Home › Grand Canyon › How many days
How many days at the Grand Canyon? 4 days, with sunrise on the rim and a hike below it
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Most people drive in from Las Vegas, look over the rail at Mather Point for twenty minutes and drive out again. The canyon changes completely with the light, so give it four days: two full days on the South Rim, including a sunrise and a walk below the edge, one day along Desert View Drive towards the east, and one day at Page for Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon. The rule that matters: hike down only as far as you can climb back up, because the way out is always uphill.
Short answer
Two days covers the South Rim properly: the Rim Trail and Hermit Road on the first, a sunrise and a hike to Ooh Aah Point or the first rest house on the second. Four lets you add Desert View and the slot canyons around Page.
The 4-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Arrival, Mather Point and the Rim Trail
Morning. Drive from Flagstaff (about 1h30, 80 miles) or Las Vegas (about 4h30, 280 miles) to the South Entrance, where the park fee is US$35 per vehicle for seven days. Park at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center and walk 5 minutes to Mather Point for your first view.
Afternoon. Walk west on the Rim Trail, paved and nearly flat, about 2 miles (3 km) to Grand Canyon Village. The Trail of Time along the way marks one metre for every million years of rock. Stop at Yavapai Geology Museum for the large windows and models of the layers.
Evening. Watch sunset from Hopi Point or Mohave Point on Hermit Road. Then eat in the historic El Tovar dining room (mains US$30-50; reserve) or the cheaper Arizona Steakhouse at Bright Angel Lodge.
The South Rim is at about 2,100 metres. Drink more water than you think and take it slowly the first afternoon; altitude makes the climb back from any trail harder.
Day 2: Sunrise and a hike below the rim
Morning. Take the first Hermit Road or Kaibab Rim shuttle before dawn (about an hour before sunrise) to Yaki Point or Hopi Point. Then hike the South Kaibab Trail from its trailhead (shuttle only, no cars): Ooh Aah Point is 1.8 miles round trip, Cedar Ridge 3 miles, with about 350 metres of climb back.
Afternoon. Rest at the lodges, then ride the free red Hermit Road shuttle (March-November, when cars are banned on the road) to Pima Point and Hermits Rest, about 7 miles west of the village. On a quiet day you can hear the Colorado River rapids from Pima Point.
Evening. Visit Hopi House and the Kolb Studio by the Bright Angel trailhead before they close, then join a free ranger star talk if one is running. The park is an International Dark Sky Park.
Rangers advise against hiking to the river and back in one day. In summer, temperatures at the bottom pass 40°C; do not hike between 10:00 and 16:00 below the rim.
Day 3: Desert View Drive to the east
Morning. Drive the 25-mile Desert View Drive (Highway 64), stopping at Grandview Point and Moran Point. The Tusayan Ruin is a small Ancestral Puebloan village of about 800 years ago, with a free museum.
Afternoon. At Desert View, climb the Watchtower, built in 1932 by architect Mary Colter, with Hopi murals inside and the widest view of the Colorado River from the South Rim. Leave the park by the East Entrance towards Cameron (about 30 minutes) and visit the Cameron Trading Post for Navajo crafts and a Navajo taco.
Evening. Continue north on Highway 89 to Page, about 2 hours from Desert View, and sleep there. Dinner at a steakhouse or Mexican restaurant on Lake Powell Boulevard costs US$20-35.
Fill up before you leave the village: there is fuel at Desert View, but prices are high and the stations close in the evening off-season.
Day 4: Page: Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend
Morning. Book Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon in advance: the slot canyons are on Navajo land and can only be visited with a licensed Navajo guide, at around US$80-120 including the Navajo permit. Upper is flat and famous for midday light beams in summer; Lower uses ladders and steps.
Afternoon. Drive 10 minutes to Horseshoe Bend (parking about US$10 per car), a 1.5-mile round-trip walk to the cliff edge above a curve of the Colorado River 300 metres below. Then cool off at Lake Powell, perhaps at the Glen Canyon Dam overlook.
Evening. Drive back south to Flagstaff (about 2h15) for your flight or onward trip. Alternatively, stay in Page and continue to Zion or Monument Valley the next day.
Arizona does not change its clocks in summer, but the Navajo Nation does. From March to November, Antelope Canyon tour times are one hour ahead of Page hotels: check which time your ticket uses.
Only have 2 days?
With 2 days, do Days 1 and 2 on the South Rim and drive out via Desert View on the way to your next stop. A single day trip from Las Vegas spends about 9 hours in the bus for 3 hours at the rim; it works, but it is a long day.
Got extra days?
