Tours by Rim

Grand Canyon National Park covers an area that's more than 1,900 square miles and is divided by a 277 mile-long, 6,000 feet-deep Colorado River gorge that separates the South Rim and the North Rim. The West Rim is somewhat of a misnomer; it is the popular name for an area of Hualapai Indian reservation located west of the South Rim, outside of the National Park boundaries along the south side of the Colorado River, not the western side of the chasm. The West Rim is also known as Grand Canyon West, a Hualapai-owned and operated destination where you'll find the cantilevered glass overlook known as the Grand Canyon Skywalk.

So where do you want to go? No matter which area you decide to visit, you need to understand that the Grand Canyon is in an extremely remote part of northern Arizona. Each located 60 - 72 miles from any town of significant size, the South, North and West Rims require at least an hour to an hour and forty-five minutes of driving if you're traveling by car or tour van. It's likely your trip will originate from a major commercial airport, like Phoenix Sky Harbor or Las Vegas International - each is 5 hours from the South and West Rims, respectively.

In general, most visitors, especially those who start their trip from Phoenix, will choose the South Rim, as will visitors starting from Flagstaff, Williams or all points south and east. Visitors who start their trip from Las Vegas will often choose the West Rim - this is particularly true for those embarking on a helicopter or air tour, as all Las Vegas to Grand Canyon air tours are destined for Grand Canyon West - or the South Rim (if going by van, coach or car.) The North Rim is a destination for those committed to traveling long hours by car, so anyone willing to drive the extra (several hundred) miles can approach the North Rim from Phoenix, Flagstaff, or southern Utah.