Grand Canyon

Travel/Getting to the park

– Updated December 2013 

Ways to get to the park (South Rim):

• Personal vehicle: Entry fee to the park is 25$ per car, or 12$ per person on a motorcycles, bicycles, or on foot. Passes are also available for purchase if you plan to visit other National Parks. More information is available at http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/entrance-fees.htm .

Routes

• AZ180 from Flagstaff: 80 miles/1 hour 40 min. Can be closed during winter due to snow. If closed go to Williams and take AZ64 up. 2 lane non-divided highway. Watch for Elk, Deer, and stray cows.
• AZ64 from Williams: 60 miles/1 hour 30 min. Can be closed during winter due to snow. 2 lane non-divided highway. Watch for Elk, Deer, and stray cows.
• AZ64 from Cameron. 60 miles/1 hour 30 min (South Rim Village) 35 miles/45 min (Desert view). 2 lane non-divided highway.

• Tour bus: Lots of tour buses from Phoenix and Vegas. These tend to be expensive and provide a really limited amount of time to view the canyon.

• Shuttle: The only shuttle that I know of that runs between Flagstaff/Williams/Grand Canyon is the Arizona Shuttle (http://www.arizonashuttle.com). Rates are around 35$ per person per direction, not including any additional fees for luggage. The only commercial travel method between South and North Rim is the Trans-Canyon Shuttle. 4 ½ hours EACH WAY. Pickup at South Rim at 1:30 and pickup and North Rim at 7am. Runs May-October. Cost is $85 per-person one-way. http://www.trans-canyonshuttle.com/

• Train: Grand Canyon Railway (http://www.thetrain.com ) runs between Williams and South Rim. Normally 75$ round trip for coach, 140$ for first class, and 170$ for the observation dome (not including fees, taxes, or park entry cost.) You can also take the Amtrak from the east or west to get to Flagstaff or Williams. The Williams(junction) station is out in the middle of nowhere, and the Amtrak shuttle will come and get you and deliver you to the main station downtown where you could make a transfer to the train that goes up to the Canyon. I know that coming from the east you'll arrive late at night and would need a hotel/couch to stay in because the Grand Canyon Railroad runs in the morning. In winter you should be prepared to sit out in the dark, in the snow, in the forest, by yourself, while waiting for the shuttle to arrive. More info at http://www.amtrak.com/southwest-chief-train

• Rental cars: Flagstaff has a variety of places to rent a car. Pick and choose. Williams has a small business that rents cars as a side business. It is on the north end of the main drag on the left hand side, I’m not sure what the name is. There are no places to rent cars at Grand Canyon.

• Airplane: Grand Canyon does have a small airport. Prices vary for flights but tend to be expensive. I think you can currently fly from the Las Vegas area only.

• Hitchhiking: As always, hitching a ride can be hit or miss. Expect to start early to catch a ride up/down as many people leave first thing from Flag/Williams/South Rim. As always, your safety is your own responsibility. I've saw on another CS post that a good place to hitch a ride from Flagstaff to South Rim is the last Shell station on the way out of town on AZ180. Weather is harsh, and visitation drops drastically during the winter months. If you plan to hitch a ride during winter be prepared to stand in sub 32F/0C weather while waiting.

Travel within the park (South Rim)

• Shuttle Bus: The Park has a very good free shuttle service that will get you around Tusayan and the South Rim developed area. Here’s the map and other info (http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/shuttle-buses.htm ). There are no NPS shuttles to/from North Rim, although I think

• Taxi: Xanterra (park concessionaire) runs a taxi service within Tusayan and the park. 928-638-2822

Communications

- Updated 3/1/13 

Cell phones: DO NOT ASSUME THAT CALLING 911 WILL WORK:

IF you have cell signal and IF your call connects your call may be answered by dispatchers as far away as Kanab (Southern Utah) or Flagstaff (Northern Arizona) depending on what cell tower your call connects through. E911 and location aware 911 services may not be available, so don’t expect the dispatcher to be able to find out where you are. The park is a big place, telling the dispatcher that “I’m lost at Grand Canyon” (1902 square miles) is about as useful as saying that you’re lost in the state of Rhode Island (1545 square miles)

Assume your cell phone WILL NOT WORK!. Ignore your carrier’s coverage map for the area (and for most of Northern Arizona). The maps have little to no connection to the real world usable cell signal.

