Red Hills Visitor Center

This visitor center is a wealth of information about the west side of Saguaro National Park, the TMD. There are also good restrooms, a museum, activities, a gift shop, and a theatre.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Desert Discovery Nature Trail

An interpretive trail near the park entrance that is paved, flat, and easy for strollers or wheelchairs. The 0.4 mile loop may have flowers and birds, as well as reptiles.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Valley View Overlook Trail

A 0.8 mile trail that leads to an impressive overlook above a large expanse of virgin Sonoran desert, with mountains in the background.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Ez-Kim-In-Zin Picnic Area

A placid picnic spot with vault toilets and nice desert views.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Sendero Esperanza Trailhead

This trail offers a stunning route to reach Mt. Wassen, the highest point of the TMD. Along the way one can see saguaros and other desert plants, as well as possibly wildlife as well, reptiles, birds, and possibly mammals, like jackrabbits and javalinas, or even mountain lions.

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Signal Hill

Stunning Hohokam culture petroglyphs with a backdrop of desert and mountains behind.

35 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Brown Mountain

Nice 4 mile loop hike that summits Brown Mountain, a lower hill that’s just outside Saguaro National Park.

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Gates Pass Scenic Lookout

A stunning scenic overlook of vast desert, with parking and stone structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Babad Do’ag Trailhead

This lovely overlook gives a sweeping vista of the Sonoran desert plain, Tucson, and the mountains beyond.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Molino Canyon Vista

A pretty canyon that makes for a nice view, especially pretty when there’s water down in the creekbed.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Molino Basin Trailhead

Hike down along an often-dry river and look for ancient grinding holes left by the Hohokam culture, used for turning acorns into flour.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Seven Cataracts

Take in great views of nearby Thimble Peak as well as view a rushing cascade of waterfalls on the opposite side of the ravine, though they are dry much of the year. Good spot to see wildlife, too.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Windy Point Vista

Wait for sunset or just marvel at the beauty of the landscape below you.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Hoodoo Vista

Hoodoos are strange, often otherworldly shapes caused by erosion of wind and rain. The drive has lots of them so they deserve their own pullout, don’t you think?

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

San Pedro Vista

Here you can hike to Barnam Rock and the further Leopold Point, catching great views of the San Pedro valley below.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Palisades Visitor Center

Useful and informative visitor center with bathrooms.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Aspen Vista

This peaceful spot was recently ravaged by wildfires. You can view the mountains far across the valley amid charred trunks of trees.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Loma Linda Picnic Area

Find a picnic table and enjoy a relaxing bite amid tall pines, with chirping birds and views of the San Pedro valley far, far below.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Mt Lemmon Ski Valley

Visit here if you’ve got some spare time (and some spare skis)!

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Mt. Lemmon Community Center

What this tiny hamlet lacks in size, it makes up for in heart: Grab tasty fudge, enjoy a giant, freshly made cookie, have a sit-down dinner, or find a nice trail to hike. It’s all here in quiet Summerhaven.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Marshall Gulch Picnic Area

Stop here to find a place to sit, eat, and enjoy nature.

3 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Rose Canyon Lake

Get in some good views and some good camping here.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Natural Arch

This massive arch is surprisingly easy to miss as you zip up the highway, but it’s worth the brief stop, and certainly the biggest arch you’ll see on the tour, though there are a few small ones tucked here and there among the other hoodoos.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Geology Vista Point

This stop offers grand views of the valley and some interesting interpretive signs that detail how this vast area came to be.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Bug Springs Trail

A fun hike for folks who want one last chance to get out of the car and onto a trail for a while.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Gordon Hirabayashi Campground

Get in some good camping! Open from October to April, and there are restrooms.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Little Colorado River Overlook

View the Little Colorado River Overlook.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Tusayan Ruins and Museum

Archeological site and interpretive museum of ancient Puebloan village circa 1100 AD.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Lipan Point

At 7,360 feet above sea level, Lipan Point offers some of the most expansive and clear views of the entire canyon.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Navajo Point

Navajo Point offers a great view of Desert View Watchtower, as well as panoramic vistas to the west and a view north up the Colorado River.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Grand Canyon Desert View Watchtower

