13 Important Things to Know Before Visiting the Grand Canyon

The logistics of a trip to the Grand Canyon are important. Otherwise, you might miss out. Campgrounds and hotels book up nearly a year in advance for popular destinations, so it’s important to plan ahead if you don’t want to stay outside of the park.

If you want to explore as much of the Grand Canyon as possible, you’ll want to stay for a few nights. If you’re on a budget, the park has plenty of well-developed campgrounds above the rims, such as Mather Point and Desert View, which need to be booked online well in advance.

If you want to go off the beaten path and camp in open country within the park, you’ll need to get a backcountry permit. Backcountry reservations are available via lottery on Recreation.gov. If you don’t snag one in the lottery, any remaining slots will be available to book three months in advance and will go extremely quickly.

During peak seasons, wait times at the Grand Canyon’s entrances can be hours long. Arriving before 10 a.m. or after 2 p.m. will significantly reduce the time you have to wait to get in. Also, entering on a weekday will be easier than on a weekend.

Don’t forget your wallet because entry to Grand Canyon National Park isn’t free. Entrance fees cost $35 per vehicle (including everyone inside it) and $20 per person on foot, bicycle, or part of a shuttle tour. Admission fees contribute to the cost of running the park.

Want to see the North and South Rim? The Grand Canyon is huge, so it’s no surprise that the travel time between the South Rim and the North Rim is roughly five hours by car. While the South Rim is open year-round, the North Rim closes during the winter season. And since the North Rim is located at a high elevation of over 8,000 feet, the winter season runs from October to May. Keep this in mind if you plan on touring as much of the park as possible.

The drive from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon takes around five hours—the same as the trip between the South and North Rims. While it’s worth making the journey to the Grand Canyon from Sin City, if you’re pressed for time—and have the spare cash—helicopter trips from Vegas to the canyon are a great way to see the park (without the 10-hour round-trip car ride).

If you don’t have the budget or the inclination for a helicopter tour, the Skywalk at Eagle Point is as close as you can get to recreating the experience of floating above the ravine. Suspended 4,000 feet above the floor of the canyon, the 10-foot-wide platform hangs over the edge of the South Rim with a clear glass floor.

It’s worth getting down into the canyon to experience its enormous scale from different angles—and taking to the whitewater rapids of the Colorado River is one way to gain a new perspective. Rafting the Grand Canyon is a thrilling experience that also grants opportunities to admire the dramatic rock formations within the canyon. Rafting trips last between three and 18 days, depending on how much you want to explore from the river. And once again, book in advance.

The other way to explore the canyon’s interior is to hike one or more of the many trails that lead down to the floor. There are plenty of hikes that span various degrees of difficulty and length, but despite the many warning signs, trekkers often find themselves woefully unprepared for the challenges of the Grand Canyon.

Don’t underestimate the trails here—plenty of trails leave hikers exposed to the elements with little shade, so pack proper footwear, a sunhat, and plenty of water, even if you’re not venturing far.

Visitors should be prepared for quickly changing weather when hiking, rafting, or even just languidly strolling around the top of the South Rim. Between unpredictable storms and the scorching sun, the Grand Canyon sees some pretty extreme weather at times, thanks to its dramatically differing altitudes.

The temperature at the bottom of the Grand Canyon is typically between 15-20 degrees warmer than at the top, so if you’re hiking down, be prepared.

While there are around 1,000 caves spread throughout the Grand Canyon, visitors are not permitted to enter any of them. The caves of the Grand Canyon provide a habitat for the park’s wildlife and hold important geological artifacts. Many have never been explored, so keeping tourists out of them is an important park policy.

Another Grand Canyon no-no is feeding the adorable rock squirrels. Sure, they might look sweet when they’re begging for food, but they bite—frequently. Besides, feeding wildlife is never a good idea, as it’s bad for animals and dangerous for humans.

In summer months, temperatures in the Grand Canyon can skyrocket to over 90 degrees. The park is the most crowded from late May through early September, as families visit during school vacation. If you want better weather and to avoid the crowds, aim for spring and autumn. September and October are ideal because both rims are open, and temperatures are more bearable. While the crowds are thinner during these times, the popular lookout points will still be filled with tourists. However, taking a short detour from the classic spots will allow you to find some alone time to admire the scenery.

Many visitors to the Grand Canyon are surprised to find steep dropoffs without protective railing on popular hiking trails or at viewpoints. The National Parks Service advises travelers to stay on designated trails and walkways within the park, to keep a safe distance of at least six feet from the edge, and never climb over barriers.