Cross-Country Travel: Quick Grand Canyon Trip
The Grand Canyon is an iconic American attraction. There are all kinds of places to explore. However, many of our visits to the Grand Canyon have been quick stops on our cross country trips. It is possible to set aside a half day and see a great deal of what the Grand Canyon offers. This is our guide to a Quick Grand Canyon Trip.
Our most recent trip to Grand Canyon National Park was during our April 2019 cross country trip. You can see the full itinerary of that day that also included a stop at Cameron Trading Post, Monument Valley and Four Corners.
Jump Ahead To
Getting There
We were driving west to east so we exited the I-40 interstate in Williams, Arizona. Williams is a small tourist town that is a prime gateway to the Grand Canyon. In the center of town is a train station that takes you to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, 54 miles to the north. It is a straight drive up the 64. You should allow for 90 minutes.
When going east to west generally we get off the I-40 at Flagstaff Arizona. From Flagstaff you have 2 options: 1) you can take the 180 northwest to the 64 and the south entrance or 2) you can take the 89-due north to the 64 at the Cameron Trading Post and come in via the east entrance.
Both options will get you to the Grand Canyon in about 80 miles or under 2 hours. However, option 1 will have you enter the park at the visitor’s center. Option 2 has you enter the park at Desert View Watchtower. This is on the east end of the park about 25 miles from the visitor’s center and Grand Canyon Village.
On our most recent trip we did not stop at the Desert View Watchtower. However, this 70-foot tower, built in 1932, is an iconic Grand Canyon spot with great views.
The advantage of going the longer route of option 2 is that it only adds about half an hour and you get to drive along the rim of the Grand Canyon. You can also stop at the iconic Cameron Trading Post. Unless we are in a hurry, we always pick this option.
Cost
The costs of entering Grand Canyon National Park is a flat $35 for each vehicle ($30 for a motorcycle). This gets you access for 7 straight days. For $70 you can buy an annual pass. The National Park system is relatively inexpensive, even if you are only visiting for a few hours this is a bargain attraction.
If you are planning on visiting multiple national parks on a trip we strongly recommend the annual America the Beautiful National Park Pass. For $80 a year this allows entrance to most national parks for a year (exceptions include places like Alcatraz). Most national parks charge per vehicle so pretty much an entire family (or however many people you can jam into your car or RV) can get in on one pass. Note U.S. Military get in for free and people over the age of 62 get a lifetime pass for $80. If you are lucky to have a fourth grader you can get a free pass that works for the entire family.
Grand Canyon National Park Headquarters
Either way you enter, many of the main services/attractions at Grand Canyon National Park are located near the Visitor’s Center and Grand Canyon Village. The Grand Canyon is over 250 miles long with all kinds of places to explore. However, the South Rim area is relatively compact, and you can see many of the sites in a few hours.
We refer to this general area as the Grand Canyon National Park Headquarters. It runs for about 2 miles along the canyon. Usually we find parking near the visitor’s center. However, if it is crowded there is a shuttle that takes you between the visitor’s center and the older Grand Canyon Village area about 2 miles away.
Our quick Grand Canyon Trip involves walking the Rim Trail from the Visitor’s Center/Mather’s Point to Grand Canyon Village and taking the shuttle back to the start.
Main Visitor’s Center
The main Grand Canyon Visitor’s Center opened in 2000. Over the past decade there have been major improvements to improve traffic flow and increase parking. On an April Saturday in 2019 we had no trouble finding parking at 10 AM.
The visitor’s center has all kinds of exhibits and activities. However, we were doing a short visit so we did not linger. We headed directly to Mather’s Point and the Rim Trail.
Rim Trail
As its name suggests, the Rim Trail runs directly along the rim of the Grand Canyon. It is a 13-mile mostly flat paved trail. We walked the 3-miles of the trail from Mather Point to Grand Canyon Village.
Mather Point
From the visitor center, Mather Point is the first observation point of the canyon. Mather Point is an observation point where you can look directly into the one-mile deep Grand Canyon. If you were on a really short trip, like the one portrayed in National Lampoon’s Vacation, this is where you would look at the canyon and hop back in the car.
Mather Point can be crowded, but the good news is that there will be plenty of chances to get views as you head down the Rim Trail.
From Mather Point it is a short distance to Yavapai Point which has both great views and a museum.
Yavapai Point and Geological Museum
Yavapai Museum of Geology provides wonderful views of the Grand Canyon along with a detailed history of the geology of the canyon. The north side of the building, which was built in 1928, has a huge window that allows you to observe the canyon features.
