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Williams, AZ

Grand Canyon Railway

Grand Canyon Village

Maswik Lodge/Hermit Road Tour

Desert View Tour

Inner Canyon Tour

Berizona

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The majority of visitors come to the South Rim each year. Compare 5 million annual South Rim visitors to 1 million yearly North Rim visitors and 200,000 annual visitors at the West Rim. There is a good reason people flock to the South Rim; it's part of Grand Canyon National Park; it's stunningly beautiful; it's more developed by way of visitors centers and services; there's more lodging nearby; you can hike, backpack and camp; it's easier to access; it's more centrally located for Arizona visitors; and it offers more activity and tour variety.

The South Rim is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Entrance to Grand Canyon National Park is $25 per private vehicle. Once inside the park, take advantage of the free ranger-led talks, and spend time at overlooks, visitors centers, and walk or hike short distances.  Summer is the most popular season for visiting Grand Canyon National Park. Keep in mind that with good weather comes large crowds, scarce parking and busy viewpoints and visitors centers.

Driving yourself is the number one way to get to the South Rim. Many South Rim visitors opt to take a shuttle or cab from the airport - commonly Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport - to Flagstaff, and another shuttle or taxi to the South Rim. Shuttles and cabs for each leg are available from several companies, with prices ranging from $38 - $42 per person. 

We took the train from Williams to Grand Canyon Village and met the motor coach bus at the depot.  After boarding, we all headed a short distance to Maswik Lodge for lunch, then boarded the bus to begin our 90-minute Hermit Road Tour.  I should note that we saw the park free shuttle bus at a number of our stops.  However, with this tour, we got to spend time at each stop, and our bus driver was a great source of information.  It was well worth the time and cost to take this tour.

During the busy season, between March 1st and November 30 of each year, free shuttle buses operate on Hermit Road and the road is closed to private vehicles. Commercial bus tours are also available.  During the winter months of December, January and February, Hermit Road is open to all vehicles. Winter visitors should be advised that the road can close with little notice, particularly in the evenings, as refreezing snow melt creates the potential for black ice.

Improved in 2008, Hermit Road (formerly known as the West Rim Drive) has some of the best Grand Canyon views that you can see anywhere. Once you get out to Hopi Point, the Colorado River comes into view, and on a quiet day at Pima Point, you can hear the roar of the Colorado River as it crashes through Granite Rapid.

Nine months of the year, access is by commercial tour bus or free park shuttle bus, which gives you the chance to look at the scenery, while someone else does the driving. (March 1 through November 30).

Like there are usually lots of deers in Yosemite, the Grand Canyon Village has elk all over the place - and they are really tame.  There is a video I have uploaded below where we watched several in the Village.

Below are pictures of the awesome views we saw of the Grand Canyon!   We were very fortunate to spot to condors flying overhead.  Our tour guide said they are a very rare sight - and to see two of them is even more rare!  They are one of the largest birds in the area - with a wingspan of 9 1/2 feet!!