Grand Canyon, Which Rim Should You Visit?

I’m all for the usual fun, heavily publicized trips, but I challenge you to take a family trip off the usual path! Have you considered going to the Grand Canyon? It is truly an experience of a lifetime, I never thought I could feel so small! The Grand Canyon is over 270 miles long, and up to 18 miles wide and a mile deep. Those beautiful walls of layer upon layer of rock tell much of the Earth’s history! Several different Native American tribes inhabited the Grand Canyon either passing through or as their home. In the 1880s miners came because it was rumored to have copper and asbestos, but they quickly realized the beauty of the Grand Canyon should be used for looking only! In 1919 it was declared a U.S. National Park. Since then, the park has gone from having 40,000 visitors a year to having 5 MILLION visitors each year! I’m sure you will want to add to that number by taking your family or your spouse this year!

Now that you know a little about it, you have to choose which rim to visit. Which rim do you think is the best? That depends on what kind of vacation you’re looking for. Ask yourself these questions:

Is this your first time visiting?

What time of year will you be traveling?

Who you are traveling with, and what are their interests?

How much time will you have there?

What kinds of things do you hope to experience?

Here’s some information about each rim. Once you’ve answered the above questions, use the following information to choose the right one for you!

South Rim

This is the Grand Canyon that you see when you see advertisements of the Grand Canyon. You can see the Grand Canyon from about 24 different places from the South Rim, and you can even peer all the way down from several. This is great for first time visitors because they have a ton of activities for families and tourists. This Rim also has four predictable seasons, so you can prepare your trip by packing seasonal clothing!

West Rim

This is the second most visited part of the Grand Canyon. It is the closest to Las Vegas, so if you are in Las Vegas, you can take a quick day trip to the West Rim of the Grand Canyon. This is not part of the Grand Canyon National Park (but, it is still part of the Grand Canyon), so fees are different than the parts of the Grand Canyon that the National Park owns. The West Rim is better suited for older visitors with a 12 mile hike, and Havasu Canyon home to the Havasupai Indians, and to five gorgeous (and world famous) blue-green waterfalls!

East Rim

The East Rim of the Grand Canyon has a couple of hidden secrets that make it a great trip for two! The Little Colorado River Tribal Park is part of the East Rim, and so is Horseshoe Bend. Something unique about the East Rim that will not happen at the North or South Rims is that you can take a picture in front of Horseshoe Bend, and the Colorado River will be in the background! The view is breathtaking, and they’ve got tours and activities to explore the Colorado River! You can take half day float trips, Tower Butte Landing Tour, Rainbow Bridge Air Tour, and an Antelope Canyon Boat or Pink Jeep Tour!

North Rim

The North Rim is for solitude or a quiet couple’s getaway. It is about 10 degrees colder than the South Rim, and due to its heavy snowfall, the North Rim is only open for about 6 months out of the year! Visit in the fall to see the most beautiful fall colors and deciduous trees. There are some cabins and motels (without TVs) to stay in, as well as a restaurant, lounge, deli, campground and gift shop. You can explore the North Rim during the day by hiking, sightseeing and ranger-led programs.