Grand Canyon National Park is the second most visited national park in the entire country. That means that the more you know about how to plan and what you need to do before your visit, the better your trip will be. So, we put together our list of things to know before visiting Grand Canyon National Park to help you have the best trip you possibly could have.
There Are Two Sections to this Park
Grand Canyon is divided into two sections: the North Rim and the South Rim. While it seems like these should be really close by, they’re actually 4 1/2 hours drive-time apart. In addition to being far apart, they’re actually very different experiences. I’ll go into a little more detail about that below.
Quick Info About the South Rim
The South Rim is Open 365 Days a Year: You can drive into the South Rim of the Grand Canyon all year long. The road access is always open and while there can be snow at the South Rim, it’s a much lower elevation, so the accumulation looks very different here.
This is the Busier of the Rims: This is where the majority of visitors come, with 5x the number of visitors each year. Because of this parking can be much more difficult and there’s a lot more traffic here. But, luckily….
There IS a Free Shuttle Bus: Grand Canyon National Park offers a free shuttle bus through most sections of the South Rim to trailheads and to the different lodges and visitor centers.
Quick Info About the North Rim
The North Rim Closes in the Winter: Because the North Rim sits at a much higher elevation, it gets a significant amount of snowfall each year. So, typically, closures of the park occur mid-October to mid-May to all vehicles. During this time, there are no visitor services within the park. You can enter on foot, but expect it to be difficult.
The North Rim is Much Greener than the South Rim: Because it sits at such a higher elevation and is cooler in temperature, a wider variety of plant life thrives here including a lot more pine trees. So, the general look of the North Rim is vastly different.
There IS NOT a Free Shuttle at the North Rim: Because it’s significantly less busy, there isn’t a free shuttle to take you around to the different trailheads. However, there are shuttle services that you can book in advance, but most of those are for shuttling between rims.
May through September is Busy
The peak season for both rims is May through September, so plan for some crowds and for parking spots to potentially be difficult to come by. Also, lodging books up quickly. Our last visit to the Grand Canyon was mid-September 2023, and the only thing we had a hard time finding parking at was the El Tovar Hotel. We had to park a little ways away to go in and see the canyon from there, but it was only a 10 minute walk.
Starting Early or in the Evening Can Help You Avoid Crowds
If you’re visiting during the peak season, getting out in the early morning, starting just before sunrise or in the evening through sunset, you’ll find far fewer people. Certain overlooks during this time can be busy, but there are plenty of stunning spots along the canyon where you can enjoy a sunrise or sunset in relative peace.
Camping at the Bottom of the Canyon Requires a Permit – They Book Up Fast and You Need to Join the Lottery
A lot of people want to camp at the base of the canyon, but only a select number of lottery permit winners get to experience it. There’s also a lodge at the base of the Canyon, but it books out about 18 months in advance. Be sure to follow the lottery dates closely to be sure you don’t miss out on your opportunity to try to have your own Grand Canyon adventure.
Rim-to-Rim Trail Quick Info
This is the ultimate Grand Canyon hike. Less than 1% of the park’s annual visitors do this feat. I only personally know two people who have done it, but I hope to do it as soon as possible. As I haven’t done this yet, I found this post from the Hiking Guy that gives a lot of detail on the two most popular options.
Trail Mileage: Either 22 or 24 miles are the two most popular options, both are considered extremely difficult.
When Do You Need a Permit? If you plan to sleep overnight in the canyon, you have to have a permit. Even if you start or end the trial in the dark, you don’t need the permit until you’re camping.
There is a Shuttle for $90 per Person: If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of parking two cars, there’s a shuttle that will take you from one trailhead to the other. I’d reserve a shuttle ahead of time if this is the option you’re going with.
If You Hike into the Canyon, Remember Trail Etiquette
Trail etiquette is import on any trail and in any national park, but especially in a park that has a lot of trails that require inclines and declines, the big one that not everyone knows is that people going uphill get the right of way, and mules and horses always get the right of way. Want to know more about hiking etiquette? Check out my post on how to not be an asshole on hiking trails.