Explore this Mary Colter-designed structure. Also offers gift shop, grocery store and ice cream parlor services.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Lipan Point

Named for famed nature artist Thomas Moran, Moran Point is an excellent place to see the vibrant colors of the Grand Canyon Supergroup and basement rocks like Vishnu Shist.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Grandview Lookout Tower

Fire lookout tower built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936. It is approximately 10 miles east of the Tusayan Ranger District Office and houses an observation deck and informational signage.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Buggeln Picnic Area

Enjoy a picnic lunch in the shady ponderosa pine forest while stealing glances of the canyon through the trees.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Grandview Point

Enjoy a picnic lunch in the shady ponderosa pine forest while stealing glances of the canyon through the trees.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Duck on a Rock Viewpoint

Viewpoint along Desert View Drive that features a Kaibab limestone formation that has eroded into the shape of a duck.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Twin Point Overlook

Two quick pullovers for taking in more great canyon views.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

South Kaibab Trail

The trailhead located at Yaki Point that connects to the Bright Angel Trail before descending to the canyon floor.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Pipe Creek Vista

The first viewpoint on Desert View Drive.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Mather Point

Named for Stephen Mather, the first director of the National Park Service, Mather Point is located a short walk from the Grand Canyon Visitor Center and parking areas.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Yavapai Geology Museum

From Mather Point, walk less than a mile along the flat, paved Rim Trail to the Yavapai Geology Museum. Here you’ll learn more about the geology of the Grand Canyon through interpretive panels and a topographical relief map of the entire canyon. The museum used to be the Yavapai Observation Station, so it offers some of the best panoramic views you’ll see all day. Also has a gift shop on site.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Grand Canyon Village

The Grand Canyon Village was the first spot at the South Rim to offer tourist accommodations. With over 120 years of history here, you can explore the historical buildings and Native artwork, shop for souvenirs and grab a bite to eat at iconic restaurants like Fred Harvey Burger Diner.

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Verkamp’s Visitor Center

A visitor center, curio shop, and family home that’s been in the park for over a century.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Hopi House

Commissioned by the Fred Harvey Company in 1904, Mary Colter built this “Indian Arts Building” in the style of a 1,000 year-old Native American Pueblo village dwelling. These days it houses local Native American art and a gift shop.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

El Tovar Hotel

The first luxury hotel built on the South Rim in 1905.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Bright Angel Lodge

Built in 1935 as a “moderately priced” alternative, the luxury El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge offers historic rooms, cozy cabins, two restaurants, a gift shop, and instant access to the South Rim.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Lookout Studio

Mary Colter designed the Lookout Studio in 1914 as a refuge for tourists and artists to sit, relax, and gaze out at the beauty of the canyon. Today, tourists can still do just that, but now there is an added bonus of a gift shop.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kolb Studio

The original photography studio of Emery and Ellsworth Kolb is now an art gallery, bookstore and curio shop.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Grand Canyon Railway Depot

Before the time of automobiles, the trains were the lifeblood of the canyon, bringing in tourists and supplies. Check out the original log depot with signs and memorabilia to get a feel for the train depot’s heyday.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Desert View Drive

There are many surprising viewpoints and overlooks down the 26-mile Desert View Drive.

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Bitter Springs

If you’re coming to the North Rim from Grand Canyon’s South Rim, Page, Arizona, or Sedona, you’ll start the audio tour in Bitter Springs, Arizona (just north of the Highway 89 N/Highway 89-A split. While you’re there, be sure to stop at the historical Navajo Bridge Interpretive Center for an up-close-and-personal look at the Colorado River!

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Pipe Spring National Monument

The National Park Service’s website(nps.gov/pisp) sums this unique national monument best: “The rich history of Pipe Spring and its flowing water comes alive as you explore the traditions of the Kaibab Paiute and the Mormon settlers through the museum, historic fort, cabins, and garden. Hike the Ridge Trail to enjoy geologic wonders, plants, and wildlife. Attend living history demonstrations and talks and be sure to visit with our amazing ranch animals!

