The Grand Canyon may not be the largest canyon on Earth, but it is arguably the grandest. Much of it is protected in the Grand Canyon National Park, but much more of the great nation belongs to tribal and recreation areas.
The Grand Canyon is one of the natural wonders of the world and the Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most popular national parks in the country. Here are ten of the top places to visit in the greater Grand Canyon area.
10 Skywalk: Walk Above The Grand Canyon
Visitors on the Skywalk Grand Canyon West Rim
The Skywalk is one of the most iconic and popular attractions in the Grand Canyon. It is located in Grand Canyon West and is a 10-foot wide horseshoe-shaped glass bridge jutting out 70 feet over the rim of the Grand Canyon.
Gaze down between one’s feet 4,000 feet to the Canyon floor below and feel one’s heart race with adrenaline.
9 Eagle Point: See The Eagle Of The Cliffs
Eagle Point at the Grand Canyon, Arizona
Eagle Point is not located in the national park but on the Hualapai reservation. Here visitors can see some of the best views of the Grand Canyon while also learning about the Native American culture of the region.
- Come on Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays and visitors can watch the musical sounds and dances of the Hualapai Tribe.
8 Havasu Falls: The Magical Waterfalls Of The Grand Canyon
Beautiful sunrise in Havasu Falls near Supai Village, Havasupai, Arizona, USA
Havasu Falls is one of the most stunning waterfalls in the region. The water feature is located on the Havasupai tribal lands and requires a permit to hike.
Havasu Falls tumble around 100 feet into a series of plunge pools.
- The watercolor is a vivid blue-green thanks to a high calcium carbonate concentration.
7 Horseshoe Bend: The Most Dramatic Feature On The Colorado
Perhaps the most pictured feature on the Colorado River is the famous Horseshoe Bend. See one of the natural wonders of the world hewn out of the desert rock by eons of erosion by the Colorado River.
One day, the river will cut through the walls and the bend will be bypassed.
6 The Trail Of Time: See One Billion Years Of History
Sunrise at Grand Canyon’s Toroweap Overlook
In eroding down through layers of rock, the Colorado River cut thrown eons of time. Today at the Trail of Time, visitors can explore one or two billion years of geological Earth history.
- See rocks from a time when life on Earth was just getting started (and multicellular life was only just beginning) and a time when days were around four hours shorter.
5 Desert View Watchtower: See An Ancient Replica
Panorama of the Indian Watchtower at Desert View Point
The Desert View Watchtower was built in 1932 and gazes out over the Grand Canyon. It is located in Desert View around 20 miles of the Grand Canyon Village.
The architect, Mary Colter, took great pains to make it authentically. Today it has an information center, offers cultural attractions, and a Kiva room.
4 The Navajo Bridge: The Impressive Bridge Across The Colorado
Historic Navajo Bridge spans Marble Canyon
The Navajo Bridge is one of the few bridges across the Colorado River between Utah and Arizona. It is one of the most stunning and historic bridges in the region and was built to replace Lee’s Ferry (a ferry crossing with some Wild West history).
The Navajo Bridge spans 824 feet and was first built in 1929. Another wider bridge was built next to it later on to accommodate vehicles, and it was built to look natural with the older bridge. The Navajo Bridge is one of the top attractions of the region.
3 Marble Canyon: The First Canyon Of The National Park
Colorado River in Marble Canyon from the Navajo bridge
The Marble Canyon marks the beginning of the Grand Canyon and is one of the few canyons in the area where it is possible to drive to the canyon floor (at Lee’s Ferry).
- Marble Canyon is popular for rafting.
There are multiple options for extended rafting journeys down Marble Canyon sandwiched between the imposing ancient canyon walls.
2 Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument: See The Wild Side
Grand Canyon, Arizona
Go to the Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument and visitors will find a far less touristic and developed part of the greater Grand Canyon area. The national monument is located on the northern edge of the Grand Canyon and is exceptionally undeveloped.
The monument has no paved roads and no visitor services.
It is jointly managed by the NPS and the BLM and is a place where visitors can find desolate canyons and Joshua Trees.
1 The Grand Canyon Train: Experience An Old-Time Robbery
Vintage Steam Locomotive at the station in Grand Canyon Village
Grand Canyon is all about the wonders of nature, but one of the manmade attractions that’s excellent for families is the Grand Canyon Train. This is a themed historic train ride that runs 64 miles from Williams to the Grand Canyon Village.
Passengers are entertained by lawless Wild West performances like train robberies and shootouts, making this train ride one of the best experiences at the Grand Canyon.
