Location and size
According to usprivateschoolsfinder, the canyon is located in northwestern Arizona. It is around 450 kilometers long, up to 1,800 meters deep and 26 kilometers at its widest point. The north and south rims (North Rim and South Rim) of the canyon fall within the territory of the national park. Every year, around 5 million visitors frequent the National Park, with a large part going to explore the South Rims, which is more attractive to tourists and has a better infrastructure.
Getting There South Rim (Grand Canyon Village)
By Air: ex Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Flagstaff By Car: Access the South Rim from the south via Arizona Highway 64 North (AZ64N, merges with US Highway 180) or from the East via AZ64 West. By Bus: ex Flagstaff (Nava-Hopi Tours or Greyhound) By Rail: ex Williams (Grand Canyon Railroad)
North Rim
(Page or Kanab) By car: Access the North Rim via AZ 67.
ATTENTION! The southern and northern rims of the canyon are only a few kilometers apart as the crow flies. By car, however, a detour of around 354 km is necessary. (duration: 5 hours)
West Rim
By car from Kingman: 112 km/70 miles Drive north on Stockton Hill Road (68 km/42 miles) Turn right (North) on Pierce Ferry Road (11 km/7 miles) Turn right (East) on Diamond Bar Road (33 km/21 miles) Diamond Bar Road terminates at the entrance to Grand Canyon West, Grand Canyon West Airport. Journey time: approx. 1 hour 40 minutes
Hours of Operation and Seasons
The South Rim is open 24 hours a day, year-round. Due to the weather, however, visitors must expect minor restrictions in the winter months. The North Rim is generally open to visitors between mid-May and mid-October, although seasonal times may vary slightly depending on the weather.
Admission Fees
Admission to Grand Canyon National Park is valid for seven days and includes both the North and South Rims. A refund of the entrance fee due to bad weather is not possible! The fee for a non-commercial vehicle including all passengers is USD 35. For motorcycles including passenger the fees are USD 30. Hikers, cyclists or entering the shuttle bus is USD 20 per person. For organized groups (bus groups, etc.) apply separate tariffs.
Visitors to the West Rim can purchase various packages. The Hualapai Legacy Package costs about USD 47 for adults and includes, among other things, the hop-on hop-off shuttle to all three sightseeing points (Eagle Point, Guano Point, Hualapai Ranch).
America the Beautiful Annual Pass
The annual pass costs $80 and entitles you to visit over 2,000 US federal recreation areas and national parks for one year from the date of purchase. The entry fee applies to the driver and all passengers of a private, non-commercial vehicle (or up to a maximum of 4 adults in total if per-person entry fees are charged). Children under 16 are free. If you visit more than 4 national parks, it is usually worth buying the America the Beautiful Annual Pass. The pass can be purchased at many stores across the US and is also available in advance from various tour operators. The pass is not valid for visiting the West Rim/Hualapai Indian Reservation.
Park Shuttle / Transportation Service with map
For the sake of the environment, you should do without your car in Grand Canyon National Park and make use of the free shuttle service. (A detailed map of the shuttle bus routes can be found here ).
Four different routes are offered on the South Rim, which take visitors to the desired hot spots. By the way: another argument in favor of using the shuttle buses is that they go to some stations that are not accessible to normal car traffic.
At the North Rim, the Hiker Shuttle connects Grand Canyon Lodge to the North Kaibab Trailhead twice daily.
If you want to avoid the long drive between the north and south rims of the Grand Canyon, but don’t want to miss the experience, you can use the Trans-Canyon Shuttle. This runs once a day in each direction. The journey takes around 4.5 hours. One-way fare is $80 per person. If you book the return trip at the same time, you pay $150 for the round trip.
Camping
Camping is only permitted in the upgraded pitches. However, capacities are very limited and are exhausted very quickly in the summer months.