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kanab

If you’re joining us from Zion or Bryce Canyon National Parks, Kanab, Utah is a great stopover as you make your way south to the North Rim! Right Kanab is home to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, the Red Pueblo Museum, Little Hollywood Land, and countless short day-hikes. Take some time to stretch your legs before the road trip ahead, and we’ll meet you in Fredonia.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Fredonia

We’ll be on Highway 89 A for about an hour. While you wind your way through the stunning Vermillion Cliffs and desert highway, our Shaka Guide will regale you with the fascinating history of the Native American tribes that came before us.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Jacob Lake Inn

The Jacob Lake Inn is a great place to stretch your legs and grab a bite to eat. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner in their dining room, and their on-site bakery is famous for its giant cookies.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kaibab National Forest

Stop into the North Kaibab Visitor Center to check current trail and weather conditions and chat with the Kaibab National Forest rangers. It’s also a great place to gas up the car and stock up on hiking supplies. Don’t forget to grab some sunscreen!

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Jacob Lake

Years ago, the US Forest Service used towers like the Jacob Lake Lookout to manually spot far-off forest fires. A USFS or park employee was responsible for manning the tower. Thanks to modern technology, these towers haven’t been actively manned in years, but if you stop to check out this fascinating piece of history, you’ll be able to climb 80 feet to the top and get amazing pictures of the Kaibab National Forest from a pretty unique perspective!

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

North Rim Country Store

The Country Store is a great place to load up on supplies, snacks, and gas before going out to hit the trails.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

North Entrance Station

Get your America the Beautiful pass (or your $35 entry fee) ready! There shouldn’t be much of a line at the North Rim Entrance gate. If you’re planning on hiking while you’re here, be sure to get updated trail information and weather conditions from the friendly rangers here.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

East Rim Viewpoint Trailhead

East Rim Viewpoint is an optional side trip that overlooks the Saddle Mountain Wilderness, Marble Canyon and the Navajo Nation. East Rim is just a short, 4-mile drive up Forest Road 611.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Point Imperial Road

Point Imperial has the distinction of being the highest point on the North Rim. At 8,803 feet above sea level, you’ll be able to see Boundary Ridge and its central peak Saddle Mountain to the North. The Nankoweap Trail runs across the lower ridge, and views of Mount Hayden, Hancock Butte and Alsap Butte are visible from the upper part of the ridge.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Cape Royal Road

Some of the most spectacular overlooks at the North Rim are tucked away on this nine and a half mile paved road.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Vista Encantada Picnic Area

A quiet viewpoint along Cape Royal Drive, Vista Encantada is a picnic area that’s blanketed in wildflowers and offers views of Nankoweap. The viewpoint of Vista Encantada looks out over the Walhalla Plateau. On clear days, youmay be able to see the Painted Desert in the east.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Roosevelt Point

Another viewpoint along Cape Royal Road. Roosevelt Point is accessed through a very short walk and has resting benches. Despite the high ridge, a fair amount of the scenery to the north is visible including the furthest section of the Grand Canyon, where the Colorado River forms an unbranched gorge just a mile or so across, cutting into the flat desert plain between the Vermilion and Echo Cliffs.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Cape Final Trail

This is a 4-mile out and back trail leads to Cape Final. The trail is rated easy, which means it’s relatively flat and shaded. The first part of the trail winds through the Ponderosa pine forest until you get to Cape Final Overlook, which provides expansive views of the North Rim. Many people say that this is the best overlook on the North Rim.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Walhalla Ruins

The Walhalla Ruins–or Walhalla Glades–was once the summer home of the Basketmakers during the Pueblo period. Here you’ll be able to tour 10 rooms that have been left behind, and attend ranger-led talks and tours through the artifacts!

