Our Grand Canyon South Rim Day Trip Itinerary

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Photo of Grand Canyon South Rim with vibrantly colored sandstone formations below a deep blue sky

It’s easier to plan a one day Grand Canyon South Rim itinerary than you might imagine. We’ve been to South Rim twice, and both times we spent 2 full days exploring. But there’s actually not a huge amount to do other than hike and take photos of the canyon. Don’t get us wrong, both those things are elevated to a top-notch level, but you can easily see the highlights on a day trip if you’re short on time.

In this guide we show you how to plan the perfect one day itinerary for your trip to Grand Canyon South Rim with step by step instructions from sunrise to sunset and a map, all based on our experiences.

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Our Experience

Hiker in shorts and long sleeved shirt holding a camera and hot chocolate at Phantom Ranch in the bottom of the Grand Canyon on a sunny day
Mark drinking a hot chocolate at Phantom Ranch half way through the Rim-to-River hike

Our trips to South Rim were in November 2019 and December 2021. In 4 days we’ve hiked the amazing Rim-to-River Trail (South Kaibab down and Bright Angel up), seen the canyon from all the viewpoints along Hermit Road and Desert View Drive, photographed sunrises and sunsets, stayed in one park lodge and spent nights at hotels in every nearby town. So we know the place pretty well!

We can honestly count the amount of genuine jaw-dropping moments we’ve had on two hands after exploring the world non-stop for years, and our first trip to the Grand Canyon was one of those rare moments. It’s a truly unique place everyone has to see at least once. And the good news is that it’s not overwhelming to plan a trip. In fact, we think it’s one of the easiest parks we’ve been to. Read more about us.

What You Need To Know

Stunning sun beams bursting into grand canyon south rim at sunrise on south kaibab trail amazing photography
Sunrise bursting into the Grand Canyon from South Kaibab Trail

Okay, let’s dive right in! Here are the most important things you need to know about planning your Grand Canyon South Rim itinerary:

  • It costs $35/vehicle to enter South Rim
  • Entry fees cover driver and all passengers for 7 consecutive days
  • You can use an America the Beautiful Pass for free entry
  • You do not need permits to hike any trail
  • South Rim Trail is easy, flat and accessible
  • You should not hike into the canyon in summer
  • Stay on top of local weather conditions
  • Keep an eye on live trail updates for closures
  • You can enter from the east or south
  • It’s a 200-mile drive from South to North Rim
  • You can drive your car on Desert View Drive
  • Hermit Road is shuttle bus only March-November
  • There are 7 park run lodges right on the rim
  • Nearby towns also have plenty of accommodation

The main thing you need to consider when planning your itinerary is whether or not you plan to hike the Grand Canyon’s famous trails. We’re going to show you how to see the top Grand Canyon South Rim highlights in one action packed day, but it doesn’t involve a lot of hiking into the canyon. If you plan to hike a long way into the canyon, you either won’t see much else or you’ll need a second day.

Next, let’s take a look at how we would plan a day trip to Grand Canyon South Rim if it were our first time again!

Itinerary Map

Click or touch the map below to activate. Zoom in and out, move around the map and you’ll see the places to visit along with walking and driving directions throughout the day. You can also click on the “view larger map” icon in the top right to expand the map for a closer look.

Map key:

  • Red – Places you’ll visit
  • Blue – Walking and driving directions
Infographic showing the best way to spend a one day itinerary at Grand Canyon South Rim in Arizona
Our one day Grand Canyon South Rim itinerary

Mather Point Sunrise

Incredibly beautiful sunrise at mather point grand canyon south rim streaking colors in clouds with canyon glowing purple at dawn
The stunning sunrise we watched near Mather Point

5:00am-7:30am

Sunrise is the most magical time of the day at Grand Canyon National Park. It’s peaceful, calm and spectacularly colorful if you get lucky with the clouds. Mather Point is the most popular place to watch the sunrise over South Rim because it’s easy to access and has stunning east facing views.

We watched a wonderful sunrise from the famous Mather Point vista but it was busy, so the next morning we walked a few minutes east around the rim and found a secluded rocky outcrop which we had to ourselves. It’s one of our favorite places in the world to see the sun rising at dawn, so don’t miss it.

Check sunrise times the night before and make sure you’re at the rocky area next to Mather Point well before the actual sunrise time so you don’t miss it. Obviously the sun rises earlier close to June and much later in December, but either way this is how to start your day.

South Kaibab Trail

Photographer hiking down into the Grand Canyon during sunrise on a cold day in December
Kristen hiking down South Kaibab Trail just after sunrise

8:00am-9:30am

Either walk South Rim Trail or take the orange shuttle bus to South Kaibab Trailhead. It’s a bit out of the way from the visitor center, but trust us, it’s worth the effort.