• Below the rim: No cell carrier works in the canyon/below the rim. You might get a spot here or there where you have service, but assume that your cell phone will be nothing but a brick once you start hiking.

• Above the rim (South Rim): Do you have Verizon? If so you can assume that you’ll have basic cell coverage at most developed areas above the rim. Any other carriers (T-Mobile, AT&T, Qwest, etc) should assume that you won’t have service. There are spots here and there where you can get signal, but they are not reliable.

• Above the rim (North Rim): Do you have Verizon? If so, you should have cell service in most of N. Rim village. If you have any other carrier the only place you MIGHT find service is at the North Rim lodge patio facing South Rim. I think that there is also a Verizon signal booster set up at the lodge, but don’t count on it to work.

Internet:

The hotels and lodges at the park tend to have Wi-Fi in public spaces. As far as I know there is no in room internet access anywhere at South Rim.

Known locations within the park for free Wi-Fi:

• Park Headquarters courtyard/lobby (free public computer also available in library off of courtyard)

• El Tovar Lodge lobby.

Payphones:

Payphones in the park are located at Mather Campground and Market Plaza. There are also rumors of plans to install courtesy phones throughout the park that provide free local calls, or allow long distance calls collect or with a calling card, there are no firm plans or implementation timelines currently. There may still be a few payphones in Tusayan (the small town outside of South Rim Village.) There will be (Estimated late 2014) a payphone at the South Kaibab trailhead for hikers to call their rides.

Satellite Phones:

Satellite phones do work in some places in the canyon, but not all. It’s hit or miss whether you can get connection on them from inside the canyon. When you do it tends to be really short (<2min) because you lose satellite coverage again.

Radios:

The park staff uses radios as their primary means of communication within the canyon. Reception is hit or miss in most locations. Walkie-talkies and other personal radios may work over short distances but will not help when deep in the canyon. Many tourists use walkie-talkies to communicate above the rim, so be prepared for lots of chatter on every single channel if you plan to use them.

Emergency locator beacons: SPOT or other emergency beacons don’t work everywhere in the canyon, but they can be a lifesaver. If you’re going into the backcountry I recommend taking one along.

Food and Dining

- Updated 3/1/13

Groceries:

The South Rim of the park has two grocery stores. One at Market Plaza near Park Headquarters within the park, and one on the West side of the road in Tusayan. Expect low quality produce, limited selection, and high prices (expect to pay at least double).

If you’re coming through Flagstaff or Williams stop and buy food there.

• Williams has a Safeway at the southern end of the main drag (about 10 min from I-40) 637 W. Route 66 Williams, AZ 86046
• Flagstaff has a Bashas’ just off of Fort Valley Road/Highway 180 at the top of Humphreys.

1000 North Humphreys St. Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 774-2101

• Lots of other grocery stores in Flag, this Bashas’ is just convenient if you’re headed North on 180.

Dining at the park/Tusayan:

Expect food to be expensive (double normal costs) and not very good. There are a few places with good food, but no places with cheap food. Here are a couple of places that the locals actually eat at.

• The El Tovar: Very Expensive, but good. Breakfast lunch and dinner.
• The Arizona Room: Casual, tasty, not much else to say. Lunch and dinner.
• Bright Angel restaurant: Similar to Arizona room.
• We Cook Pizza and Pasta: Good pizza and wings. Salad bar. West side of the road near the end of Tusayan when headed towards the park.
• Plaza Bonita: Mexican in Tusayan. East side of the road. Not amazing, but good compared to what else is up here.
• McDonalds: Tusayan, west side of road. No dollar menu. Super expensive for a McDonalds.
• Wendy’s: Tusayan, east side of street, across from the McDonalds.