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Cape Royal

This is the southernmost viewpoint at the North Rim, and it offers the most expansive views. In fact, you’ll get an almost 270 degree view of the entire horizon. See if you can spot Angel’s Window, a natural arch in the Kaibab limestone which frames a little section of the Colorado River.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Point Sublime

Moderately challenging 32.5 mile out-and back hike

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

North Kaibab Trailhead

If you’re wondering why we’ve given you such a large timespan at the North Kaibab Trailhead, it’s because this one is a bit tricky. This is one of the most famous trails at both rims of the Canyon, because this is the one that connects them! The North Kaibab Trail itself descends to the Canyon floor, where it eventually connects to the South Kaibab and Bright Angel trails to ascend out of the Canyon at the South Rim. Many adventurers prefer to camp at various locations near the Canyon floor. Beginner hikers or travelers without proper hiking gear should not attempt to hike this trail. So why are we including it here? Well, the North Kaibab Trail passes through every ecosystem from Canada to Mexico! Even if you’re not hiking the whole way down, it’s definitely worth a bit of exploration! Walk as far as you’re comfortable, take some great pictures, and give high fives to the Rim to Rim hikers as they ascend the Canyon!

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

North Rim Visitor Center

Plenty of parking here! The North Rim Visitor Center also offers educational programs, interactive exhibits both indoor and outdoor, a large gift shop, ranger information stations and those all-important restrooms, too!

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Bright Angel Point

This is the most visited viewpoint on the North Rim! Bright Angel Point can be accessed behind the Lodge on the Transept Trail. This is only a half-mile, paved path that leads to the Point, where you’ll be treated to view of three peaks named for three Hindu deities: Deva Temple, Brahma Temple and Zoroaster Temple.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Route 66 Gifts & Souvenir Shop

Get in the Route 66 mindset with these two old-fashioned gift shops with local handiworks, petrified wood souvenirs, and tacky dinosaur statues greeting customers out front. Painted Desert Indian Center specializes in crafts from local artists while Stewart’s Petrified Wood shop specializes in petrified wood products.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Painted Desert Visitor Center

These flush toilets are the cleanest you’ll find until the Rainbow Forest Museum on the other end of the park.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Tiponi Point

This overlook is your first glimpse of the Painted Desert coming in from the north, with the colorful hills below you and a vast horizon beyond facing the east. Any relevant entry fees/requirements: Tiponi Point is the first stop after the north entrance booth for Petrified Forest National Park.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Tawa Point

Stand nearly surrounded by the Painted Desert below from this overlook point. The easy Painted Desert Rim trail leaves from the overlook and takes you to the next overlook: Kachina Point. The hike is one mile, round trip. If you hike the trail, expect to spend a total of about 30 minutes here.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kachina Point

The expanse of the Painted Desert is plainly viewable from the overlook, easily accessible behind the Painted Desert Inn via a short path from the parking lot.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Chinde Point

This lookout faces the Painted Desert to the north for an expansive, unobstructed view. A semi-circle of covered picnic tables is the only picnic area outside of the visitor centers.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Pintado Point

From this overlook on a clear day, you can see over 100 miles away including the San Francisco Peaks by Flagstaff, AZ.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Nizhoni Point

These three overlooks are close to each other and offer another expansive view of the Painted Desert, though you may find the previous lookouts more colorful.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Puerco Pueblo

This is a small, vault toilet by the parking lot.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument

Generation after generation of Ancestral Puebloans left over 650 petroglyphs on these giant boulders. The petroglyphs are a little far away, visible from an overlook and a set of binoculars, but clearly visible without assistance.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Tepees

These conical hills, banded with several shades of mudstones, are said to resemble Tepees. There are two pull-offs on the side of Petrified Forest Rd to park the car and get a good view–the North Pullout and the South Pullout, which is also the trailhead for the “Off the Beaten Path” Blue Forest Trail.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Blue Mesa

The Blue Mesa is one of the most beautiful parts of the park, with more opportunities to discover the strange, eroded badlands. Atop the Blue Mesa, the road splits and becomes a one-way loop. Stop at the first pull-offs for a glimpse of the badlands, and the first petrified wood deposit you see coming from the north.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Blue Mesa Trailhead

his 1-mile loop trail is a paved path through the Blue Mesa badlands. Though rated as easy, there is an initial descent from the parking lot (and ascent as you finish) that may be difficult for those with limited mobility. A true highlight of the park, though, as it immerses visitors in a totally alien landscape.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Agate Bridge