Yavapai and Mather Point are very close to the main Visitor’s Center. Even if you are very short of time you should stop at both these places.
If you have an extra hour or two you should continue down the Rim Trail towards Grand Canyon Village Historic District. Right past the Yavapai Museum of Geology the Rim Trail merges with the Trail of Time.
Trail of Time
The Trail of Time is an interpretive walk along the rim that opened in 2010. The goal is to provide a sense of how long millions and billions of years are compared to human time.
For the first 100 meters of the trail there are markets every meter that represent one year. From there each meter represents 1,000 years until you get to a million years. After that point, each meter is 1 million years. After 2,000 meters (2 billion years) you reach Grand Canyon Village.
Along the Trail of Time there are rocks from each period of time. Go here for a full guide to our walk along the Rim Trail and the Trail of Time.
Grand Canyon Village Historic District
The Grand Canyon Village Historic District has buildings going back to the early 20th century and is home to many historic buildings. Of course, it also has some of the best views in the park.
Verkamp’s Visitor Center
The Verkamp family opened a gift shop in this building in 1906. They specialized in Native American items and we have bought some jewelry here. In 2008 they decided not to renew their lease and the National Park took it over. Today it is a visitor’s center and bookstore.
Hopi House
The Hopi House opened as a gift shop in 1905. It was built in the adobe style of the Hopi. You can buy many authentic Native American arts and crafts here.
El Tovar
The El Tovar is a classic hotel that opened in 1905. President Theodore Roosevelt was instrumental in getting the hotel built (as well as establishing the National Park). He was one of the first of many famous people that have stayed at the El Tovar. The El Tovar also has a restaurant. The hotel is right on the rim of the canyon so the views are spectacular.
Bright Angel Lodge
The Bright Angel Lodge was built in 1935 as a lower priced alternative to the El Tovar. Today it is a hub of activity in Grand Canyon Village. There are several restaurants, bars and coffee shops.
Bucky O’Neill Cabin
The Bucky O’Neill Cabin is the oldest building i=on the South Rim. It was built in 1890 and today is part of the Bright Angel Lodge. The Bucky O’Neill Cabin, along with the Red Horse Cabin can be booked for an overnight stay.
Lookout Studios
Lookout Studio was built in 1914 on the edge of the South Rim. It is a gift shop but is best known for its spectacular views.
Kolb Brothers Studio
The Kolb brothers built this in 1904 as a photography studio. It sits on the rim and has art exhibits, a book store and offers regular lectures.
Bright Angel Trail
Bright Angel Trail is the iconic hike down to the Colorado River, 4,000 feet below. You can definitely not do this hike on a quick trip. However, it is worth walking at least part way down the trail.
The trail starts right next to Kolb Studio. It is about 8-miles down to the Colorado. Of course, you then need to hike 8-miles back uphill.
If you have three hours or so and want to do a hike into the canyon you can hike to the 1.5 mile rest house. This goes down about 1,000 feet into the canyon. The 3-mile rest house is 2,000 feet down.
When you look down into the Grand Canyon you can spot these rest stops and get a scope of how massive the canyon is. There are also spots where you can just barely make out the Bright Angel Bridge across the Colorado River. Bright Angel Trail ends at the bridge.
Beyond Hopi’s Point and Hermit’s Rest
From the start of Bright Angel Trail we took the shuttle back to the Visitor’s Center. However, you can continue down the Rim Trail. There are more multiple overlooks and at Hermit’s Rest there is another trail going down into the canyon.
There is also a shuttle bus that will take you out to Hermit’s Rest. This is a 1914 cabin that today is a gift shop. The trail into the canyon from here is considered more difficult than Bright Angel Trail.
Of course, the Grand Canyon makes a wonderful vacation destination. However, if you are driving across country on interstate 40 you can stop here for just a few hours and see much of what the park offers.
It should also be stressed that Grand Canyon National Park is well-suited for all ages and physical abilities. The area around the Visitor’s Center and Village is flat and accessible. Unless you climb out on the rocks there is really no danger of falling.
For our complete hike on the Rim Trail check out this guide.
On a final note, we have had some questions about other parts of the Grand Canyon, namely the North Rim and the Skywalk Bridge. Both of these areas are hours away from the South Rim. The North Rim is only 10 miles across the canyon, but it is a 200-mile drive around the canyon. The Skywalk Bridge, which opened in 2007, actually part of the West Rim and is operated by the Hualapai tribe.
For a more detailed look at our hike on the Grand Canyon Rim Trail and Trail of Time go here.
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