How To Get To Grand Canyon

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Due to the coronavirus pandemic, public health measures are in place including capacity limits, temporary closures, and modified operations.

graphic of a person's head that is wearing a face mask within a square frame.

As of 8/16/2021, wearing a face mask/covering is required for everyone:

Inside all park buildings. Regardless of vaccination status.
When boarding and inside park shuttle buses. This is a federal mandate that applies to vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals on all public transit.

In addition, wearing a face mask/covering is now required for everyone:

In outdoors spaces where physical distancing cannot be maintained, such as narrow or busy trails and overlooks.
In outdoor mask zones designated by the park superintendent.
Please be on the lookout for posted signs indicating where mask zones are located

What's Open + Hours of Operation (updated daily)

CA condor photo (courtesy of Steve Mull) and cover of Grand Canyon Trip Planner newspaper. — CA condor courtesy of Steve Mull

A much smaller number of people (10%) see the canyon from the North Rim of the park, which lies just 10 miles (16 km) across the canyon from the South Rim, (as the California condor flies) but is a 220 mile/ 354 km drive by car. The North Rim has a short season. Lodging and food services are open between May 15th and October 15th of each year.

Download our Trip Planning "Newspaper" as a PDF file here . (Includes information and maps for both rims and the inner canyon.)

Available in 7 additional languages here.

view from patio of grand canyon lodge on the north rim — View from Grand Canyon Lodge (North Rim)
NPS/Jessica Pope

North Rim Open for the Season

Averaging 8000 feet (2438 m) above sea level, the North Rim rises 1000 feet (305 m) higher than the South Rim, and because of its remote location, is less accessible. The North Rim has a short season; facilities, lodging and restaurants, are open May 15 through October 15, of each year.

During winter months, all roads are closed due to snow. However, hikers and cross country skiers are able to enter the North Rim with a valid backcountry permit.

Detailed information for visiting the North Rim during 2021: Lodging >

— Restaurants > — Campground > — Overview >
Driving Directions to the North Rim >

click on map to download — Grand Canyon Area Map

There is only one way to cross the Colorado River by automobile, and that is 137 miles / 231 km from the South Rim Village (at Marble Canyon, AZ) via the Navajo Bridge, a few miles downstream from Lees Ferry, where the Canyon is only 400 feet/ 122 m wide.

There is no longer an airstrip on the North Rim of the park. That means that the North Rim village may only be reached by driving all the way around - or by hiking across the canyon.

Grand Canyon National Park Area Map (83kb PDF File)

Kaibab Suspension Bridge crossing the Colorado River above Phantom Ranch — Colorado River footbridge.

If you are hiking across the canyon, the South Kaibab Trail crosses the Colorado River on a narrow foot bridge 70 feet/ 21 m above the water.

It is a 21 mile/ 34 km hike to go "Rim To Rim," with a vertical descent - followed by a climb - of 1 mile/ 1.6 km. This is an overnight hiking trip for 95% of individuals, and most people really shouldn't attempt it during the hot summer months, when high temperatures often average over 100 F. (38 C)