South Kaibab Trail is the steeper, shorter and more direct of the two famous hikes leading down Grand Canyon South Rim to the Colorado River. We prefer it to Bright Angel because in our opinion the views are more varied and striking.

Here are the 5 landmark South Kaibab turnaround points with roundtrip hiking distances:

  • Ooh Ahh Point – 1.8 miles
  • Cedar Ridge – 3 miles
  • Skeleton Point – 6 miles
  • The Tipoff – 9 miles
  • Phantom Ranch – 14.6 miles

The scenery is extraordinary as you descend into the canyon on South Kaibab no matter how far you go down, but on a day trip you should only go as far as Ooh Ahh Point or Cedar Ridge if you’re a quick hiker.

We hiked the whole way down and it keeps getting better but we only recommend it if you’re a strong hiker, it’s not too hot and you have a second day in the park.

Bright Angel Trail

Bright Angel hiking trail from the trailhead incredible view on a cloudy afternoon in arizona
The view into Grand Canyon from Bright Angel Trailhead

10:00am-11:30am

Either walk back along South Rim Trail beyond Mather Point as far as Bright Angel Trailhead, or take the orange shuttle back to the visitor center and walk the final part to the trailhead instead.

Bright Angel Trail is the most popular trail for day hiking into the Grand Canyon because it’s closer to the visitor center, easier to access and less steep than South Kaibab. The views are awesome, but our issue is that they remain pretty much the same until much further down and beyond Havasupai Gardens.

Here are the 5 landmark Bright Angel turnaround points with roundtrip hiking distances:

  • 1.5 mile resthouse – 3 miles
  • 3 mile resthouse – 6 miles
  • Indian Garden – 9 miles
  • River Resthouse – 15.6 miles
  • Phantom Ranch – 19.6 miles

You absolutely do not have to include a short hike down Bright Angel if you’d prefer to do less hiking or you’d rather hike further down South Kaibab. Both are totally fine on this itinerary.

If you do go down Bright Angel, we recommend stopping at 1.5-mile resthouse otherwise it’ll take too long and the scenery is the same anyway.

Need help planning your trip to Grand Canyon?

Our popular Grand Canyon travel guidebook helps you with planning every aspect of your visit to South Rim, including the best viewpoints and hikes, where to eat and stay, itinerary ideas and map!

View Guidebook
Where Are Those Morgans Grand Canyon travel guidebook

Desert View Drive

Photo of a rounded stone tower next to a path and trees under a blue sky
We took this photo of Desert View Watchtower on a sunny day in December

12:00pm-2:30pm

Keep the hiking parts of your day strict with time so you don’t go beyond midday. Hop in your car and drive all the way to Desert View Watchtower without stopping.

You’ll find a 70-ft tall cylindrical stone structure designed by architect Mary Colter and built in 1932 using locally sourced rocks. It contains informative exhibits, indigenous murals and a 360-degree view at the top. There’s also a reflectoscope you can look through to see the Grand Canyon from a new perspective.

Both times we went to Desert View Watchtower we grabbed a quick lunch at the canteen, before stopping at every single viewpoint along Desert View Drive on the way back to the village. It works better this way because all the turnoffs are on the right side of the road heading west.

Here are the viewpoints on Desert View Drive:

  • Navajo Point
  • Lipan Point
  • Moran Point
  • Grandview Point
  • Shoshone Point (short hike)
  • Yaki Point

It’s important to know that you can’t drive to Yaki Point. You’ll either have to hike 1 mile from a roadside parking area on Desert View Drive, take the orange shuttle or walk South Rim Trail (just like going to hike South Kaibab Trail).

One thing to be aware of is deep and far reaching shadows casting across the inner canyon during the morning and late afternoon. We think 12:00pm-2:00pm is the best time for photos along Desert View Drive because the sun is highest in the sky, which is why you’re doing it now!

Hermit Road

Photo of a vast and wide open rugged sandstone landscape under a blue sky
We took this photo in late afternoon at Pima Point near Hermit’s Rest

3:00pm-5:00pm

Once back to the village, park at the visitor center and hustle across to Bright Angel Lodge where you’ll hop on the red shuttle to Hermits Rest at the end of Hermit Road. (If you visit December through February you can drive up Hermit Road).

At Hermit’s Rest you’ll find a historic stone structure that once served as a resting place between Grand Canyon Village and the Hermit Trail. On site there’s a gift shop, a coffee and snack bar, a huge fireplace and the westernmost views you can see into Grand Canyon. We bought hot chocolates and sat next to the fire.

