Grand Canyon South Rim: Hiking into One of the Seven Wonders of the World
The Grand Canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. If you haven’t already seen it, prepare for your jaw to drop the second you see it for the first time. It’s hard to know what to do on the Grand Canyon South Rim because it’s so big. There’s 3 main South Rim hikes I suggest trying. You truly can’t understand the depth of the Grand Canyon until you hike into it.
Aside from the rim trail, there are two popular, maintained trails on the Grand Canyon South Rim to choose from: Bright Angel and South Kaibab. Both offer a good workout and great views of the canyon, but if you’re struggling with decision paralysis and need a little help deciding, keep reading!
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WHEN TO VISIT THE GRAND CANYON SOUTH RIM?
Truly, you can visit the Grand Canyon any time of the year. The Grand Canyon is especially beautiful in heavy snow, but services are limited in the winter. In the summer, mornings and evenings are beautiful, but the daytime can exceed 100 degrees, and it’s warmer the lower you go in the canyon. I personally suggest April-May and September-November for hikes down into the canyon.
CAN YOU VISIT THE GRAND CANYON SOUTH RIM IN ONE DAY?
Absolutely, you can visit in one day if needed. Usually visitors to Arizona have a lot on their agenda, from seeing Phoenix to Sedona to Horseshoe Bend and beyond. In fact, most of the times I have visited the Grand Canyon, it was in one day. Staying overnight is a great experience, but not necessary if you’re short on time.
EXTENDING YOUR TRIP?
Check out some of my other pots to add to your Grand Canyon Trip.
5-Day Southwest Road Trip in a Camper Van
WHERE TO STAY NEAR THE GRAND CANYON
There are many lodging options near the Grand Canyon, or on the GRAND CANYON RIM. You can stay on the Rim, in one of the six main parks HERE. They book up fast, and cost at minimum $200. If I was to stay on the rim and splurge, I’d stay at El Tovar Hotel. It’s stunning. We had breakfast here. You can also camp at Mather Campground, but you need to book ahead of time.
You can also stay in TUSAYAN, less than 15 minutes from the Grand Canyon South Rim. There are many hotels here. On the pricey side, there’s Red Feather Lodge, Grand Canyon Plaza Hotel, and The Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon. On the more affordable side, there’s Holiday Inn Express. We stayed here and it was just fine. The breakfast was actually delicious!
Some people choose to stay in WILLIAMS, but this city is 1 hour away from the Grand Canyon. There are many affordable lodging options here.
Lodging Options include staying on THE SOUTH RIM, in TUSAYAN, or in WILLIAMS.
HIKES ON GRAND CANYON SOUTH RIM
One thing I thought was interesting about the Grand Canyon, despite its size, there’s only a few hikes. These trails lead all the way down to the Colorado River, but can be made into DAY HIKES. Here are the three hikes on the Grand Canyon South Rim, and we will review each of them.
1. Grand Canyon Rim Trail
2. South Kaibab Trail
3. Bright Angel Trail
NOTE: You can hike into the Backcountry of the Grand Canyon. I won’t be going into detail on this post, but you can get more info HERE. This includes hiking the famous RIM-TO-RIM hike, from North Rim to South Rim in 25 miles. It is NOT recommended to hike to the base of the Grand Canyon and back up in one day.
SOUTH KAIBAB TRAIL
LOCATION
The only way to access this Grand Canyon South Rim hike is by bus or by foot- there is no parking lot. You have two options to get there by bus. First, you can hop on the Kaibab Rim Route- Eastbound (Orange Route) from the Visitor Center about every 10-15 minutes during the day. An hour before sunrise and after sunset, the bus runs about every 30 minutes. The Grand Canyon also offers the Hikers’ Express Shuttle Bus specifically for those wanting to hike South Kaibab. This route leaves from the Backcountry Information Center at 6, 7, and 8am. You can park your car during the day or overnight at Parking Lot D. After your hike, you will need to take the Orange Route back to the Visitor Center, and then the Blue Route back to your vehicle.
You can also access the South Kaibab Trailhead by foot via the Rim Trail. If you’re starting at Pipe Creek Vista (a few parking spots available), it’s a 0.9 mile walk to the trailhead.
TRAIL DISTANCE
You can make your hike down South Kaibab Trail as long or as short as you want it to be. There are numerous stopping points so you can customize your hike according to your group’s abilities + your time constraints. For a day hikes, I suggest going to Cedar Ridge or Ooh Aah Point. Remember, it’s much easier to go down than back up, so make sure to have plenty of water + energy to get yourself to the top.
