How Long to Stay in Grand Canyon National Park?

Wondering how long to stay in Grand Canyon National Park?

Whether you’re squeezing it into a Southwest road trip or planning a dedicated vacation, figuring out how many days to spend in Grand Canyon National Park can be surprisingly tricky.

I’ve visited the canyon multiple times – sometimes just for a day, other times for a week – and I’ve learned what you can do versus what you’ll wish you’d had time for. I’ll help you avoid the rushed-photo-op trap and build a trip that actually fits your travel style.

Quick tip? If you only have one day, stick to the South Rim viewpoints. If you have three, you can hike below the rim and catch a sunrise or two.

In this guide, I’ll break down exactly how much time to spend at Grand Canyon National Park based on what you want to see, how active you are, and how much time you can realistically spare.

Let’s find the sweet spot for your trip.

How long to spend at Grand Canyon National Park

How much time to spend in Grand Canyon National Park depends somewhat on the time you have available, but also what your interests are. 

Obviously with longer in the park, you’ll be able to see and do more.  So, to help you decide how many days to spend at Grand Canyon National Park, we’ll break it down one day at a time, with suggestions for each length of trip. 

One Day in Grand Canyon National Park

Many people go to Grand Canyon for a day from Las Vegas or on the train from William and see the highlights, but I recommend staying overnight if possible.  This gives you more time to see the canyon and enjoy the quiet that descends on Grand Canyon Village after the train and day tours have left. 

On a day trip to Grand Canyon National Park, you’ll want to visit the South Rim.  This is centered around Grand Canyon Village. 

There’s a free shuttle from the Village along Hermit Road to Hermit’s Rest.  You can hop on and off the shuttle as many times as you like.  Along the way, you can see many of the Best Viewpoints at Grand Canyon’s South and West Rims.  Highlights include Trailview Overlook, Maricopa Point, Powell Point, Hopi Point, Mohave Point, The Abyss and Monument Creek Vista. 

You can round out your 1 day Grand Canyon itinerary by visiting some of the many points of interest in Grand Canyon Village.  Highlights include

🤩 Verkamp’s Visitor Center (get a map and information)
🤩 Hopi House (great for buying Native American handicrafts)
🤩 Kolb Studio
🤩 Lookout Studio (great views)
🤩 the historic Grand Canyon Railway Depot
🤩 The Pioneer Cemetery & Shrine of Ages
🤩 El Tovar Hotel (relax on the back porch)
🤩 the Bright Angel Lodge History Room (don’t miss the geological fireplace, which contains rocks from all the layers in the canyon). 

2 days in Grand Canyon National Park

What can see at the Grand Canyon in 2 days? Everything from a one-day trip plus you’ll have time to hike a little below the rim and also explore the rim on the other side of Grand Canyon Village. 

Start your Grand Canyon 2 day itinerary hiking below the rim.  There are two choices: Hike South Kaibab Trail to Ooh Aah Point or hike Bright Angel Trail to the 2^nd tunnel (or, if you’re adequately prepared, to Mile-and-a-Half Rest House). 

There is nothing quite like being below the rim of the canyon.  However, never underestimate the harsh environment – especially in summer.  It gets hotter as you descend, and water is not available until Mile-and-a-Half Rest House on Bright Angel and not at all on the South Kaibab Trail.  Be prepared and know your limits. Read my Bright Angel Trail Guide for more details of this trail. 

If you got an early start, you add on a few other points of interest (or skip the below-the-rim hike) and just add these to your Grand Canyon itinerary. 2 days may not be enough time to see and do it all, but you can still see the South Rim highlights, for sure. 

These include hiking the Trail of Time and visiting the Yavapi Geology Museum to learn all about how the canyon was created.  You’ll also have time to enjoy the view from the most popular viewpoint in the park (in part due to its proximity to the main Visitor Center), Mather Point. 

