Overview: For great views of the Grand Canyon along a flat path, this is the hike for you. It offers a great introduction to the Grand Canyon, a... more »

Overview: For great views of the Grand Canyon along a flat path, this is the hike for you. It offers a great introduction to the Grand Canyon, a... more »
Tips: Bring water and good walking shoes, and don't forget your camera. Take the free NPS shuttle to one of the stops along the trail.
For many visitors, this is their first view of the Grand Canyon (and it's a pretty good one). It is the closest viewpoint from the park entrance, even though there are better views further along the rim trail, where you can see more of the canyon. If you look down and to the northeast you will see O'Neill butte down below (it's hard to miss).
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Here you will have some great views in all directions--even down! That's right, you can walk over the glass observation area and look straight down and few thousand feet the the canyon below. There is a store where you can see various displays explaining the geology and history of the canyon, or buy souvenirs and books.
The paved road stops here and becomes a dirt road for a while. If you prefer to walk on a paved road, take the next shuttle to Monument Creek Vista where it starts up again. This is a great place stop to watch the sunset, and it was the point where the dedication ceremony was held for the park in 1920.
As it is the northernmost point of the entire South Rim, you are sure have some great views in both directions. Below, Salt Creek runs along one side while Monument Creek runs on the other. To the west, you can see into the canyon as far as 20 miles away. Because of the far-stretching, unobstructed views, Hopi point is the most popular spot for w... More
The last stop along the rim trail, and the final shuttle stop. If you have made it this far, you have seen some amazing views and are likely ready for some refreshments. There is a small gift shop and snack bar here, or you can catch the shuttle back to the village where you can sit down, grab an ice cream cone, and look though the hundreds of pi... More