For most people, hiking down to Ooh Aah Point is all you need. We saw plenty of families reach this point and they were already exhausted. Many people were not prepared either. Make sure you have proper shoes, support (hiking sticks) if needed, and plenty of water.
GEAR TO HIKE THE GRAND CANYON
BACKPACK: BUDGET ($50) OR SPLURGE ($100).
SHOES: BUDGET ($50-80) OR SPLURGE ($200).
HIKING STICKS: BUDGET ($30)
HIKE TO OOH AAH POINT
The Hike down South Kaibab on the Grand Canyon South Rim starts with switchbacks. Not hard to go down, but a killer to go up, haha. The views are amazing. I like the redness of this part of the canyon. The trail, nuzzled up against the canyon wall, appears to disappear in the distance. This hike is OK for beginners.
OOH AAH POINT TO CEDAR RIDGE
If you have older adults or young children with you, I don’t suggest going past Ooh Aah Point. If you’re up for the challenge, the trail between Ooh Aah Point and Cedar Ridge is beautiful. The trail overlooks O’Neill Butte, which is the large rock structure in the middle of the canyon. Cedar Ridge does have a bathroom, which is great. I stopped HERE when I was with my parent. I’d continue on to Skeleton Point if I was with a friend my age. Please remember, you have to go back up.
BACKCOUNTRY HIKES
The Grand Canyon website clearly states they DO NOT recommend hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back up in one day. The Grand Canyon is dangerous, this shouldn’t be taken lightly. If you want more information- go HERE.
BRIGHT ANGEL TRAIL
LOCATION
Bright Angel Trail is a very accessible Grand Canyon Hike. You can access the trailhead by bus if you hop on the Blue Route from the Visitor Center to Grand Canyon Village (picture below). The Hermit’s Rest Route Transfer stop is closest to the trailhead. Buses run every 10-15 minutes. If you want to park, there is a lot outside Bright Angel Lodge as well as by El Tovar Hotel/ Verkamp’s Visitor Center, but this is a longer walk.
Bright Angel Trail starts nestled behind Kolb Studio + Bright Angel lodge + quickly descends. After a quick 0.18 miles, you get to the first tunnel, a great spot for a photo-op and those who just want to go a short distance into the canyon.
TRAIL DISTANCES
You can make Bright Angel Trail as short or as long as you want. Again, DO NOT GO TOO FAR. I suggest going to the 1.5 mile or 3 mile rest house and turning around. Bright Angel Trail is much steeper than South Kaibab Trail.
My brother + I did this Grand Canyon South Rim hike in July in the middle of the day, and it was quite toasty! There isn’t much shade on the trail, and the few spots of shade are always congested with people trying to take a break from the sun. We decided to turn around at the 1.5 mile Resthouse due to the heat. I do suggest shoes with good traction for this hike- my brother wore his Nike tennis shoes + was having troubles slipping both up and down the trail. In the picture of me below, you can see Indian garden (dense green area) and the edge of plateau point if you were to continue on. As you can tell, the elevation change is significant!
Both Grand Canyon South Rim hikes are amazing and have wonderful views. Plan your hike around where you’re going to be spending your time in the park and how much time you have. For first time visitors, I suggest going to Cedar Ridge via South Kaibab, or the 1.5 mile Resthouse via Bright Angel.
No matter how far you decide to go on either trail, the views are breath-taking. I highly recommend sunrise or sunset, you will not regret it! Enjoy your trip + take your time.
NEED SOMEWHERE TO CAMP??
I’ve created a FORTY PAGE GUIDE outlining all the best free and paid campsites in Northern Arizona, including The Grand Canyon.
It can be hard to spend hours researching campsites, trying to figure out were they’re located, what they look like, the price, and the amenities. With my guide, those days are over! I give you everything you need to know, with links to my Google Maps AND it’s in a PDF so you can access it any time!
THE RIM TRAIL
The Grand Canyon Rim Trail is a must for anyone visiting the park. This trail is accessible to all ages and even pups too. It connects South Kaibab Trail to Hermit’s Rest. You can get on the trail at any point and the shuttle can take you back to where you started when you’re tired. This gives you the opportunity to see the canyon from multiple different viewpoints. You can also rent bikes and ride this trail. I highly suggest visiting at sunset- the colors of the canyon walls light up at golden hour and it is a sight to see, trust me.
HAVE A FEW EXTRA DAYS TO EXPLORE ARIZONA?
I highly suggest stopping in Sedona before or after seeing the Grand Canyon. Here’s a few options!
