General Information

South Rim visitor services and facilities are open all year. During the winter South Rim trails into the canyon are open; however, they can be dangerously icy from November through April. Trail conditions should be verified at the Backcountry Information Center or at Grand Canyon Visitor Center. Hikers are advised not to hike from the rim to the river and back in one day. If you attempt to do so, you may find yourself stranded overnight, or at the very least, exhausted. Since nights are cool even in summer, pack warm clothing. However, be prepared for high daytime summer temperatures within the canyon. The area also is subject to monsoon weather with dangerous lightning in July and August.

Maps, trail descriptions, lists of ranger-led activities, seasonal information and shuttle schedules are available at all entrance stations as well as at visitor centers and local hotels.

Grand Canyon Camping Tips

Backpacking anywhere in the park or camping below the canyon rim requires a permit from the Backcountry Information Center, Permits Office, 1824 S. Thompson St., Suite 201, Flagstaff, AZ 86001. Permit requests and backcountry camping reservations are accepted by mail, fax or in person up to 4 months in advance. A limited number of last minute walk-up permits are available at the South Rim and/or North Rim Backcountry Information Center for Corridor Campgrounds (Havasupai Gardens, Bright Angel and Cottonwood campgrounds). These permits are issued in person only, are for one or two consecutive nights and cannot be purchased more than one day prior to the start of a hike. For more information phone (928) 638-7875, Mon.-Fri. 8-noon and 1-5 or fax (928) 638-2125.

Six campgrounds are inside the park (three in the River Corridor, Mather, Desert View and North Rim), and there are several located outside the park and in the adjacent national forests. There is only one RV campground within the park with full hook-ups, which is in Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim. Desert View Campground, on the South Rim of the park and 25 miles to the east of Grand Canyon Village, is first-come, first-served only. No reservations are accepted. The campground is open seasonally, May through mid-October. Reservations for National Park Service-operated campgrounds on the North and South rims can be made up to 6 months in advance by phoning (877) 444-6777 or TTY (877) 833-6777.

How to Get Around

Trans-Canyon Shuttle provides one-way and round-trip van transportation between the canyon's two rims. From mid-May to mid-October the 4.5-hour shuttle ride departs the North Rim at 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. and the South Rim at 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. From mid-October to mid-November, the shuttle departs the South Rim at 8 a.m. and the North Rim at 2 p.m. Shuttle service also is available from the South Rim to Marble Canyon. Reservations are required; phone (928) 638-2820 for information and reservations.

Flagstaff Shuttle, Charter and Tours offers transportation to and from the park and its environs from Sedona, Flagstaff and Phoenix. Fare does not include admission to Grand Canyon National Park. Prices may vary; phone (888) 215-3105 for information and reservations.

Buses departing from Yavapai Lodge, Maswik Lodge and Bright Angel Lodge & Cabins take visitors on a variety of sightseeing tours and are a good option for group travel.

For bus tour information and advance reservations, contact Xanterra Parks & Resorts at (888) 297-2757. For same-day reservations, phone (928) 638-2631.

Flightseeing tours are offered from the airport south of Tusayan and from several nearby cities, including Page, Phoenix, Sedona, Williams and Las Vegas, Nev.

Another way to glimpse the Grand Canyon from overlooks is on a four-wheel-drive tour. These back-road sightseeing trips through the Kaibab National Forest are led by guides well versed in the ecology of the canyon, its history, wildlife and legends. Contact Grand Canyon Jeep Tours & Safaris at (928) 638-5337 or (800) 320-5337.

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