Grand Canyon

About Grand Canyon

There is a moment — standing at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon for the first time — when **the reality simply overwhelms the preparation**. The canyon is **446 kilometres long, up to 29 kilometres wide, and over 1,800 metres deep**; but those numbers convey almost nothing of what it actually looks like. What the eye encounters is a landscape of such impossible scale and complexity — **layer upon layer of banded rock in every shade of red, orange, purple, and white**, receding to a haze in the far distance, cut through by **the silver thread of the Colorado River nearly two kilometres below** — that the brain requires several minutes simply to process that it is real. The Colorado River carved the canyon over **five to six million years**, exposing rock layers that span **nearly two billion years of Earth's geological history**. The oldest rocks at the base of the canyon — the **Vishnu Basement Rocks** — are among the oldest exposed rock surfaces on the planet. Walking down into the canyon is to **travel backwards through geological time**: each layer represents a different environment — tropical sea, desert dune, river delta — laid down over millions of years. The river drops an average of **3 metres per kilometre through the canyon**, a gradient that makes it one of the most powerful erosive forces in the American West. The Grand Canyon is a **UNESCO World Heritage Site** and one of the most visited national parks in the United States, with **over five million visitors annually**. The South Rim is open year-round and has the best infrastructure; **the North Rim is open only from mid-May to mid-October and is significantly quieter**. The most rewarding experience beyond the rim viewpoints is hiking into the canyon itself: **the Bright Angel Trail descends 1,300 metres to the Colorado River** and can be done as a day hike or extended to a multi-day backpacking trip with camping at **Phantom Ranch** at river level. The best times to visit are **spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November)**; summer temperatures at the rim are manageable but **at the bottom can exceed 40°C**. Fly into Flagstaff or Las Vegas, both within three hours' drive.

Highlights

• ✦ 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, over a mile deep
• ✦ Exposes nearly 2 billion years of geological history
• ✦ Carved by the Colorado River over 5–6 million years

Practical info

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit the Grand Canyon without a car?

Yes, on the South Rim — the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams gets you to the park gate-free, and once inside, free park shuttle buses cover the main viewpoints along Hermit Road and the village area. The North Rim and more remote viewpoints, however, are only realistically reached by car.

How much does it cost to enter the Grand Canyon?

Entrance is €32 per private vehicle, €28 per motorcycle or €18 per pedestrian/cyclist, valid for 7 consecutive days and covering both rims. An America the Beautiful annual pass (€74) pays for itself after two or three national park visits in a year.

Which rim should you visit, South or North?

The South Rim is open year-round, has more facilities, shuttle buses and the railway, and gets the vast majority of visitors — meaning it's also busier. The North Rim, open roughly mid-May to mid-October only, is quieter and higher, but 350 km further from the South Rim by road, so pick one rather than trying both in a short trip.

How long do you need at the Grand Canyon South Rim?

A single day covers several viewpoints and a short rim-trail walk, but two to three days let you add a sunrise or sunset viewpoint, a ranger talk and a partial hike below the rim, like to Ooh Aah Point on the South Kaibab Trail. Hiking all the way to the river and back is a serious, multi-day or extremely long single-day undertaking, not a casual add-on.

Is the Grand Canyon worth visiting if you don't hike?

Yes — the rim itself, reachable on paved, mostly flat trails and via the shuttle system, already delivers the classic views. Non-hikers can still see sunrise and sunset from viewpoints like Mather Point and Hopi Point, visit the historic village and museum, and take a short mule ride, without descending into the canyon.

Explore more

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