Which Grand Canyon rim should I visit?
Now that we’ve decided to go to the Grand Canyon this spring, the next big decision is which rim to visit. There are a number of factors that must be considered. For this summary, I will follow the compass around from north to west.
The Grand Canyon North Rim
The North Rim is the closest to Utah. It is more remote than the popular South Rim, so it is a little more challenging to get to, but also less crowded. If you are looking for this type of nature experience, the North Rim may be the right choice for you. However, it is only open from May 15 through October 15, and since we are traveling late April/early May, we easily eliminated the North Rim from our list.
The Grand Canyon East Rim
The far eastern part of the Grand Canyon falls within the Navajo Nation and is not formally part of the Grand Canyon National Park. From what I researched, there are many beautiful outlooks over the Colorado and Little Colorado Rivers, as well as some small shops and bead stands operated by Native Americans. Because the East Rim is not typically recommended for a first-time visitor to the Grand Canyon, and since we will be traveling from the west, we quickly eliminated the East Rim from our list.
The Grand Canyon South Rim
The South Rim is the most popular and developed rim of the Grand Canyon National Park. It’s what most people think of when they hear about the Grand Canyon. It is open year round and accessible to people of all abilities. The average high temperature at the South Rim in early May is upper 60s Fahrenheit (20 celsius)…so comfortable. Also, since we have a National Park pass, our entrance fees would be covered. The biggest drawbacks to us choosing the South Rim are the potential crowds and the distance from our starting point (Las Vegas, Nevada) and our finishing point (St. George, Utah).
The Grand Canyon West Rim
The West Rim is located outside of the National Park boundaries on the Hualapai Tribal lands. It is home to the Grand Canyon Skywalk, Eagle Point, and Guano Point (a ropeless trail, which I understand offers amazing unobstructed views, but also requires caution). In addition, there is a Native American village walking tour and dancing demonstrations. The average high temperature at the beginning of May is mid 80s Fahrenheit (high 20s/low 30s Celsius)…which I find to be comfortable shorts weather. Another big plus for us is that the West Rim is closest to Las Vegas, where we will be coming from, and the Hoover Dam is right on the way, so we could add that to our itinerary. The only real drawback to the West Rim is that since it is not part of the Grand Canyon National Park, we will not be able to use our National Park pass, so we will need to pay for admission. Going on the skywalk is an extra charge, and no personal items are allowed on the skywalk, including phones and cameras. Professional photos are provided at a cost. Personal cameras are allowed on the other points.
And the winner is…
We are leaning towards the Grand Canyon West Rim. From what I’ve read, the views are incredible, the Hualapai Tribe experience is entertaining and informative, and the drive from Las Vegas is relatively easy. We are also excited about the opportunity to include a visit to the Hoover Dam on our trip. The only real downside is the inability to use our National Park pass, resulting in extra expenses. Overall, it still seems like the best choice for us.
Your turn
- Have you been to the Grand Canyon? Which rims have you visited?
- How do you feel about road trips? Are you a planes, trains, boats, or automobiles person?
- What else is on your mind? Anything at all; I just love to hear from you.
Good choice! I, of course, know next to nothing about which rim to visit but I trust your judgement. Yes, I’ve been to the Grand Canyon for about an hour. Wherever we were was too tourist-y and made me cranky. I hope your experience is more awe-inspiring.
I suspect you were at the south rim, Ally, if it was that touristy. However, from what I’ve read, the west rim is built up some too. We’ll see.
I didn’t even know there was a choice! Sounds like a great road trip – and I do love a road trip.
I knew very little about the Grand Canyon options before I started researching, Jo. I am excited to see it for myself!
Hi Christie, The Grand Canyon is awesome. I remember when we visited Las Vegas in the early 2000s we took a flight to the Grand Canyon taking in the Hoover Dam. I don’t think the Skywalk was built when we visited but I would have probably baulked at walking over it. I’m sure whichever part you select will be stunning. Thanks so much for linking up at #WWWhimsy and I know that Min is very grateful for all the support during her absence. x
Hello Sue. I bet the Grand Canyon looks beautiful from up above. From what I’ve read, the Skywalk opened to tourism in 2007. It was designed to hold the equivalent of 70 fully-loaded 747s and withstand an 8.0 earthquake. Still, it is probably a strange sensation to look down and see the canyon directly below you.