Climate
On the South Rim, summer temperatures range from 10 to 27°C; in winter between -18 and 0°C. Temperatures on the higher North Rim are usually 5.5°C below these values. In the summer months, rain showers are often to be expected in the afternoons, in winter, especially on the North Rim, snow. Because of the West Rim ‘s lower elevation, it is warmer than other parts of the Grand Canyon. The weather is better in the cooler seasons. However, summer can be hot, dusty and almost unbearable.
| Average temperatures Grand Canyon South Rim in °C | ||||||||||||
| Month | Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Max | 5 | 7 | 10 | 15 | 21 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 24 | 18 | 11 | 6 |
| Min | -8 | -6 | -4 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 2 | -3 | -7 |
| Average temperatures Grand Canyon Inner Canyon in °C | ||||||||||||
| Month | Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Max | 13 | 17 | 22 | 28 | 33 | 38 | 41 | 39 | 36 | 29 | 20 | 14 |
| Min | 2 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 17 | 22 | 26 | 24 | 21 | 14 | 8 | 2 |
| Average temperatures Grand Canyon North Rim in °C | ||||||||||||
| Month | Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Max | 3 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 21 | 15 | 8 | 4 |
| Min | -9 | -8 | -6 | -2 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 4 | -1 | -4 | -8 |
Clothing
For a visit to the viewing platforms of the Grand Canyon, sturdy shoes and a sporty onion look are sufficient, which makes it easier to put on and take off quickly, depending on the wind and weather conditions. Professional trekking equipment is essential on hikes. Wearing clothing in several layers contributes significantly to well-being when hiking. This makes it easier to adapt to the changing weather conditions during the ascent and descent. Don’t forget to wear a hat. It is important to protect yourself against rain and wind.
Things
to Do The Grand Canyon is one of the Southwest’s premier attractions. Various activities that go beyond visiting the viewing platforms should therefore be planned well in advance and booked well in advance.
River Rafting
Rafting tours on the Colorado River are not for the faint of heart and are also a popular activity that books up early. One- to two-day, three- to five-day, but also multi-week tours are offered. Information on requirements and providers can be found on the National Park Service website at www.nps.gov/grca/whitewater-rafting.htm.
Hiking
A hike into the valley of the Grand Canyon is not without its dangers and should generally only be attempted by well-conditioned people. Difference in altitude and heat demand a lot from the body. Even experienced hikers should therefore not plan the way there and back in one day. The Phantom Ranch Lodge, for example, is ideal for overnight stays.
Phantom Ranch Lodge
The Phantom Ranch is not really a ranch, but a group of cabins and bunks at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Located adjacent to Bright Angel Campground, the old ranch offers both food and lodging for hikers and mule riders. Reservations must be made at least one year in advance. Hikers and horseback riders can access the ranch via the North Kaibab, South Kaibab, or Bright Angel trails, with distances ranging from 7 miles to 14 miles. Backcountry permits are available from the Grand Canyon National Park Visitor Center.
Bright Angel Trail
The Bright Angel is the most popular hiking trail in the Grand Canyon. Even the Pueblo Indians walked along the gorge thousands of years ago. The trail starts at the South Rim next to Bright Angel Lodge. The trail is suitable for short day hikes as well as multi-day hikes to Bright Angel and Indian Gardens campgrounds.
Mule Hike
Those who are not up to the demands of a hike in the Grand Canyon, but still want to walk part of the way or all the way down into the valley, have the option of doing so on the back of a mule. For example on the Bright Angel Trail. But the same applies here: get up early, take enough water and food with you and book early.
Flora and fauna
Due to its size and significant differences in altitude, the Grand Canyon has 5 climate zones. At higher altitudes there are dense forests that are home to coyotes and pumas, among others. In the lower, hotter areas, shrubs and cacti characterize the landscape. An environment in which lizards, jackrabbits, bighorn sheep, coyotes, rattlesnakes and small rodents such as the kangaroo rat can be observed. In the valley of the canyon, the Colorado River provides habitat for beavers, divers, herons, rainbow trout, frogs and numerous other animals.
Grand Canyon Guide in German
The Grand Canyon Trip Planner, the German-language brochure of the American National Park Service, provides excellent information that helps to optimally plan a visit to Grand Canyon National Park. Further information can also be found on the official website of the National Park Service at www.nps.gov/grca (plan your visit). For more information on the North Rim, see the North Rim Guide.
