Scenic pullout · Grand Canyon National Park
A named rock profile makes this quick canyon pullout memorable.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Grand Canyon Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Grand Canyon National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Grand Canyon audio tourRecorded for this place
Duck on a Rock’s Changing Profile“Duck on a Rock is coming up, an unsigned pullout for a rock profile above the canyon. At the viewpoint, look to the left for the duck; erosion has worn away its bill, so the resemblance takes some imagination.”
Plays as you drive up to Duck on a Rock in the Parkwolf Grand Canyon Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Duck on a Rock is an unsigned roadside pullout on Desert View Drive, just east of Yaki Point, with a distinct Kaibab formation in the canyon view. Keep it in mind if you enjoy looking for shapes in the rock; if you're short on time and already stopping at several South Rim overlooks, it's an easy one to skip.
The formation sits to the left of the viewpoint. Erosion has worn away the bill that once made its outline read as a duck, so you may have to study it to see the namesake. It's part of the Grand Canyon's tradition of finding familiar shapes in the rock; other formations have been likened to sinking ships, alligators and covered wagons.
Use the formation as a foreground anchor with the canyon beyond it. That gives the photo both the named feature and the setting, rather than another open canyon panorama.
The unsigned pullout is on Desert View Drive, just east of Yaki Point. Parking accommodates cars, larger vehicles and RVs. The stop is marked wheelchair accessible, though the exact path and surface aren't described.
Wildlife
718 sightingsCalifornia CondorMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
533 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
169 sightingsAmerican BisonMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
1,891 sightingsElkMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
59 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
27 sightingsGray FoxMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Grand Canyon. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
EasyShoshone Point Trail2 mi · 1.5 hr · 1.5 mi awayPines open to a rugged rim point with a North Rim view.
ChallengingSouth Kaibab Trail6.3 mi · 5 hr · 2.9 mi awayA steep ridge descent with a first river view at Skeleton Point.
ModerateRim Trail12.8 mi · 7 hr · 2.9 mi awayThe full 12.8-mile rim walk, easiest to sample by shuttle.
ChallengingRim-to-Rim: South Kaibab to North Kaibab21 mi · 16 hr · 2.9 mi awayA one-way canyon crossing from the South Rim to the North Rim.ChallengingSouth Kaibab–Bright Angel Loop15.8 mi · 14 hr · 2.9 mi awayA 15.8-mile canyon traverse from South Kaibab to the Bright Angel rim.
ModerateTusayan Greenway Trail6.5 mi · 3.5 hr · 4.2 mi awayA paved climb from Tusayan to the South Rim visitor center.
ChallengingGrandview Trail to Horseshoe Mesa6 mi · 7.5 hr · 4.5 mi awayA steep 1893 mining route reaches a mesa deep below the rim.
ChallengingHorseshoe Mesa Loop12.4 mi · 10 hr · 4.5 mi awayA rugged rim-to-mesa circuit with mining history and exposed ledges.
Scenic pullout · 0.8 mi awayTwin OverlooksTwo quick pullouts for a big canyon view from the road.
Picnic area · 1.6 mi awayRange Road Picnic AreaA practical picnic break beneath the pines along Desert View Drive.
Picnic area · 2 mi awayLong Jim Road Picnic AreaPine-shaded picnic tables just off Desert View Drive.Sight · 2.2 mi awayShoshone PointA two-mile forest walk leads to a quieter canyon-rim view.
Picnic area · 2.4 mi awayYaki Point Road Picnic AreaShaded picnic tables near South Kaibab; the lot is very limited.
Scenic pullout · 2.6 mi awayThor’s OverlookA quick canyon break along Desert View Drive.
Sight · 2.8 mi awayPipe Creek VistaA canyon view framed by Mather and Yaki points.
Sight · 3.2 mi awayYaki PointTake the Orange shuttle to a quieter, east-facing canyon view.Parkwolf’s Grand Canyon ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