This 100-ft long petrified log sits on top of a small chasm, forming a bridge. When the park opened, visitors could stand on top of it! Today, the log is off-limits and supported by concrete, but this is a quick, easy stop for an impressively long piece of petrified wood.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Jasper Forest

An overlook sits over a desert plain with a dense petrified wood deposit below. Want a closer look? Another ‘off the beaten path’ trail leads from the right of the parking lot down to the deposit following a well-worn path to the wash. Then it’s just you and the petrified wood–a truly astonishing and bizarre landscape.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Crystal Forest Trail

This 0.75-mile hike makes a loop through one of the park’s major petrified wood deposits. The paved trail and mostly flat topography make for an easy hike, and one accessible for those with wheelchairs or strollers.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Rainbow Forest Museum

If you only visit one visitor center in the national park, make it this one! In addition to the typical orientation video, gift shop, restrooms, and information desk, you’ll find exhibits on the area’s paleontology including fossils found in the park. Behind the building is the 0.4-mile Giant Logs trail, which passes some of the largest pieces of petrified wood in the park.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Petrified Forest Gift Shop

Just south of the park’s borders are two gift shops: Petrified Forest Gift Shop and Crystal Forest Museum and Gifts. These private stores focus on last minute petrified wood souvenirs that you put off within the park. They also feature Route 66-style dinosaur statues out front.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Bitter Springs

Come and check out Bitter Springs – a tiny Arizonan town.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Antelope Pass Vista

Come and see the gorgeous views of this vista!

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Horseshoe Bend

At Horseshoe Bend you will see a spectacular view of the Colorado River winding around a sandstone formation from the top of a 1,000-foot-tall cliff. It features a parking lot with restrooms, great views of the geological feature from the overlook and an approximate 1.5 mile hike. It gets very crowded between 9-11 a.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m. During those hours the parking lot can get full, and no parking is allowed on Highway 89. Those who do will be ticketed and towed, you if it’s full, you must circle back later.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Powell Museum & Archives

Located at 6 N Lake Powell Blvd, Page, AZ 86040 inside of the museum.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Glen Canyon Dam Overlook

This amazing overlook give you a chance to stop and take in views on the Glen Canyon Dam looking north and the Colorado River. Centrally located in Page off of Scenic View road, it’s easily accesible by a walk that is less than 1,000 feet long. At the overlook there are picnic tables and a pavillin to spend some time and enjoy the view.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Potato Hill Overlook

There’s even more great views! At Potato Hill Overlook visitors can take an easy, one-mile round-trip walk to the overlook for a gorgeous view of Lake Powell and Antelope Island. The Page Rimview Trail is also accessed from there. As the name suggests, it loops around Page. It’s just over 10-miles or 16 kilometers long, and it’s a great spot for birding and biking.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Grandview Overlook

Not far from Potato Hill is the Grandview Overlook which affords panoramic views of Lake Powell and Navajo Mountain. It’s a peaceful place to spend some time.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Hanging Gardens Trail

At the Hanging Gardens trailhead, you’ll be treated to a 1.2 mile, or 2 kilometers, out-and-back trail. As the name suggests, it leads to a hanging garden, where plants actually grow on vertical rock surfaces.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Chains

This is an easy to moderate hike where you can explore the area with a self-guided adventure through slickrock sand formations. It offers great views of canyon walls and the Glen Canyon Dam. Lakeshore access is possible depending on the current lake elevations.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Carl Hayden Visitor’s Center

Located at Two miles north of Page across the Glen Canyon Bridge. Building is attached to Glen Canyon Dam.

-Summer: 8 a.m.–6 p.m. MST daily;
-Winter: 8 a.m.–4 p.m. MST daily;
-Spring & Fall: 8 a.m.–5 p.m. MST daily;
-Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Wahweap Recreation Area

Featuring restrooms centrally located in the group area. Located about a fourth of a mile from the shore of Lake Powell. There appears to be four different restroom buildings.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Navajo Mountain Viewpoint

Come visit and find awesome views!

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Wahweap Marina

Come here to spend the day at Lake Powell!

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Wahweap Overlook

The final stop on th