With more time, the North Rim (open mid-May to mid-October, about 4 hours' drive from the South Rim, or 21 miles on foot across the canyon) is higher, greener and much quieter. Alternatively, apply for a permit to sleep at Bright Angel Campground or Phantom Ranch at the bottom, or add Zion National Park and Monument Valley.
Where to stay in Grand Canyon
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Williams / Flagstaff | Cheaper motels 1-1.5 hours away; Williams has the Grand Canyon Railway. | US$90-160 |
| Mid-range | Tusayan | Chain hotels 10 minutes from the South Entrance, with a summer shuttle into the park. | US$180-320 |
| Mid-range | Grand Canyon Village lodges | Yavapai, Maswik and Bright Angel Lodge: walk to the rim for sunrise. Book up to 13 months ahead. | US$200-350 |
| Comfort | El Tovar Hotel | The 1905 log-and-stone hotel on the rim itself, with the best dining room in the park. | US$350-650 |
Getting around
You need a car for this trip: the nearest major airports are Phoenix (3.5 hours), Las Vegas (4.5 hours) and Flagstaff (1.5 hours, small). Inside the South Rim, park once and use the free shuttle buses: the Village (blue), Kaibab Rim (orange) and Hermit Road (red) routes, every 10-15 minutes from about an hour before sunrise. The Grand Canyon Railway runs from Williams to the village daily, 2h15 each way (from about US$80 return). An America the Beautiful annual pass costs US$80 and covers all national parks; note that from 2026 non-US residents pay higher fees at some of the busiest parks, so check the NPS site for the current rate.
What to eat in Grand Canyon
Food inside the park is mostly cafeteria-style and not cheap: the Maswik Food Court and the Canyon Village Market deli (with a good grocery for picnics) cost US$12-20 a meal. For a proper dinner, book El Tovar (open for breakfast too, US$15-25) or the Arizona Steakhouse. Outside, Tusayan has fast food and a couple of sit-down places, and Flagstaff has the best restaurants and craft breweries in the region. Try a Navajo taco, fry bread topped with beans, meat and chilli, at Cameron Trading Post (about US$15). Bring a refillable bottle: there are free water stations at the visitor centre and major trailheads.
Best time to visit
April to May and September to October, with rim highs of 15-25°C and comfortable hiking. Summer (June-August) is crowded, with rim highs near 30°C, monsoon thunderstorms in July and August, and 40°C+ at the bottom of the canyon. Winter brings snow and freezing nights on the South Rim, few people and spectacular light; the North Rim is closed from mid-October to mid-May.
Month-by-month weather for Grand Canyon →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | US$60 | US$130 | US$250 |
| Food & drink | US$40 | US$70 | US$130 |
| Sights & tickets | US$10 | US$40 | US$100 |
| Local transport | US$30 | US$45 | US$70 |
| Total per person, per day | about US$140 | about US$285 | about US$550 |
Approximate 2026 prices in US dollars, with car hire and fuel split between two people; Arizona hotel and sales taxes of roughly 10-13% are added to most bills.
Before you go
Common questions
South Rim or North Rim?
For a first visit, the South Rim. It is open all year, has most of the viewpoints, lodges, shuttles and trailheads, and is 4.5 hours from Las Vegas. The North Rim is 300 metres higher, forested and much quieter, but only open from mid-May to mid-October and about 4 hours' drive further. Grand Canyon West with the Skywalk is a separate tribal attraction, not the national park.
Can I hike to the bottom and back in one day?
The park strongly advises against it. The round trip to the Colorado River is about 15-18 miles with 1,400 metres of climb back, and rangers rescue hundreds of people every year, mostly from heat. If you want to see the river, apply for a backcountry permit or a Phantom Ranch booking lottery, or take a mule trip; otherwise hike to the 1.5-mile or 3-mile rest houses on Bright Angel.
Is the Grand Canyon Skywalk in the national park?
No. The glass Skywalk is at Grand Canyon West, run by the Hualapai Tribe, about 2.5 hours from Las Vegas and more than 4 hours' drive from the South Rim. It charges its own entry package, roughly US$70-90, and you cannot take your own camera onto the glass. It is easier from Vegas but much less impressive than the national park views.
Do I need to book Antelope Canyon in advance?
Yes, especially from March to October. All visits are by guided tour with Navajo-licensed operators in Page, and the midday Upper Antelope Canyon slots sell out weeks ahead. Book directly with an operator, bring photo ID, and remember the time difference between Arizona and the Navajo Nation in summer. Tours are cancelled if flash floods threaten.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan may earn a commission; the price you pay is the same. How we make money.