, douglas fir and quaking aspen and is a favorite in autumn, when golden leaves bring a glow to the land. Closed in winter.
Toroweap: A drive to Toroweap is not on the agenda for the average visitor to the Grand Canyon, and there is nothing average about this journey. The destination is unmatched in the park for sheer vertical drop, and the road to the end can lead motorists to believe they are truly in the middle of nowhere.
This is a great option for some of those who may not be as mobile as they one were, or for those who just want a relaxing, yet informative tour. There are a number of tours from which to choose.
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Bus tours along the South Rim include the four-hour Desert View tour, which runs the length of Desert View Drive, stopping at various viewpoints along the route. Other tours include the Hermit’s Rest tour, which runs along the sixteen-mile Hermit’s Rest Road, along with a sunrise and sunset tour.
While the Grand Canyon is obviously the main attraction here, some history buffs may be interested in the historic structures of the South Rim’s Grand Canyon Village. A number of National Historic Landmarks stand here that harken back to the lawless days of the 19th century.
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Walking tours of the village area take visitors to several scenic overlooks, as well as some classic structures such as the Hopi House, Kolb Studio, Bright Angel Lodge, the El Tovar Hotel and the Buckey O’Neill Cabin.
Here’s an informative guide to the village from Grand Canyon Lodges.
This tour does not include views of the Grand Canyon, but it does traverse the wild desert landscape of the canyon’s south side. Views from this tour introduce the visitor to a wild western land as the tracks lead through a number of changing ecosystems.
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This classic western adventure comes complete with staged armed holdups and gunfights. Cowboys, western musicians and lawless marauders present a unique story of the good ol’ wild west during the train’s early days.
To gain a unique perspective that reveals just how massive this canyon really is, a view from above may be desired. If so, you may want to book a scenic flight in a helicopter or small airplane.
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Helicopters take routes that are lower, and they fly slower, while the airplanes cruise higher and faster. Either will provide a view that you won’t soon forget. These tours leave from Grand Canyon Airport, just south the park in Tusayan. There are tours that leave from Las Vegas as well.
The Grand Canyon Skywalk has become a popular stop due to its dramatic view. Without a doubt, the Skywalk provides a unique Grand Canyon experience. However, it is expensive, out-of-the way, and the administration does not allow private cameras on the skywalk. So you can’t even get that IG shot you really wanted…
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Park junkie skipped this one… but if you really wanna see it, here are some links.
One of the most beautiful areas of the Grand Canyon lies just outside the park on lands administered by the Havasupai Tribe. This is an absolutely out-of-this-world experience and may very well be the most beautiful place in the Grand Canyon. Oh yeah, if you’re into backcountry swimming holes…
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Because the falls are outside the park, there are a number of peculiarities involved in arranging a visit. First of all, your national parks pass does not provide access to the falls. This is tribal land and requires a separate fee.
The falls are not easy to access. It is a 195 mile drive to the trailhead from the South Rim. From there you’ll be hiking another 10 miles to the falls. Day trips are not permitted and camping is not cheap. Reservations are mandatory, so get started early. The Havasupai Tribe reports that this trip books out in minutes and you’ll need an account on their website to reserve a site.
For those who don’t really want to carry their packs for twenty miles, mules can be hired, or even a helicopter for those who don’t want to walk. The mule service must be reserved online, although you can hail a chopper at the last minute, should you balk at the thought of hiking the twenty miles in the hot desert sun.
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YOU CAN DIE. Activities pursued within National Park boundaries hold inherent dangers. You are solely responsible for your safety in the outdoors. Park Junkie accepts no responsibility for actions that result in inconveniences, injury or death.
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