If you’re feeling up to it, we highly recommend walking the flat and easy South Rim Trail from Hermit’s Rest to Hopi Point over the next few hours, as long as you have enough time before sunset. In fact, you could skip Bright Angel from earlier to make sure you have time for this walk if you’d prefer this type of relaxed experience instead.

It took us a little less than 2 hours to walk at a steady pace with far too many stops for photos! If you’re not up for that you can hop right back on the red shuttle and get off at Mohave Point or Powell Point and walk to Hopi Point.

Hopi Point Sunset

Photographer in winter coat with camera and tripod taking photos of the Grand Canyon at sunset
Mark taking photos of sunset at Hopi Point in December

5:00pm-8:00pm

Time everything so you arrive at Hopi Point around one hour before sunset. It’s our favorite Grand Canyon South Rim sunset spot, but the problem is that most others agree which means Hopi Point gets super crowded every evening.

Hopi Point has dramatic canyon views and jagged rock formations ahead, but what sets it apart for us is a clear view of the sunset and the Colorado River. We’ve been known to pull out a handy bottle of wine here, sitting back and enjoying what has to be one of the most iconic sunset spots in the world.

We’ve watched the sunset from Hopi Point in November and December. Both were stunning spectacles, but there was a noticeable difference in crowds even though it was only a month apart. Our advice is to find a secluded spot a few minutes walk to the south of Hopi Point, not at the actual point itself.

What If You Have An Extra Day?

pink sunrise over south kaibab trail in december at grand canyon south rim
Gorgeous pink hues in the sky before sunrise

Okay, one day might not sound like a lot of time to see one of the most popular US national parks, but if you follow our itinerary above you’ll do just fine. That said, it is pretty full and action packed. And it doesn’t leave a lot of room for a proper hike into the canyon.

So how would an efficient two day itinerary look at Grand Canyon South Rim? Well, there’s a bunch of ways you could plan your trip with another full day.

Personally, we’d spend one day hiking the amazing Rim to River Trail and the other day taking it easy along the rim. But the Rim to River should only be attempted if you’re a really strong hiker and the weather is safe.

Here’s how you could spend 2 days enjoying the park’s at a slower pace:

Day 1

  • Watch sunrise near Mather Point.
  • Hike South Kaibab Trail to Skeleton Point and back.
  • Grab lunch at Yavapai Lodge.
  • Drive to Desert View Watchtower.
  • Stop at all the viewpoints on the way back.
  • Visit the Yavapai Point Museum of Geology.
  • Watch sunset at Yavapai Point.

Day 2

  • Watch sunrise at Yavapai Point.
  • Hike Bright Angel Trail to Havasupai Gardens and back.
  • Shuttle to Hermit’s Rest.
  • Walk South Rim Trail to Hopi Point.
  • Watch sunset at Hopi Point.
Photo of Where Are Those Morgans Grand Canyon South Rim guidebook with a link to buy

The Morgan Conclusion

Couple standing together on a rocky outcrop in winter coats with a misty haze behind
Mark and Kristen enjoying a snow day during our trip to Grand Canyon in December

Grand Canyon South Rim is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world for domestic and international travelers. But it really might not take as long as you might think to see the park’s highlights. If you don’t plan on hiking into the canyon, you can tick off everything on your Grand Canyon bucket list in one unforgettable day.

We’re passionate about hiking and travel photography, so it doesn’t get much better for us. The Rim to River day hike is one of our all time favorites and watching sunrises or sunsets burst into the canyon never gets old. If you’re like us and want to try a bit of everything, we recommend planning to stay for another day.


We hope our one day Grand Canyon South Rim itinerary helps with planning your trip to Arizona!

Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.

Happy Travels,

Mark and Kristen

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10 thoughts on “Our Grand Canyon South Rim Day Trip Itinerary”

  1. Thank you! Needed this guidance for our 1.5 days on the South Rim. Question for you: did you eat dinner before sunset or after? We are going in May and sunset is around 7:30 pm so trying to decide what is best to do with your itinerary.

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Hi Diana, that’s a great question – we carried lots of healthy and filling snacks, and we ate a fairly big lunch at Desert View Watchtower both times we visited South Rim so that we’d have enough food in us to last through sunset. But we visited in November and December when sunset was way earlier, and we were eating dinner in Tusayan by 6:30-7:00pm which wasn’t too bad. In May when sunrise is earlier and sunset is later, you’ll have lots more daylight to get through the itinerary more easily, and you should have plenty of time to get a more substantial meal at one of the lodgings in the village before heading up Hermit Road. We’ve eaten at Yavapai Lodge and it was okay. Your alternative is to eat in Tusayan after sunset but it’ll be getting late and the food isn’t great there either to be honest. The only other thing we’d suggest is cutting down on some of the hiking to definitely make sure you have time to eat before sunset. Hope that helps and have a fantastic trip!

