Ooh Aah Point

Ooh Aah Point is a named overlook on the South Kaibab Trail below the South Rim. After the tight upper switchbacks, the trail crosses an exposed slope and reaches the top of the Coconino Sandstone. The canyon opens into its first panoramic view here. It is a natural turnaround if that first wide view is your goal, but the return is a steep climb over the same route, so don't decide only by the downhill.

There is no road access to the point. The South Kaibab Trailhead road is closed to private vehicles; take the Orange Route shuttle from the Visitor Center, or walk or bike to the trailhead. The route has little shade and no water, and the high rim elevation adds to the effort. Carry water for the full outing and save energy for the uphill return. The north-facing upper switchbacks can hold ice after winter storms. Use the trailhead restrooms before setting out.

From the overlook, the view runs across broken ridges and layered walls, with the higher rim still in sight. A wide composition shows the scale better than a tight shot of distant strata. Keep a nearby sandstone ledge or the red ridge in the lower part of the frame; it gives the canyon layers depth and shows how far below the rim you are.

A 1.55-mile stretch near the point was rebuilt in 2021 with hand-shaped stonework. An all-woman National Park Service crew, Arizona Conservation Corps staff, and NPS packers carried tools and fill into the canyon for the work. The retaining stonework is part of how the trail holds across this exposed slope.

The National Park Service began building the South Kaibab Trail in 1924 as a public alternative to Bright Angel Trail, which Ralph Cameron privately controlled and charged visitors to use. The South Kaibab still follows a pronounced ridgeline down into the canyon. That gives it a broad, open view, but little shelter from sun or heat.