The vast, magnificent Grand Canyon in Arizona needs no introduction. This 277 miles long Grand Canyon is the United States’ one of the most visited national parks. It’s not a matter of how much time you have; we can enjoy the adventure in plenty of ways. The three-day itinerary in Canyon covers all the must-see stops and gives us an unforgettable experience.
The West Rim and South Rim are open all year round, weather permitting. The North Rim is generally closed in winter. We can access the North Rim and South Rim from opposite sides of the canyon. But most people visit the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.
Everyone should see Arizona’s this most distinguishable landmark at least once in their life. Here are the top ten things to do in Grand Canyon that help us maximize our time and make the trip more relaxing and fun.
10 Rim Trail
Rim Trail is a 13-mile paved trail along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park. We can enjoy spectacular views here without the switchbacks. The trail’s full length will take us from Hermit’s Rest, over the main path of the Grand Canyon Village, to the South Kaibab Trailhead.
It is perfect for hiking or biking. As we walk this hiking trail, we can see Hermit Road’s stunning views and near Grand Canyon Village. It offers a scenic walk with a mix of shade from scattered trees and sun.
This easy walking path also traces the canyon’s edge. Moreover, most people stopping off at favorite lookout points like Mohave Point, Maricopa Point, Powell Point, Hopi Point, and Pima Point. There is no water along this trail.
9 Helicopter Flight over the Grand Canyon
A helicopter trip over the canyon is the other best way to experience the Grand Canyon’s stunning beauty and awe-inspiring views. Over a half-million visitors take this air tour each year. It affords to soar out over the abyss that gives a bird’s eye view of the Grand Canyon.
Helicopter trips are available over the Las Vegas Strip as well as the Grand Canyon’s South, North, and West Rims. Most of these helicopter trips either leave from the Grand Canyon Airport in Tusayan or Las Vegas, Nevada, or Sedona, Arizona.
We can enjoy over the Dragon Corridor through this air tour, which is the most expansive and most profound section of the canyon. We can also see many other key attractions. Each flight may vary in price and length.
8 Colorado River Rafting
One of the most exciting ways to see the Grand Canyon’s majesty is to float from a raft on the Colorado River. Colorado River Rafting offers the world’s some of the most breathtaking river vacations. Rafters will see the rock layers on the rugged canyon walls.
Additionally, we can choose either one or 2-day trips. In 1-day trips, we can enjoy a 12-mile journey through whitewater rapids and a lunch at Travertine Cavern Falls with a smooth water ride. The two-day trips also provide the same path on day one, but we will camp at Spencer Canyon that night.
We need to encounter some rough waves and white water here, and perhaps some rocks. Visitors can get a leisurely ride on power pontoon boats on day two as a guide narrates.
7 Havasu Falls
Have you ever seen crystal blue waterfalls? Havasu Falls is one of the gorgeous waterfalls in the Grand Canyon. This remarkable fall is a desert oasis, complete with deep blue water. Additionally, we can find the travertine formations of underlying cliffs that offered the red cliffs an exposed cave-like quality.
But we can’t reach here easily. It is a paradise and exotic destination for those who love hiking.
Additionally, It attracts over six million visitors every year. The fall is a part of the Havasupai Indian Reservation. Moreover, the view from this 100-foot waterfall is priceless. People viewed it as heaven on earth.
The calcium carbonate and magnesium deposits within Havasu Creek gave turquoise blue color for water. It is also forming travertine dams. We can relax beneath the towering cottonwood trees before we start our trek back up the trail. Additionally, it allows swimming to a rocky shelter behind the waterfalls.
6 Desert View Watchtower
We can enjoy a sweeping panoramic Grand Canyon view from this historic Desert View Watchtower. Mary Colter, the genius Grand Canyon architect, designed the unusual Ancestral Puebloan-style Desert View Watchtower in 1932.
Moreover, we can Climb 85 steps to the top of the tower for a 360° view. A local Hopi artist, Fred Kabotie, painted the murals inside this 70-foot-high stone building. It also provides magnificent vistas of the Canyon, the San Francisco Peaks, and the Colorado River.
