We visited the Grand Canyon North Rim shortly after it reopened following last year's unfortunate…read morefire. While some trails and amenities are still closed, the hiking experience is incredible. We hiked the Cape Royal Trail, which winds across the Walhalla Plateau with panoramic overlooks and stunning short hikes throughout. The trail leads to the iconic Angel's Window, and the views are so vast and beautiful you can't help but be awestruck at every turn. If you're planning a visit, note that the North Rim is still in recovery mode with some closures, but what is open is absolutely worth the trip. The Cape Royal Trail is a must-do if you make it out here. Download the map BEFORE you get there, you'll likely not have cell service out here.

The drive from Cedar City, UT to the North Rim was 3 hours, we stayed in Kanab, UT afterwards which…read morewas a 1.5 hr drive. The North Rim is extremely remote, driving through hills of trees, even after passing the welcome sign to the park. At the last minute you come up to the Canyon. The park was devastated in July 2025 by a massive wild fire for which you can still see the destruction from it along the drive, the visitor's center and the lodge were burnt down as a causality of the fire. There is NO WATER, so plan accordingly. In August 3 weeks prior to our visit they had a massive flashflood which damaged popular trails. From the fires and the flood, we were limited to our trails. I recommend driving your car to Point Imperial, the views are stunning, it is about 8 miles from the main road. At the Y sight prior to Point Imperial we turned onto the 8 mile road to drive to Cape Royal where there are stunning views there with small trails leading to over looks. We did stop at the former Visitors Center and an employee was working limited hours at a booth.

Oh its just the grand canyon. OH ITS JUST THE GRAND CANYON!?…read more This place is just different. I always heard about this place growing up as a kid. It's not on the super exciting factor. As a kid you probably just want to run out around and just see how much space everything has. As an adult, you really just slow down and just see the wonders of this place. Just truly magnificent. Amazing and all the superlatives that you can say about this place. It's 35 dollars a small private car or $20 per person. Since it was two of us we got to save money with the weird pricing that this place has. What's cool about this place is the ticket is good for 7 days. So if you are staying in around this place for 7 days near by you can come back again and not have to pay the same amount. There are free shuttles to help you explore this place. We decided to go west because it just looked the farthest. For some reason in my head i thought I was only going to be here for 2-3 hours because it was a day trip. We were here about 5 hours and that was plenty to absorb and just enjoy everything we were seeing. We were on the trail of time and i thought that was such a cool name. Those power naps from getting on the bus back to your car are OP. Enjoy the stay and slow down when you are enjoying the grand canyon. Watch your step!!

It's the Grand Canyon! It's a GRAND CANYON! I've always…read morewanted to go, and it did not disappoint! The sheer majesty of size is breathtaking, and the peacefulness of the precipice, as well as the echoing spaciousness is so perfect to experience! Personally, I loved coming in Williams and staying around that little town. Then again there aren't much options! That being said, I thought I would just catch it for at least a day on a trip across the country. Because of the fact, you have to drive 50 miles in and out each way, if you just want to even view the park, in addition to not knowing the traffic or wait time situation entering, you might wanna take another day or two by getting a room in town or if you're camping you know what to do. I just do not do that. Anyway, go! It's one of the most impressive vistas on earth, and notable for its draw. Ended up hiking down to the Colorado river. When in Rome.

I visited the South Rim as the North Rim was still closed. The sheer scale of the Grand Canyon was…read moremind-boggling. I walked around the village, checking out the art shop and the hotels (and grabbing brunch at El Tovar Hotel). The Geology Museum has more information about the formation of the area, as well as a small gift shop. I made it a bit down Bright Angel Trail, marveling at the views. I also did the 25 mile scenic drive towards the east on Desert View Drive - definitely stop at some pull outs since the views are different as you go along the rim. Things I have to do in the future: -Take the shuttle to Hermit's rest (be sure to sit on the right side since you get all the views that way) since it was wayyy too crowded when I looked at the bus stop -Get a ticket to climb up Desert View's tower. I wish there was more information about the Indigenous peoples and their cultures who lived in this area. There wasn't a lot of information provided, but a lot about the architect who designed a lot of the buildings. It seemed unbalanced. Also, I wish that Desert View went into more history of the building - apparently it was controversial when it was built. Amazing visit.