A more complete, listing of food options is available at http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/wheretoeat.htm

Hiking

Hiking above the rim:

The Rim Trail is the only primary trail above the rim. It runs along the rim from the South Kaibab trailhead to Hermits rest. Total length is around 13 miles. You can catch the shuttle at either end of the trail, or at a large number of spots along the way. Calling this a “trail” is a bit of a misnomer. It’s mostly paved, large portions are handicap accessible, and portions pass through developed areas like Mather point and lodge strip. It’s got some elevation change, but overall is flat compared to any hike into the canyon.

Hiking below the rim:

Below is a safety rant from a local. Please, take it into account when thinking about doing ANYTHING at the canyon, not just hiking in.

I really, really, really, hate watching my friends and coworkers at the canyon make call after call to families that their child, brother, sister, parent or grandparent has broken a leg, fallen off a cliff, broken their back, become lost in the backcountry, suffered from heatstroke, or died. I also hate to see my friends come home after a day at work and break down crying because they spent their afternoon picking up what’s left of some poor tourist’s body after they fell off the rim. It’s not fun for us, and it sure as hell ruins your vacation.

Please, for the love of whatever drives you don’t push yourself, and don’t be an idiot. The canyon is not the place to find out if that occasional chest pain is a heart problem or indigestion, or if the occasional shortness of breath is really that serious. If you don’t KNOW that fully prepared to do something then DON’T DO IT. If you do KNOW that you’re fully prepared take a step back and see what you missed, because you really don’t want to miss something simple and end up dead.

Hiking at the canyon is difficult. The terrain is extreme, you’re at 7000ft elevation, the relative humidity levels spend most of the time below 10%, and temperatures easily exceed 100 degrees from April through October. Distances are deceptive here, and the hike to Indian Gardens (3.2 miles one way) still seriously injures and kills people. If it’s your first time hiking at the canyon over prepare, and stick to the main “Corridor” trails like the South Kaibab and the Bright Angel. Yes, there will be more people there than in the backcountry, but compared to the hordes above the rim you’ll be in sparse company. This is the tradeoff you make for safety. There are more rangers on the trail to help in an emergency, and there are more people there to carry out a message for help if you need it.

I hope this means something to you when you read it. As a traveler, a CSer, a local, and a viewer of gruesome incidents and ruined lives, please, be safe while you enjoy the Canyon.

Now that that’s done with, to the trails.

Corridor trails:

The Corridor zone is the most developed area within the canyon. This is not to say that there is a lot there, but instead that there is safe drinking water, toilets, emergency phones and a few ranger stations. If this is your first time hiking into the canyon, this is where you should go.

• Bright Angel trail

(South Rim to Phantom Ranch):

The Bright Angel trail heads from South Rim down a side canyon, through Indian Gardens, down to the Colorado river, along the river, and eventually to Bright Angel Campground at Phantom Ranch. Total distance from Rim to Bright Angel campground is 9.5 miles(15.3km). Water is usually available at 1.5 and 3 mile resthouses and at Indian Garden but check before hiking because the pipeline does break, and water is shut off during the winter.

For those looking for a strenuous day hike in and out of the canyon consider a hike to Indian Garden and then back. Budget 10 hours, not including any time spent at Indian Garden for the round trip hike. Also note that during most of the year it will be too hot to hike during most of the day, so consider an early hike in, with rest and a picnic during the day, with a hike out once it has cooled down.

This is my favorite Corridor trail, partially because it offers a huge change in scenery and environment over a relatively short distance. The change from the Rim Pinion Juniper to the stark desert to the lush greenery and towering cottonwoods of Indian garden gives an amazing view into just how diverse the canyon is.

Continuing past Indian Garden you hike along the bright angel creek and eventually come to the Colorado river resthouse. From there the trail becomes sandy as you walk along the river and cross the metal bridge over to Bright Angel campground and phantom Ranch.