In the afternoon, hop in your vehicle and drive the scenic Desert View Drive.  There are several viewpoints along the way where you can stop, stretch your legs, and enjoy the views.  These include: Shoshone Point, Grandview Point, Zuni Point, Lipan Point, and Navajo Point. You can also visit the small Tusayan Museum.  At the end of the drive is the historic Desert View Watchtower. 

3 days in Grand Canyon National Park

If you have an extra day and aren’t sure what to do in Grand Canyon for 3 days, well, there’s actually plenty to do! Yes, the average time sent at Grand Canyon is less than 6 hours, but if you have more time, you’ll be glad, I promise.  

In addition to all the activities mentioned in the above Grand Canyon itinerary, 3 days gives you time to hike further into the canyon.  You can hike for a full day on the Bright Angel Trail as far as 1.5-Mile Resthouse, 3-Mile Resthouse or Havasupai Garden.  Note that this is a very strenuous hike and it gets very hot in summer.  Please only attempt this if you are fully prepared.  

Another option is to hike the South Kaibab Trail to Cedar Ridge and back.  

If a full-day hike in the heat doesn’t seem appealing, there are loads of other activities to choose from. 

One of the most popular is a mule ride. But there are plenty of other options.  Read my list of 30 things to do at the Grand Canyon for more ideas.   

4 or more days in Grand Canyon National Park

With more days, you have a couple of options (choose both if you can). 

First up, take a river trip on the Colorado River through the canyon. I’ve written a complete guide to white water rafting through the canyon, but in short you have a few options. 

You can choose one section of the canyon or the whole canyon.   

You can also choose motorized raft (quicker and best if you want a smoother ride or to traverse the entire canyon); regular white water raft (best for a half-canyon trip that involves a hike up or down Bright Angel Trail –and you paddle yourself, so you need to be fit); a raft but a guide paddles all or most of the trip; or a wooden dry (a guide does the paddling for you; also best for a half-canyon trip). 

Trip lengths vary from 6-18 days for the full canyon and 4-12 days for part of the canyon. 

The other option is to visit the North Rim of the canyon.  Only about 10% of visitors to Grand Canyon National Park make it to the North Rim – and they are missing out.  The views are different (the rim is 1,000 feet higher and the canyon is much wider). 

➡️ Buy my North Rim Itinerary for a step-by-step schedule, with timings, to help plan your trip.  

Travel Insurance   

In addition to deciding how long should I stay at the Grand Canyon; you’ll also need get travel insurance for your trip.  Whether it’s for unexpected trip cancelation, emergency repatriation or medical help, or to replace something lost or stolen, having travel insurance will give you piece of mind and help you when you need it.    

➡️ A great insurance option is Travelex.  It has coverage for all you’ll need. You can compare Travel Insurance plans here or get a quote right now:

Enjoy Grand Canyon National Park!

Additional Planning Resources for Grand Canyon National Park

As you’re planning your Grand Canyon itinerary, you might also want to read:

Did you decide how long to spend in Grand Canyon National Park? I’d love to hear.  Join my private Facebook group National Parks Collectors and comment and let me know (you can also pick up extra planning tips, share your photos and stories with other national park lovers and more).

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About the Author

James Ian is a national park, camping and hiking expert.

He has dedicated his life to travel, visiting more than 80 countries, all 7 continents and most of the national parks in the United States. With over 35 years experience in the travel industry, James has worked on cruise ships, at resorts and hotels, and as a travel planner who’s helped hundreds of people plan successful trips to US national parks.

Based on his experience visiting our national parks multiple times, in-depth research and expertise as a travel planner, James has published detailed itineraries for many of the major national parks in the US. These itineraries, as well as in-depth park guides, and other resources will help you have your own incredible trip to US national parks without stress and hassle.

As a national park expert, James has contributed to many publications, including USA Today, Newsweek, Time Business News, Savoteur, Best Trip, and Wired.

Read more…

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