Hi Christie – the Grand Canyon always looks spectacular when I’ve seen it in pictures, so I imagine it will be an amazing experience IRL. I think your choice of West Canyon sounds perfect for you and the extra cost is just one of the things we expect when we go on holidays. I’ll look forward to all your photos and posts.
I agree with you, Leanne, when you travel you expect to have extra expenses. Once I make a choice, I accept the costs and tend not to worry about them anymore. I am really looking forward to this trip and will, no doubt, have some stories and photos to share.
Hi Christie, thanks for sorting through this decision for me. Malcolm and I have been talking about doing the same trip – Las Vegas, with a side trip to the Grand Canyon. We probably won’t make it out this spring, as we have another ‘road trip’ in mind, but we will get there.
We are all about planes, trains, automobiles, and boats, and have a trip in July that involves all of the above. Have a wonderful time and if you are ‘playing’ in Vegas, good luck!
You’re very welcome, Suzanne. I hope you enjoy your planned roadtrip for this spring and your trip in July. I’ll let you know what we think of the west rim of the Grand Canyon. Perhaps it will help you make your ultimate decision. I’m sure we’ll do a little “playing” in Vegas and hopefully catch a show as well. We’ll definitely enjoy meeting up with our friends there.
Hi Christie. I’ve only ever been to the busy touristy south rim. I’ve been four times and lived each visit. We also did the helicopter to the bottom which was amazing. The west rim sounds like a great option. Not sure that I’d be brave enough for the skywalk!
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the Grand Canyon enough to return for multiple visits, Jen. I am really looking forward to it. I bet the helicopter ride was amazing! From what I’ve read, the skywalk was designed to hold the equivalent of 70 fully-loaded 747s and withstand an 8.0 earthquake. Still, it is probably a strange sensation to look down and see the canyon directly below you…and not a pleasant one if you are afraid of heights.
Like others have said, I didn’t know there were choices! It makes sense when you think about how big it is. I would love the west rim, but would be leery about the part where you need to” use caution”. If you go there, please use caution! I don’t want to lose my sis or her husband! 😬 😄
I was surprised too, Cindy, to learn of the various options for visiting the Grand Canyon. You can rest assured that I will not be getting close to any unprotected edges. I am not a thrill seeker, especially when there is actual danger involved.
I remember being on my Hoover Dam tour back in January 2006 when visiting Las Vegas (for 2 days!) and realising all of this area was getting closer to the GrandCanyon. Love your plans and how you worked them out!
Denyse.
I am really looking forward to the trip, Denyse, and was so pleased to realize we could easily add the Hoover Dam tour to our plans.
Christie, how interesting – I’d no idea of the variety in the choices available for the Grand Canyon. It sounds like you’ve picked one that draws you the most, even though there is an extra cost to that option – which is how I’d have chosen too.
I look forward to seeing your pictures, even if the Skywalk is a camera free zone.
It was an eye-opener for me too, Debs. I always take the cost into consideration when making travel plans, but once I make my choice, I just enjoy it and put the money out of mind. It will likely be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, since there are so many other places I want to visit in my lifetime. I’m sure I will have “a few” photos to share. 😉
I have never been to the Grand Canyon but I have toured the Hoover Dam and it was pretty neat.
We are really looking forward to the experience, Joanne, and were pleased to realize how easily we could work the Hoover Dam tour into our travel plans.
Not been to the Grand Canyon but have been to the Green Canyon in Hawaii – it was fantastic. So whichever you pick will be amazing. I’m not one for remote wilderness (after the whole polar bear thing, less so!) so I’m picking the more touristy skywalk for safety reasons…ha! #WWWhimsy. Look forward to the pictures.
Hmmm…I don’t recall “the polar bear thing,” Lydia. Is it on your blog? It sounds like a story I should hear. I definitely wouldn’t want to tangle with a polar bear. I do enjoy a nice hike, but not too far from the beaten path. I’m not much of a backpacker, and I have a fear of being stalked by a mountain lion. It sounds random, but is actually a possibility where I live. We are looking forward to our more civilized roadtrip. Photos to come, I am sure.
I had no idea it was such a big choice of which rim to go to Christie so many thanks for enlightening me on this. I doubt I’ll ever get there so I can’t wait to read your posts and see your photos. The sky walk sounds interesting but not sure I could do it! Thanks for joining us for Min’s #wwwhimsy linkup
It was a surprise for me as well, Debbie. I think most people’s image of the Grand Canyon is the south rim. I am really looking forward to our trip and I’m sure I’ll have some things to share.