Grand Canyon National Park

How to Get to Grand Canyon National Park:

Grand Canyon National Park is located in northern Arizona. Grand Canyon Village (South Rim) is 60 miles north of I-40 at Williams via AZ 64, and 80 miles northwest of Flagstaff via US 180. Only ten miles from rim to rim as the crow flies, the North Rim is 215 miles (about 4 1/2 hours) from the South Rim by car. The North Rim is 44 miles south of Jacob Lake, Arizona, via AZ 67. The South Rim of Grand Canyon averages 7000 feet above sea level; the North Rim is over 8000 feet above sea level.

Recommended Scenic Routes Near Grand Canyon National Park:

If you are coming to visit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon from southern Utah, I would absolutely recommend that you drive Scenic Byway 12, which has been designated an "All-American Road." This 124-mile route, connecting Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef national parks, features some of the most spectacular rock formations and stunning scenery in the United States. This includes the red rock formations of Red Canyon in Dixie National Forest and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. From west to east, it begins at the junction of US 89 and SR 12, 7 miles south of Panguitch and 8 miles north of Hatch in Garfield County. Byway ends at the junction of SR 12 and SR 24, just east of Torrey, in Wayne County.

Once you approach Grand Canyon National Park, the Kaibab Plateau Parkway is the only route to the North Rim of the canyon and passes through the Kaibab National Forest, which offers opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, backpacking, wildlife viewing, and primitive camping. The byway is closed to traditional vehicles during the winter, but is accessible by snowmobile or cross-country skiing. The 42-mile national scenic byway begins at Jacob Lake.

Park Size:

1,217,403 acres

Description:

The park, focusing on the world-famous Grand Canyon of the Colorado River, encompasses 277 miles of the river with adjacent uplands, from the southern terminus of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area to the eastern boundary of Lake Mead National Recreation. The forces of erosion have exposed an immense variety of formations which illustrate vast periods of geological history.

Things to Do:

Camping, hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, fishing, whitewater rafting, auto touring, cross-country skiing, interpretive programs, guided tours.

Lodging at Grand Canyon National Park:

Grand Canyon Lodge is the only lodging inside the national park on the North Rim. A variety of lodging facilities are available at the South Rim, including Bright Angel, El Tovar Hotel, Kachina Lodge, and Thunderbird Lodge (all located on the rim) as well as Maswik Lodge and Yavapai Lodge. Lodging is booked well in advance at both the North and South rims of Grand Canyon, so make reservations as far ahead as possible. Reservations are handled by Xanterra Parks & Resorts. Call (303) 297-2757 or toll free (888) 297-2757, fax (303) 297-3175, or write Xanterra Parks & Resorts, 14001 E. Illiff, Ste. 600, Aurora, CO 80014. You can also make reservations on-line at www.grandcanyonnorthrim.com (north rim) or www.grandcanyonlodges.com (south rim).

Operating Hours:

The South Rim is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Services are available and facilities are open year round. Visitor services and facilities inside the national park on the North Rim are only open from mid-May to mid-October. Weather permitting, the North Rim is open for day use only following the close of facilities in mid-October. During this time there are no services or overnight facilities available inside the park. The road from Jacob Lake to the North Rim (Highway 67) is subject to closure with little or no notice during this interval and then remains closed until mid-May.

Canyon View Information Plaza - located at Mather Point (South Rim) and open daily year-round, 8am to 5pm, additional open hours vary seasonally.

Desert View Information Center - located at the park's east entrance on the South Rim. Open daily 9am to 6pm, except during the winter months when open as staffing permits.

North Rim Visitor Center - located adjacent to the parking lot on Bright Angel Peninsula. Open mid May to mid October, from 8am to 6pm, daily. Interpretive programs offered seasonally.

History:

Grand Canyon Forest Reserve proclaimed on February 20, 1893; Grand Canyon Game Preserve proclaimed on November 28, 1906; Grand Canyon National Monument proclaimed on January 11, 1908; national park established on February 26, 1919. A separate Grand Canyon National Monument proclaimed on December 22, 1932. Marble Canyon National Monument proclaimed on January 20, 1969. All three units and portions of Glen Canyon and Lake Mead national recreation areas combined with additional lands as national park on January 3, 1975. Designated a World Heritage Site on October 24, 1979.

Contact Information for Grand Canyon National Park:

Grand Canyon National Park
P.O. Box 129
Grand Canyon, AZ 86023
928-638-7888