The Grand Canyon South Rim

The Grand Canyon south rim is where it's happening! It offers lodging, restaurants, mule rides, guided hikes and Ranger programs. This is the terminus for the Grand Canyon Railway. There are six hotels/lodges in the Park, including El Tovar and the Bright Angel Lodge. Campgrounds are also available.

This is the destination for 90% of the people who visit the Grand Canyon. South rim services are open all year, and the little town of Tusayun (only one mile from the Park entrance) has hotels, gas and groceries.

The Grand Canyon south rim is VERY CROWDED during the summer. You'll have to book hotels well in advance if you want to get a room anywhere near the Park. If you really don't like crowds, try to visit the Grand Canyon south rim October through May. The weather is colder of course, but dry air warms up quickly during a sunny day!

If you have any plans to hike down into the canyon, then you might PREFER to hike it in the winter. In the summer it can be unbearably hot in the canyon. This takes a lot of the fun out of hiking (or sleeping for that matter). The interior of the canyon can be 20 to 30 degrees warmer than the rim. In the winter, this is a good thing! Summer is just too darn hot to hike into the canyon in my opinion (but that's still when most people make the trek).

The north rim of the canyon is a lot less congested than the south rim, but it's closed in the winter (about mid-October thru late May, depending on the snows). In the summer it's a great choice to avoid the crowds.

But the best trips to the Grand Canyon south rim are in the off season. Not only do you get cooler canyon hiking, but you'll get a better (and closer) room on short notice, less crowds and a more relaxed atmosphere.

With more amenities than the north rim and more services of all kinds, the Grand Canyon south rim is the natural choice for a visit. Just try not to go in the height of the busy summer season.

For more information, go to the National Park Service page on the Grand Canyon south rim.

Hiking Outpost
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