Figure 6-10 hours to hike ONE WAY to Phantom Ranch. Backcountry permits are needed to camp inside the canyon. So make sure you get all of that taken care of ahead of time.

• South Kaibab trail

(South Rim to Phantom Ranch):

The South Kaibab trail goes from South Rim to Phantom Ranch. It is a shorter trail (7 miles) than the Bright Angel, but a much more severe one. There is no water available on the trail. There is also very little shade or shelter from the elements. The trail runs along a ridge before dropping down into the canyon along switchbacks. The trail is not any steeper than the Bright Angel, but the grade is nearly constant from the time you start to the river.

Day hikes include the Rim to Cedar ridge(3 miles round trip) or the rim to Skeleton Point(6 miles round trip). This trail is fully exposed, so bring extra water, food, and sun protection. Figure 6-9 hours ONE WAY to phantom Ranch. Backcountry permits are needed to camp inside the canyon. So make sure you get all of that taken care of ahead of time. More hiking info:

List of suggested day hikes. http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/day-hiking.htm

Primary Backcountry page http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/backcountry.htm

Lodging and Camping

South Rim Hotels\Lodges:

South rim has a number of hotels and lodges. However, during the summer it often happens that EVERY room available is booked. Booking in advance is strongly suggested. This is a quick list compiled from the NPS and Xanterra websites. Just as a heads up to budget travelers, the chance of finding any hotel room for <100$/night is slim to none. The park is not a budget friendly place for hotels. Look at camping during warmer months if traveling on a budget.

Hotels in the park: http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/lodging-overview-411.html

The cheapest rooms in the park start at 94$ before taxes and fees. Rates go all the way up over 300 depending on the location and amenities. Base prices are listed on the site linked above, but change from day to day. Use the website as a MINIMUM the room will cost, expect higher.

• El Tovar

• Bright Angel

• Kachina Lodge

• Thunderbird Lodge

• Maswick Lodge

• Yavapai Lodge

• Trailer Village – Parking for trailers and RVs.

Hotels outside of the park:

This list is directly off of the Grand Canyon lodging page, and may not be fully up to date. These hotels are in Tusayan, about 7 miles outside of the park. Rates vary depending on hotel, room, and season. None will be cheap.

• Grand Canyon Squire Inn (928) 638-2681

• Grand Canyon Suites (928) 638-3100

• Holiday Inn Express (928) 638-3000

• Quality Inn (928) 638-2673

• Red Feather Lodge (928) 638-2414

• Seven Mile Lodge (928) 638-2291

• The Grand Hotel (928) 638-3333

Hostels:

The closest hostels to the park are Williams and Flagstaff.

Grand Canyon Hotel 66 miles from Grand Canyon. 145 W Route 66 Williams, AZ (928) 635-1419 http://www.thegrandcanyonhotel.com

Grand Canyon International Hostel/DeBeau Hostel 80 miles from Grand Canyon (888) 442-2696 or (928) 779-9421 [email protected] http://www.grandcanyonhostel.com 19 1/2 South San Francisco Street Flagstaff, AZ

Camping: http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/cg-sr.htm

Mather Campground - South Rim Village(inside the park): 300+ sites. Open year round. Tent and RV sites. Pets are OK but must be kept on leash No open campfires, but each campsite has a fire ring and attached grill. Wood will need to be brought in from outside the park or purchased at the general store. You are not allowed to collect anything to burn inside the park. Pay showers and Laundry. 18$ a night.

The General Store located near Mather Campground rents camping gear. More info is available at www.dncdestinations.com/Grand-Canynon

Desert View campground – Desert Vie(inside the park) 50 sites 12$ night 26 Miles from South Rim Village, still within the park.

Ten-X Campground - 10 miles from South Rim Village(outside of park) 10$ night Open may through September 30th. Some sites are first come first served, others are available on recreation.gov or reserveamerica.com

The North Rim

- Updated ???? 

North Rim is CLOSED for winter from Mid-October to Mid-May.

Transportation: While North rim is only 10 miles away from South Rim in a straight line driving from South to North rim takes around 4.5 hours.

