10 things to do at Grand Canyon’s South Rim

While the Grand Canyon is already an unfathomable sight to behold from atop the South Rim, it’s impossible to get a full understanding of its geology, flora, and fauna without descending below the rim. The South Rim sits at 7000-7500ft and the bottom of the canyon at the Colorado River is 2000-2500ft. Hikers will experience seven different climate zones when descending the 5000ft (a depth of one mile) from top to bottom! While the landscape can sometimes appear to be dry and desolate from above, hikers who descend below the rim find that the inner canyon is actually lush and teeming with life. Mule deer graze near Bright Angel Creek at Havasupai Garden and wildflowers and agave bloom in spring and summer.

The most popular and well-maintained trails on the Grand Canyon South Rim are Bright Angel Trail and South Kaibab Trail, otherwise known as the Corridor trails. Some famous viewpoints on these trails include Skeleton Point, Ooh Aah Point, and my favorite, Plateau Point. Both trails could be used for out-and-back day hikes, descending about halfway down the canyon or less, or could be built into an overnight backpacking trip all the way to the bottom and back up. Note that camping below rim requires a permit. If you don’t want to go it alone, Wildland Trekking also offers guided day hikes and overnight hiking trips.

For those hoping to get off the beaten path, consider checking out Hermit Trail, Grandview Trail, or one of the primitive unmaintained trails such as Tanner or New Hance. On these trails at times you can experience rare solitude within the canyon (and as one of the the most visited US National Parks, that’s really saying something)! Hermit and Grandview get maintenance every few years, so they may be more rugged than the Corridor trails, but not quite as rugged as the primitive trails. Hermit is a personal favorite of mine, especially for an overnight trip. The further you descend down, the more the views open up to reveal strange rock temples and buttes. You’ll find the remains of Hermit Camp sitting alongside Hermit Creek, and the Hermit Rapids at the Colorado River.

Hermit Loop Guided Backpack Trip

If you prefer to ride in style, Xanterra offers interpretive bus tours along the South Rim. These include the Sunrise Tour (1.5 hours, goes west on Hermit Road), Sunset Tour (1.5 hours west on Hermit Road), Hermit’s Rest Tour (2 hours west to the end of Hermit Road), and Desert View Tour (4 hours, goes east to Desert View Watchtower). Tickets can be purchased from the Activities Desks at Bright Angel Lodge or Maswik Lodge.

While Hermit’s Rest, the furthest point west you can reach on the South Rim, is accessible on the free shuttle bus and also by walking, the same cannot be said for Desert View Watchtower. Desert View Drive extends 26 miles past the most easterly point that is reachable on the free shuttle, so the only ways to get to the Tower would be to drive your own car or to take Xanterra’s narrated Desert View

Bus Tour.

The guided bus tours are a great way to learn about the canyon’s history and the guides always have a great eye for fossils and wildlife. My guide pointed out an endangered California Condor and a fossil near Hopi Point that I never would have seen on my own.

Mules are celebrities at Grand Canyon’s South Rim. Mules are reliable in the canyon because they are extremely sure-footed. As a cross between a female horse and a male donkey, they are stronger than both animals and have more heat tolerance. Because their eyes are further back on their head, they can see both their back feet and front feet.

There are two mule riding tours that are possible at the South Rim, including the Canyon Vista “rim ride” and the Phantom Ranch mule ride. The Canyon Vista trip is just a couple of hours and stays atop the rim to provide you with unique South Rim views from the east side of the canyon near Yaki Point. The Phantom Ranch ride goes all the way to the bottom of the canyon for an overnight stay at the rustic and historic Phantom Ranch cabins. Aside from hiking, this is the only other way to get to the bottom of the canyon from the South Rim.

Note that the Phantom Ranch mule ride and any Phantom Ranch hiker cabin reservations require you to win spots via a luck-based and extremely competitive lottery system that you enter over a year in advance.

There are not any horseback riding tours on the Grand Canyon South Rim, although you can sign up for a horseback ride through the Kaibab National Forest at Apache Stables in Tusayan, if mules are not your thing.

Grand Canyon Mule TOUR

To learn about Grand Canyon history is to learn about the entire history of the earth. There are several museums and historic sites near the South Rim to get your history fix. The Yavapai Geology Museum does a great job of packing a punch in a small space without overwhelming you with the sheer magnitude of the subject.

On Desert View Drive you’ll find the Tusayan Pueblo Museum, where visitors can explore remnants of Ancestral Puebloan dwellings. Inside are artifacts and exhibits on the Native populations that have called northern Arizona their home.

Hopi House was designed by renowned architect Mary Colter with the help and input of local indigenous groups. Here you’ll find Native pottery, weaving, jewelry, and artwork for sale. Keep an eye on their calendar to see if they have upcoming cultural demonstrations!

Mary Colter also designed El Tovar hotel, Bright Angel Lodge, Hermit’s Rest, Lookout Studio, and Desert View Watchtower. Desert View Watchtower is 70 feet tall, the tallest point on the South Rim. The top floor provides 360 degree views of not just the Grand Canyon, but also the Vermillion Cliffs, the Painted Desert, and Humphreys Peak.

Inside Bright Angel Lodge is a small exhibit about Fred Harvey and the Harvey Girls, architect Mary Colter, and the earliest days of tourism at the Grand Canyon South Rim. Another exhibit on early tourism and exploration can be found at Kolb Studio. Kolb Studio was the photography studio and home of the Kolb brothers, who captured historic photographs of visitors enjoying the Grand Canyon in the early 1900s.

If you’ve marked these activities off your list, let us know – what are your favorite things to do at Grand Canyon’s South Rim? Have you made it to lesser-known viewpoints in the inner canyon? On your next trip, consider signing up for a guided hiking tour with Wildland Trekking to enhance your sense of place and perspective on this Natural Wonder. With more than 15 years of experience leading trips around the world, over 75,000 hikers served, and a 5-star rating on Trip Advisor, Google, and Yelp, Wildland Trekking understands how to create an unforgettable trip with the highest standards.