It's just long holes in the Earth! I don't see the appeal. There weren't even any trees when I was…read morethere. Also I visited during Autumn and it was still the temperature of the surface of the fucking sun.

After years of trying to apply for a permit, our group finally got picked! Highly recommend hiking…read moreat least once. I wouldn't do it again though, mainly because of how hard it was to get a permit. We visited in April and the weather was fantastic. It was actually freezing in the morning but as the sun rose, it warmed up to the point where we would sweat a little when hiking. I can't even imagine doing this in the summer but if you win the lottery then, make sure everyone brings plenty of water. To get to the trailhead, I'd recommend having a high-clearance vehicle, especially if it just recently rained. The road off of the freeway becomes unpaved and there are some ditches that can be flooded. Download an offline map of the trail and area for when you lose service. It gets spotty but you'll find reception every now and then. At the beginning, there are a couple of vault toilets. The trail itself is difficult to follow without an offline map. There's only a handful of signs pointing in a general direction. And until the Wave, we were pretty much the only people around. Considering only about 60 people are approved each day, it wasn't surprising, and honestly, kind of nice to be alone in nature. The Wave was everything we hoped for. We had clear, blue skies and that contrast with the red and orange rocks was beautiful. It looked exactly like the Windows background! There was even a pond further up with a ton of tadpoles. Besides the Wave, there's other neat waypoints to stop by but because we were tired, we didn't try for many of them. The only one we went out of our way for was the dinosaur tracks but it was anti-climatic. They just looked like larger chicken feet prints. Despite this hike being only about 6 miles round trip, it took pretty much the entire day. We stopped a lot to take pictures but also the landscape was difficult to hike. Lots of sand to walk through and lots of weird inclines to walk across, which kept our feet, knees, and legs at weird angles. There might have been easier pathways but as I said earlier, there's no clear indications of a trail. There was also a BLM worker at the Wave asking for the permit holders. If you hike without one and get caught, you'll get slapped with some steep fines. Drones are also not allowed!

My friend won the online lottery for the permit 4 months in advance but after talking to the…read moreranger, it seems that there's a good chance you can win the daily lottery since a lot of people cancel every day. It's easier if you have less people (like two people). Anyways, the orientation the day before was useful for weather and road conditions. The hike wasn't too bad, can be a bit steep in some parts but for the most part, not too much incline. It's moderate for the novice hiker but easy for an experienced hiker. For experienced hikers, probably can get to the Wave in 1 to 1.5 hours. For the inexperienced, it might take 2.5 to 3 hours. Either way, if you're planning to spend a lot of time at the Wave (some people take 2-3 hours for their extensive Instagram photoshoots haha), definitely go there early and spend all day there. I would definitely come back if I win the lottery!

Beautiful view of Coal Mine Canyon. Located about 15 miles southeast of Tuba City. If you go please…read morebe respectful of the property and livestock. Place has a great history and folklore. You can see the coal seam in the rock. There are a few picnic tables and cooking grills. No signs and few people. The person who maintains the area lives nearby. There is no fee but donations are always appreciated. You may even be lucky enough to hear a story about living near this natural scenic wonder.

Are you tired of being surrounded by many tourists in Grand Canyon, Monument Valley and Antelope…read moreCanyon? If you are in that area, I highly recommend that you take a short side trip to "Coal Mine Canyon" in Tuba City. Coal Mine Canyon is not in most of guidebooks so you can enjoy the colorful canyon and the solitude. It is in the Navajo land and it is close to the eastern edge of Painted Desert. There is absolutely no sign to tell you where the canyon is so here is how to get there. 1. Drive to Tuba City on Route 160 2. There is only one major intersection in the city and from there, take Route 264 "South" 3. Drive about 15 miles or if you don't want to count the miles, drive your car at 60 mph for about 15 minutes. 4. You will see one new house and one windmill on your left. (Don't worry! These are the only structures around this area) 5. Turn left to the gravel road to go to the side of the house. 6. Park your car near the ruin of the old house after passing by the new house and walk to the rim of the canyon. When I got there with two other friends around 11:00 am, there was no other tourist. We enjoyed the canyon by walking around the rim for about an hour as if we had owned it. It was so quite and relaxing, just the sound of wind and the sound of a friend of mine urinating. If you have a chance to visit northern Arizona, I highly recommend you visit this hidden place!