The Temps Inside the Canyon Are Much Higher than Along the Rim
The temperature variation from the rim of the Grand Canyon to the base or inner canyons can be as much as a 20-degree difference. This is something to be especially mindful of in summer time when temps at the rim of the south rim may seem somewhat mild in the 80s, but reach over 100 within the canyon walls. Be sure to bring plenty of water – we love these Nalgene water bottles – so you’re not one of the emergency situations within the canyon.
The Grand Canyon is An International Dark Sky Park
We love International Dark Sky Parks. If you’ve never stargazed within an International Dark Sky Park, you have no idea what you’re missing. If you’re able, stay in the park until the stars come out and take in the majesty of the night sky. If you’re looking to truly star-gaze, I highly recommend throwing a couple camp chairs in your car, maybe bring a blanket and definitely get a red light flashlight or red light headlamp so you don’t have to readjust your eyes from that typical bright artificial light.
Havasu Canyon is a Side Canyon that Connects to the Grand Canyon
Although there’s a lot of information on Havasu Canyon on the Grand Canyon website now, with its popularity, access to Havasu Canyon isn’t possible from within Grand Canyon National Park. This magical canyon filled with other-worldly turquoise waterfalls and swimming holes is located on the Supai tribal land. To hike to these falls, you have to try for a whole other permit on their website, which opens up February 1st each year, and parking for this trail is about 4 hours from Grand Canyon Village. Don’t make the mistake of thinking access to one gets you access to the other. Yes, you can hike to the confluence of the Colorado River, which is technically within the Grand Canyon, but you can’t really do anything else within the park from there.
Gear I Recommend for Visiting Grand Canyon National Park
Things We Use for Safety – I have a Garmin InReach Mini 2 that just helps me feel so safe and secure in the wilderness. I don’t take it on every adventure, but if I’m going somewhere truly remote or somewhere new to me, I definitely have it with me. Also, I think it’s important for any solo adventures. A first aid kit is especially important for tackling remote, backcountry hiking. I always like to have a basic first aid kit with me.
Footwear – Matt and I both love our Merrell hiking boots. Regardless of which brand works best or fits your foot, we both recommend a boot with ankle support. I know that you can do it with trail runners, but for me, I just am so obsessed with that ankle support. If I didn’t wear boots and just do a shorter hike or just stroll around the rim, I’d wear my Teva sandals. They also make great campsite shoes but still have a lot of support for hiking.
Daypack – If I’m doing a quick day hike, I’m obsessed with my Osprey Daylite. It’s the perfect size to cram water and snacks for the hike. Plus, if I have a light layer, it fits in the pack as well. If I’m doing a more intense hike I’m obsessed with my Deuter 28L pack that holds a little more without being monstrous, but will hold more water, more layers and more snacks.
What’s in My Pack? – Water is always the very first thing that goes into my daypack and I love using these Nalgene water bottles because the wide mouth on the bottle makes it really easy to clean. Some snacks that you can almost always find in my backpack are beef jerky tender bites, peanut butter & honey crackers, peanut m&ms, trail mix and dehydrated fruit strips. If I’m going to have a long hiking day, or I’m hiking somewhere that I know I’m going to sit and hang out for a while, I am obsessed with my little mini camp chair – it only fits in my Deuter pack, though, not the Osprey.
Do You Want to Track Your National Park Adventures? – I actually authored this National Park Journal and I’m really proud of it! This is the perfect guided journal with fun facts and simple tips to help you make the most of your trip and, most importantly, curate your memories in each park! I’d be honored to be part of your national park adventures in this way!
Take The Train in From Williams, AZ for a Family-Fun Experience
A super fun option to take you to the Grand Canyon in an extremely unique way is to take the Grand Canyon Railroad. This is a full-day adventure that give you time for a day trip to the Grand Canyon while also getting entertainment, not having to worry about traffic, and getting an experience that not everyone does. We did this when I was a kid and and it was such a fun experience. You even get an old west cowboy show!
The Grand Canyon is justifiably one of the Natural Wonders of the World and your adventure here is sure to be one that you remember for the rest of your life. Hopefully, this post will help you to have the most successful trip to Grand Canyon National Park possible.
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