Additionally, we can see the incredible Painted Desert from its roof-top observation points. The Desert View Watchtower also boasts a gift shop, Native American petroglyphs’ recreations, and Hopi weaving demonstrations. Tourists will have expansive canyon views in the Kiva Room through large windows.
5 Bright Angel Trail
The most popular hiking trail in the Grand Canyon National Park is the Bright Angel Trail, which departs from the right in the Grand Canyon Village. It is easily accessible, and this trail ends at the Plateau Point for some great views of the Colorado River.
Most people choose to walk down this long trail only a short distance to get them a feel for the hike. Here people can get convenient access below the rim. This 9.9 miles long trail also provides dramatic views of the Inner Canyon.
Here are some shorter day hike options such as 1.5 Mile Resthouse, 3 Mile Resthouse, Indian Garden, Plateau Point. Most of the severe hikers select to go to the Indian Garden Campground. We can also find a nearby spur trail to Plateau Point for the park’s finest Inner Canyon viewpoints.
4 South Kaibab Trail
If you’ve chosen to explore the South Rim, the South Kaibab Trail is the area’s premier hike. This most famous starting point for Grand Canyon adventures ends at the Colorado River. We can experience expansive and jaw-dropping views of the Grand Canyon here.
This trail alone is 7.1 miles long. There are no treated water sources between the two points. If you’re day hiking, we can choose the 1.5-mile hike to Ooh-Aah Point. Other day hike ideas for this trail are Skeleton Point and Cedar Bridge.
The views of the South Kaibab Trail are much better than the Bright Angel Trail. We can take a shuttle bus to get here. So, it tends to be a little bit less crowded. The trail is rough during the summer months. We will get to enjoy some of the best views in the park during the spring or fall.
3 Grand Canyon Railway
If we plan a trip to the Grand Canyon, we will want to check out the unforgettable Grand Canyon Railway. Our nostalgic ride will take us from Williams, Arizona, to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. In 1901, it made its first paid passenger journey to the South Rim.
Additionally, we can see live musicians and entertainment on every train. It always departs in the morning. Each Passenger Service Attendant in every car will share fun facts about the Grand Canyon and its surrounding area.
They will even help us to decide what to do while reaching the Grand Canyon! We can enjoy Steam Saturdays during the summer. We can see one of the nation’s most iconic landscapes here. Ride on the Pumpkin Patch Train during the fall is also a memorable one for us.
2 Grand Canyon Skywalk
The horseshoe-shaped Grand Canyon Skywalk towering 4,770 feet above the Grand Canyon floor. The sturdy Skywalk gives us the feeling we are walking on air. It hovers 70 feet over the rim of the canyon. We can see a full glass made base.
People used more than 90 tons of German-made glass for its construction. So it is a safe tourist destination for our family. Still, the attraction is hosting hundreds of thousands of visitors every year since opening in March 2007. People have no other better way to experience the canyon than the Skywalk.
We can find Hualapai Tribe‘s lot of rich history and culture-specific both inside and outside of the Skywalk visitor center. We can also see tribe members performing traditional songs and dances for the people. Moreover, they also share the message of beauty and the area’s fragility.
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1 Grand Canyon Village
Grand Canyon Village is the most popular busiest part of the entire Grand Canyon. It is the entryway into the Grand Canyon National Park. Additionally, we can see many lookouts here. During the peak seasons, such as spring, summer, and fall, we suffer from heavy crowds.
The visitor center and Mather Point, the Historic District, and Market Plaza are the areas that make this village so appealing. The Yavapai Point gives a better canyon view. We can use the Village Shuttle Buses for the easiest way to explore the canyon.
Guests in the visitor center can watch the 20-minute movie that includes the Journey of Wonder, followed by Mather Point. Historic District includes Hopi House, the Train Depot, Mary Colter’s Lookout Studio, Verkamp’s Visitor Center, and Kolb Studio.