Yeah, it sounds strange to rate an entrance station. I had the same thought pulling up to Grand…read moreCanyon South Entrance Station. But here we are. We've got the lifetime America the Beautiful pass, so the whole interaction took maybe ten seconds. Hand it over, quick nod, a "have a great day," and we're through. No friction, no awkward fumbling, no bottleneck. Just clean, efficient movement. What impressed me is how well it works considering the volume. This is the main way into the South Rim, and it sees a constant stream of cars. Families, tour buses, people who planned ahead, people who clearly did not. And somehow it still functions without feeling like a mess. Multiple lanes, clear direction, and rangers who keep things moving without rushing you out the door. There's also a human element that hasn't been stripped away. It's not robotic. Even in a quick exchange, there's a sense you're being welcomed, not processed. And then you drive on. That's where it clicks. You're not just entering a park. You're crossing into something that has been carved, layered, and exposed over spans of time that don't fit neatly into human thinking. No fanfare, no big reveal at the gate. Just a quiet shift. Trees thin out, the road carries you forward, and somewhere ahead is one of the most staggering landscapes on Earth. It's a small moment, technically. A checkpoint, a transaction. But it's also the threshold to something enormous. Five stars for doing exactly what it's supposed to do, and doing it well. Sometimes the simplest part of the journey sets the tone for everything that follows.

First time to the Grand Canyon and hopefully not the last. What was a welcome gift was free…read moreadmission due to government shut down. Seemed useless to have someone at the gate just hand out maps. The visitor center was closed but bathrooms and shuttle busses still running.

It was AMAZING. MoMo gave my Wife and I a complimentary tour of the tracks. He usually will be out…read morethere with his personal jewelry he and his wife make. When I tell you the story telling abilities of MoMo IS the best part. His ability to paint a story of the scene, a way of life and heart is unmatched. You feel as if you are apart of the story too. We will never forget this stop. Yes the physical evidence is compelling alone but the conversation and sense of presence witb MoMo is what we will remember

We randomly saw this on Google Maps and we're going to go to Tuba, AZ and decided to go for it…read more Most Navajo outlooks and stands close at 5 pm so we didn't know if we'd get in but we saw other families still there. We parked and were approached by a Navajo man named Joe who explained we would offer a donation and they'd show us around. We gave him cash and he showed us lots of fossils and dinosaur tracks that had solidified by the limestone. Also saw some fossilized eggs and plants. I asked who had discovered the dinosaurs here and he explained it was a British paleontologist named John West Wells who is one of the major dinosaur hunters in history. After about 20 minutes, we took photos, gave an extra tip and drove off. Most of the sales carts that were selling jewelry and other craft items had closed for the day, but no one was anything which was nice. Worth it just for views and a fun different experience. Also happy to support the nova nation.