      Reply
  2. I am in need of help with a road trip from Springfield, Ohio. I am wanting to stop at Petrified Forest, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce,Capital Reef, Arches, Canyonlands, Mesa Verda and maybe stop in Pueblo Co.to see our daughter then head back to Ohio. I have been stuggling with how much time in each place. We will just be doing the scenic things very little walking due to health issues. I was thinking 2 days at Grand canyon and 2 at Zion. I know it is a long haul there so I need advice from a pro please and thank you.

    Reply
    • Hi Nikki, sounds like an amazing trip you’ve got planned. OK, so once you make it to Arizona after that long drive, you can do Petrified Forest easily in a few hours if you won’t be walking much. Grand Canyon you could do comfortably in 1.5 days with stops at the viewpoints on Desert View Drive and Hermit Road. Gives you chance to do a sunset and a sunrise if you’re interested. So those first 2 together with driving between could be 2 days. Not sure if you want to stop at Horseshoe Bend and/or Antelope Canyon in Page on the way to Zion? Zion is a hiking national park primarily, so if you won’t be hiking much, you can easily see it in a day. Go into the main Zion canyon to see the towering cliffs and walk alongside the Virgin River, and potentially drive to Kolob Canyons for an easy walk out to Timber Creek Overlook if you’re not too fed up with driving by this point! Bryce Canyon you can also do in half a day if you won’t be hiking into the amphitheater. There’s a scenic drive with lots of stops and that’s about it. Definitely drive UT-12 from Bryce to Capitol Reef, it’s very scenic. You’ll only need half a day at Capitol Reef. The best things to see and do in Arches are Devils Garden and Delicate Arch but they both are hikes. You can walk to Landscape Arch on Devils Garden easily enough but Delicate Arch is a steep climb. It’s amazing though if you can make it. We highly recommend Mesa Arch in Canyonlands, which is easy and well worth seeing (especially at sunrise). Without hikes, you can do both Arches and Canyonlands in a day. We haven’t been to Mesa Verde, but it looks like half a day to a full day is enough. The timeframes we’ve covered are minimum amounts of time. If you think you’ll need rest days in between driving, or days to just relax, be sure to add time into your itinerary. Springdale (Zion) and Moab (Arches, Canyonlands) are the two best towns you’ll stay at on the trip, with good hotels and quality restaurants, maybe factor that into your plans. Hope that helps and have a fantastic time!

      Reply
  3. From a former resident of the South rim of Grand Canyon National Park (yes, there are people that actually live there year around. GCHS class of 2001). TONS of history about the Park and village, along with great look out points. Locals are friendly and willing to point you in the right direction in case you get lost.
    The best ice cream in the area is the creamery just outside the Bright Angel Lodge gift shop.
    As for food and entertainment i’d say get the chicken wings from the bar/game room at Best Western “Quility Inn” in nearby Tusayan.
    DEFINITELY go see the Grand Canyon movie at the Imax theater too

    Reply
  4. Wow, you all did an awesome job with the Grand Canyon itinerary!! We just did it the end of February 2022. Couple of other tips for folks. Save your pennies, plan ahead and stay in the park. We did 2 nights at El Tovar. Very nice experience. Definitely worth it. And don’t forget to make reservations for dinner in the dining room one night. No reservation required for breakfast & lunch. After you check in, head out on the south rim trail. It has a ‘Trail of Time’ that is very interesting. Starts at El Tovar. About 3 miles round trip to the Geology museum and back. Lots of elk can be seen wandering on the tree side of the walk. The canyon is on the other side of the trail. So cool! We did your one day itinerary the next day. Sunrise was 1°F. But by the time we had breakfast and headed out for the South Kaibab it was warming up. Perfect hiking weather – 36°F – 46°F. Bring your YakTrax (crampons) you’ll need them. Especially on the Bright Angel trail that’s shaded. We did that the next morning. So, After a long day; sunrise, hiking, driving tours, we had a great meal in the El Tovar dining room. Food is very good and the staff is so kind & friendly. Then, we did Bright Angel before we headed out the next day for Sedona. Thank you so much for all the information and the Grand Canyon itinerary. It was outstanding!! I’ll be looking forward to more awesome travel ideas from you! Peace, Lisa

    Reply
  5. The Grand canyon South rim looks fantastic, it seems to me you could spend a life time exploring the Grand canyon and still not see every nook and cranny, amazing views in every direction.

    Reply
    • It is amazing, Graham. One of the only times we found ourselves stunned and speechless. Next time we visit, our plan is to hike to the bottom of the canyon, possibly on a photography tour, raft on the Colorado and soak up those awesome sunrises and sunsets. Hope you get to visit one day too!

      Reply

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