Personal vehicle: The 7 day pass from South Rim will also get you into North Rim. Personal vehicle – 25$ cost per car. Motorcycle: 12$/per person.

Airplane: Closest cities with airports, in order of distance are: Saint George, UT – 150 miles Flagstaff, AZ – 210 Miles Grand Canyon village, AZ (South Rim) – 215 miles Las Vegas, NV – 270 miles Phoenix, AZ - 350 miles Salt Lake City, UT - 400 miles

Lodging: During the season both traditional lodging and camping are available both inside and outside of Grand Canyon National Park at North Rim.

• Lodges/Hotels:

It is common for ALL of the lodging at North Rim to be booked. Make sure to make reservations as early as possible.

• Park Lodges: Lodges inside the park on North Rim are maintained by Forever Resorts. Within the park are Cabins, and motel rooms. The basic cabins start at around 130$ a night, not including taxes or fees. More info is available at http://grandcanyonforever.com/lodging/

• Jacob Lake Inn: The Jacob lake inn is roughly 45 minutes from North Rim. They offer cabins and standard rooms. They also have a gift shop, diner, and REALLY good cookies. Many park employees and locals stop here on the way to/from North Rim to grab a couple cookies. Really, I can’t emphasize how awesome their cookies are. http://www.jacoblake.com (928) 643-7232

• Kaibab Lodge: Kaibab lodge is around 18 miles from the north rim. It is open from May until November 2nd. It has cabins as well as a gas and diesel, and also serves breakfast and dinner. 928-638-2389.

• Campgrounds:

North Rim campground (inside the park): Tent and RV spaces Pay laundry and showers Reservations at (877) 444-6777 or http://www.recreation.gov/ 18$-25$ per night

Kaibab village(outside the park): 45 miles from North Rim Open mid May through mid October RV hookups (928) 643-7804 or 1-800-525-0924.

Jacob Lake campground 45 miles from North Rim US Forest Service campground No reservations, first come, first served. 51 campsites 17$ for the first vehicle, 8$ for an additional vehicle. Open mid May through mid October

Food/dining:

Not many options on North rim. Here is the list directly from the NPS website. http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/wheretoeat.htm#CP_JUMP_117770

In the Park - Visitor lodging and food services open mid-May through mid-October

• Grand Canyon Lodge Dining Room - Located on the rim. Open daily for breakfast (6:30am to 10am) lunch (11:30am to 2:30pm) dinner (4:45 to 9:45pm) Reservations are required for dinner - call (928) 638-2611.

• Grand Cookout Experience - a fun, nightly, cook-out style meal in a delightful setting 'under the stars', a short distance from the main lodge.

• Roughrider Saloon - Located in the Grand Canyon Lodge complex. Open 11:30am to 11pm daily. Open for gourmet coffee and pastries 5:30am to 10:30am daily.

• Deli in the Pines - Located in the Grand Canyon Lodge complex. Open 7:00 am to 8:00 pm daily.

• Camper Store - Has groceries, camping supplies, clothing and gifts. Located adjacent to the campground. Open 7:00am to 7:00pm daily. Outside the Park

• Kaibab Lodge Restaurant - (928) 638-2389 - 18 miles/29 km north

• North Rim Country Store - (928) 638-2383 - 18 miles/29 km north

• Jacob Lake Inn - (928) 643-7232 - 45 miles/72 km north (Cosmo’s note: REALLY GOOD COOKIES)

Hiking on North Rim:

From the Grand Canyon official website. http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/day-hiking.htm

North Rim Day Hikes: (sorted by length)

• Roosevelt Point Trail: 0.2 mi. / 0.3 km round-trip; 20 minutes approximate round-trip hiking time. This trail is a short, secluded woodland loop with spectacular views. Offers benches for relaxed enjoyment of the canyon.

