Rim Trail

The Rim Trail is a 12.8-mile, one-way route along Grand Canyon's South Rim, from South Kaibab Trailhead to Hermits Rest. It links paved rim paths, village viewpoints, and Hermit Road overlooks, with canyon views along much of the way. The full end-to-end walk is a full-day outing; most people get more out of choosing a section and using the shuttles to connect the ends. With time at overlooks, allow about six to eight hours. It is mostly easy walking, but the distance, a dirt section, stairs, grades, and the close rim edge make it more than a stroll.

Start at South Kaibab Trailhead and follow the rim west through Pipe Creek Vista to Mather Point. The east end is mostly paved, with shuttle stops that make it easy to divide into shorter walks. Mather to Yavapai Point is only 0.7 mile; that's my pick if you want a good view walk without giving up half a day. The Orange Route serves both ends. Keep walking and the trail carries you past the Visitor Center into Grand Canyon Village, where you'll find restrooms and other services.

Between Yavapai Geology Museum and the village, the Rim Trail overlaps the Trail of Time, a paved geology walk marked by bronze markers and rocks set into the path. Each meter represents one million years. It gives this stretch something to notice underfoot as well as across the canyon: the Colorado River has carved the canyon for about five to six million years, while the oldest rocks exposed here are around 1.8 billion years old.

Beyond the village, the path links a string of overlooks, including Trailview, Powell, Hopi, Mohave, The Abyss, and Pima Point. Trailview looks down on Bright Angel's switchbacks; Powell Point has a memorial to the Colorado River expeditions of 1869 and 1871 to 1872. The surface changes, too. Pavement gives way to a narrow, three-foot dirt tread between Powell Point and Monument Creek Vista, then the Hermit Road Greenway becomes a wider paved path. Short steep grades and stairs appear elsewhere, so accessibility varies by section. At Pima Point, look toward Granite Rapids far below; when the canyon is quiet, you may hear it.

Hermits Rest is a satisfying western endpoint. Mary Colter designed its 1914 stone building to look like a miner's cabin; it has a small snack bar, shop, and restrooms. The Red Route shuttle serves Hermit Road from March through November. From December through February, private vehicles under 22 feet may use the road, weather permitting, but the Red Route does not run. Leashed pets can walk the Rim Trail but cannot ride park shuttles. South Kaibab is also shuttle access only, with no public parking at the trailhead, so sort out both ends before you set off.

There is no water along the trail itself. Refill at established service areas and check current water availability before starting; on a 12.8-mile walk, don't count on a single stop. Keep at least six feet back from the canyon edge and obey barriers. Snow can leave the path slippery or icy in winter, and summer thunderstorms bring lightning. If you want the views without the full-day commitment, walk a shorter section and use the shuttles to return.