There are places on this earth that don't feel entirely claimed by man where the air sits heavier,…read morewhere silence hums just a little too loud. Havasupai Falls is one of those places. Now listen I'm gonna tell you straight. You can hike it, sure. Strap on your pack, bake in that canyon heat, follow the mules and the dust like you're reenacting some pioneer tragedy. Or... you take the helicopter. Drop in like you've got better sense than the rest of 'em. Because when you're only staying a night, you don't waste half your trip pretending you enjoy suffering. You get there quick, boots on the ground, eyes wide open. And what waits for you... ain't normal. The water this unreal shade of blue, like someone spilled paint straight outta heaven itself cuts through red rock like it's been there since before memory had a name. The canyon walls stand tall, watching. Always watching. You can feel it. Not in a poetic way... in a you're not alone kind of way. The people there, the tribe they carry a quiet presence. Like they know something they're not in a hurry to explain. Respectful, grounded... but there's history in their eyes. Old history. Night comes different down there. The fire was crackling low. Shadows stretching just a little too far, bending where they shouldn't. That's when I saw it. Across the canyon, tucked behind a tree like it didn't quite understand hiding... something big. Hairy. Not a trick of the light. Not a deer. Not a man. It stood there. Watching. Then came the sound. Tap... tap... tap. Something hitting the tent. Not hard. Just enough to say, "I'm still here." I thought maybe rocks... maybe pinecones. But there weren't any trees above us that could explain it. And whatever it was it had aim. I told the others. Nobody laughed. Nobody slept. We sat around that fire like it was the last safe place on earth, eyes fixed into the dark, waiting for something to step forward... or worse, not step forward. Because sometimes what you don't see is worse than what you do. Finally, in a moment of pure, desperate brilliance or stupidity someone grabbed a sandwich and chucked it out there into the black. We waited. Minutes stretched. The canyon held its breath. And then... nothing. Whatever it was... it was gone. No footsteps. No sound. Just silence again, like the place had swallowed it whole. Now I ain't saying I believe in Bigfoot... ...but I'm also not saying I slept worth a damn that night. And here's the part where I switch gears for ya because after all that spooky nonsense, you gotta laugh a little. Look, I'm just gonna say it .. "I paid good money to fly into a canyon, not to get mugged by a damn woodland gorilla." You got folks hiking ten miles, riding donkeys, sweating like they owe the sun money... and I'm down there getting harassed by what I can only assume is the canyon's unofficial night manager. Five stars. Would absolutely go again. ...but next time, I'm bringing two sandwiches.

Out in the middle of the desert in Arizona pretty much near the end portion of the Grand Canyon and…read moreabout an hour away from Route 66 is the trail to get to Havasupai. There's a lodge in the village and a campground area another 2 miles from the village, both have different dates to apply for permits online about a year in advance. There are 5 amazing water fall sites once you pass the village. 50 Foot Falls, Lower Navajo Falls, Havasu Falls, Mooney Falls, and Beavers. An additional journey heading out 6 miles past Beaver falls you can get to the Confluence where you can see the Havasu Creek water meet up with the Colorado river. For the camp sites you aren't assigned an actual location you just grab any available site that's not directly on the trail. There's a fresh water spring in the camp site where we refilled out bottles for the 4 days & 3 nights we were here. Also 2 miles back up at the village they do have a cafeteria with burgers fries, hot dogs and all that other stuff. If you're not up for the 8-10 miles hike into the village/campground with all your camping gear on your back they have options at additional cost. You can have your bags packed on miles/horses and carried into the site & they also have helicopter rides in and out of the village (first come first serve, the natives have priority to skip the line at anytime)

Were in town for the canyons and wanted to play pickleball found this park from a FB group and came…read morearound 9pm. There were people playing pickleball, a family playing basketball, some kids at the skate park. Overall it seemed well lit and safe and the pickleball courts were nice. I'd recommend

Nice clean courts for a game of pickleball. The basketball from the adjacent basketball courts…read moretends to fly in and intervene though. Low quality restrooms a bit of a walk away. Friendly beginner picklers to play with if you came by yourself. No shade though.

Had a beautiful time! Bring some quarters to put into the binoculars. Has a gift shop inside they…read moretake cards. Bathrooms, parking and picnic tables are near by. Great family outing !

The Desert View Watchtower is a 70 foot iconic stone structure that can be seen from quite a…read moredistance away. It has four stories and was designed by architect Mary Colter in 1932. The Watchtower is located in the Desert View area next to the East entrance. You are able to enter and explore the lower level of the Watchtower called the Kiva Room. There are many windows that you can view the Grand Canyon from. The interior of the tower also has a lot of beautiful stone carvings on the walls. In the Desert View area are bathrooms, a gift shop, general store, and a trading post. Just outside the watchtower is Desert View Point. At this viewpoint you can see the Colorado River make a sharp 90-degree turn to the west. If you drive west on Desert View Drive, there are quite a few other beautiful viewpoints along the way until you get to Grand Canyon Village. If you are traveling on the on US 89, you can get to Desert View by turning west onto State Route 64 in Cameron, AZ. Then travel about 25 miles until you get to the East Entrance. The Desert View area is right after you enter the park. The Watchtower is easy to locate as soon as you enter. It is a popular spot because this is the first viewpoint you can visit as you enter the park. So expect some crowds.