• Bright Angel Point Trail: 0.5 mi. / 0.8 km round-trip; 30 minutes approximate round-trip hiking time. A short walk on a paved trail to a spectacular view of the canyon. The trail begins at the log shelter in the parking area by the visitor center or at the corner of the back porch behind the lodge. Self-guiding nature trail pamphlets are available from a box along the trail.

• Cliff Springs Trail: 1.0 mi. / 1.6 km round-trip; 1 hour approximate round-trip hiking time. Meanders down a forested ravine and ends where a chest-high boulder rests under a large overhang. The spring is on the cliff side of the boulder. Please do not drink the water as it may be contaminated. Trail begins directly across the road from a small pullout on a curve 0.3 miles / 0.5 km down the road from Cape Royal.

• Bridle Trail: This trail follows the road as it connects the Grand Canyon Lodge with the North Kaibab Trailhead, a distance of 1.2 miles / 2 km one-way. Pets on leash and bicycles are permitted on this hard-packed trail.

• Transept Trail: 3.0 mi. / 4.8 km round-trip; 1.5 hours approximate round-trip hiking time. Follows the canyon rim from Grand Canyon Lodge to the North Rim Campground.

• Cape Final Trail: 4.0 mi. / 6.4 km round-trip; 2 hours approximate round-trip hiking time. A 2-mile walk from dirt parking area to Cape Final. This trail offers a view of the canyon.

• Point Imperial Trail: 4.0 mi. / 6.4 km round-trip; 2 hours approximate round-trip hiking time. This easy trail passes through areas burned by the 2000 Outlet Fire and ends at the north park boundary. From there connections are possible to the Nankoweap Trail and U.S. Forest Service roads.

• Uncle Jim Trail: 5.0 mi. / 8.0 km round-trip; 3 hours approximate round-trip hiking time. Winds through the forest to a point overlooking the canyon and the North Kaibab Trail switchbacks. Begins at the North Kaibab Trail parking lot. This trail is also used by mules.

• Cape Royal Trail: 0.6 mi. / 1.0 km round-trip; 30 minutes approximate round-trip hiking time. An easy walk on a flat, paved trail providing views of the canyon, Angels Window, and the Colorado River. Markers along the trail interpret the area's natural history. Trail begins at the southeast side of the Cape Royal parking area.

• Ken Patrick Trail: 10 mi. / 16 km one-way; 6 hours approximate one-way hiking time. Winds through the forest and along the rim from Point Imperial to the North Kaibab Trail parking area.

• Widforss Trail: 10 mi. / 16 km round-trip; 6 hours approximate round-trip hiking time. Blends forest and canyon scenery. Even a short walk can be very satisfying. Take the dirt road 1/4 mile/0.4 km south of Cape Royal Road for 1 mile / 1.6 km to the Widforss Trail parking area. Self-guiding trail brochure available at trailhead.

• Arizona Trail: The Arizona Trail is an ambitious project that traverses the length of Arizona from the Utah border to Mexico. A section of this trail enters the park near the North Entrance and roughly parallels the highway until it connects with the North Kaibab Trail, a distance of approximately 10 miles / 16 km.

• North Kaibab Trail: Distance and hiking times vary. This is the only maintained trail into the canyon from the North Rim. Even a short hike to Coconino Overlook (1.5 miles / 2.4 km round-trip) or Supai Tunnel (4 miles / 6.5 km round-trip) can give you an appreciation for the canyon's rich natural beauty and immense size. A hike to Roaring Springs and back is extremely strenuous and takes a full day (7-8 hours) - begin your hike before 7 a.m. Roaring Springs lies 3,050 feet / 930 m below the canyon rim and is 9.4 miles / 15 km round-trip. A day hike beyond Roaring Springs is not recommended. Many years of experience have shown that hikers who proceed beyond this point during the hottest parts of the day have a much greater probability of suffering from heat-related illness, injury, or death. This trail is also used by mules. NOTE: Round trip to the Colorado River is 28 miles / 45 km and trail descends almost 6,000 ft. / 1,800 m. Under no circumstances should you attempt to hike from the rim to the river and back in one day! Do not hike during the hottest part of the day.