Grand Canyon itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days at the Grand Canyon's South Rim, day by day: the Hermit Road viewpoints from Hermits Rest to Pima, Mohave and Hopi Points, Mather and Yavapai Points with the geology museum and the Trail of Time, the historic buildings of Grand Canyon Village and a short walk down the Bright Angel Trail first, then the Desert View Drive with the Watchtower, Lipan, Moran and Grandview Points and the Tusayan Ruin, Lookout Studio and a hike to Ooh Aah Point on the South Kaibab Trail as you add a day. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Grand Canyon in 1 day
Day 1
Mather Point
The first viewpoint by the main visitor centre, with railed overlooks over the canyon; busy by day and popular at sunrise.
Yavapai Point and Geology Museum
Viewpoint with a 1928 stone observation station whose large windows and exhibits explain how the canyon's rock layers formed.
Trail of Time
Geology timeline along the Rim Trail between Yavapai Point and the village, with a marker for each million years and rock samples.
Hopi House and El Tovar
Hopi House, a 1905 pueblo-style building by Mary Colter selling Native American crafts, beside El Tovar, the historic hotel on the rim.
Kolb Studio
The Kolb brothers' early 1900s photo studio and home on the rim at the Bright Angel trailhead, now with exhibitions and a bookstore.
Lookout Studio
Stone building of 1914 by Mary Colter perched on the rim in the village, with terraces, telescopes and a gift shop.
Bright Angel Trail (short walk down)
The main trail from Grand Canyon Village down into the canyon; a short walk past the first tunnels shows the switchbacks and rock layers.
Hermits Rest
Rustic stone rest house of 1914 by Mary Colter at the western end of Hermit Road, with a gift shop, snacks and the Hermit Trail.
Pima Point
Hermit Road viewpoint with wide views west along the canyon and down to the Colorado River far below.
Mohave Point
Viewpoint on Hermit Road looking far down to the Colorado River and its rapids, with wide views east and west.
Hopi Point (sunset)
Point jutting far into the canyon with some of the widest views on the South Rim, the classic spot for sunset.
Grand Canyon in 2 days
Day 1
South Kaibab Trail to Ooh Aah Point
Steep ridge trail with open views; Ooh Aah Point, about 1.5 km down, is a good turnaround for a short hike.
Grandview Point
High viewpoint at the top of the steep old Grandview Trail, with sweeping views east and west along the canyon.
Moran Point
Desert View Drive viewpoint named after the painter Thomas Moran, with views of the river and the colourful layers below.
Tusayan Ruin and Museum
Remains of a small Ancestral Puebloan village of about 800 years ago, with a short loop trail and a museum.
Lipan Point
Viewpoint on Desert View Drive with one of the longest views of the Colorado River winding through the canyon.
Desert View Watchtower
Stone tower designed by Mary Colter in 1932 at the eastern end of the South Rim, with painted interiors and views to the Painted Desert.
Mather Point
The first viewpoint by the main visitor centre, with railed overlooks over the canyon; busy by day and popular at sunrise.
Day 2
Yavapai Point and Geology Museum
Viewpoint with a 1928 stone observation station whose large windows and exhibits explain how the canyon's rock layers formed.
Trail of Time
Geology timeline along the Rim Trail between Yavapai Point and the village, with a marker for each million years and rock samples.
Hopi House and El Tovar
Hopi House, a 1905 pueblo-style building by Mary Colter selling Native American crafts, beside El Tovar, the historic hotel on the rim.
Kolb Studio
The Kolb brothers' early 1900s photo studio and home on the rim at the Bright Angel trailhead, now with exhibitions and a bookstore.
Lookout Studio
Stone building of 1914 by Mary Colter perched on the rim in the village, with terraces, telescopes and a gift shop.
Bright Angel Trail (short walk down)
The main trail from Grand Canyon Village down into the canyon; a short walk past the first tunnels shows the switchbacks and rock layers.
Hermits Rest
Rustic stone rest house of 1914 by Mary Colter at the western end of Hermit Road, with a gift shop, snacks and the Hermit Trail.
Pima Point
Hermit Road viewpoint with wide views west along the canyon and down to the Colorado River far below.
Mohave Point
Viewpoint on Hermit Road looking far down to the Colorado River and its rapids, with wide views east and west.
Hopi Point (sunset)
Point jutting far into the canyon with some of the widest views on the South Rim, the classic spot for sunset.
Watch: Grand Canyon
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Grand Canyon
Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with mild days on the rim, though nights are cold and snow is possible into May. Summer is busy and warm on the rim but very hot inside the canyon, and July to September brings afternoon thunderstorms with lightning. Winter is cold and quiet, with snow on the rim; the South Rim stays open all year, while the North Rim is closed in winter.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Grand Canyon on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Grand Canyon on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Grand Canyon on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for United States from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Grand Canyon
- Hermit Road is open only to the free shuttle from March to November; Desert View Drive to the east is open to cars all year.
- The rim is at about 2,100 metres: drink plenty of water, and on any hike remember that the climb back up takes about twice as long as the way down.
- Never try to hike to the river and back in one day; turn around at the first viewpoint or rest house on the Bright Angel or South Kaibab Trail.
- Lodges inside the park, such as El Tovar, are booked many months ahead; Tusayan, just outside the south entrance, has more hotels.
- Watch sunrise at Mather or Yavapai Point and sunset at Hopi Point, and check the shuttle times for the ride back after dark.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Bright Angel Trail (short walk down): Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Desert View Watchtower: Grand Canyon National Park, Public domain
- Grandview Point: Supercarwaar, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hermits Rest: National Park Service, Public domain
- Hopi House and El Tovar: Austin Smith, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hopi Point (sunset): Pavel Špindler, CC BY 3.0
- Kolb Studio: Grand Canyon National Park, Public domain
- Lipan Point: Akos Kokai, CC BY 2.0
- Lookout Studio: Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mather Point: Grand Canyon National Park, CC BY 2.0
- Mohave Point: Arian Zwegers, CC BY 2.0
- Pima Point: InSapphoWeTrust from Los Angeles, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- South Kaibab Trail to Ooh Aah Point: Notary137 at English Wikipedia, Public domain
- Tusayan Ruin and Museum: Deacon Steve from Northfield, U.S.A., CC BY 2.0
- Yavapai Point and Geology Museum: Hermann Luyken, CC0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
