Parking
No road-side parking; access is from the Unkar Delta river stop at mile 72.5, river right. The landing-to-loop connection isn't independently mapped.
Overview
About Unkar Delta Loop
Why go
- Ten archaeological sites on a 45-minute loop
- A compact walk through a rare river-corridor farming landscape
Heads up
- Reachable only from a Colorado River trip
- Uneven ground around fragile archaeological remains
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Grand Canyon map
Full mapElevation2,608–2,746 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
4 active Grand Canyon alerts
- ClosureInner Canyon and North Rim trail closuresDo not enter the closed trails, bridges, campgrounds, and inner-canyon areas.Official details
- ClosureNorth Rim scenic roads closed for repairsCape Royal Road and Point Imperial Road are closed from sunset October 15 through sunrise November 3, 2026. - The roads are closed to accommodate critical road repair and rehabilitation work.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Grand Canyon Tour Guide
Your drive to Unkar Delta Loop, narrated.
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 tourMore stories near here in the app
- Lipan Point’s River and Tilted Rocks
- Navajo Point’s View and Aviation Memorial
- Desert View Watchtower
- No Name Point’s Quick Canyon View
- 79 audio storiesacross Grand Canyon’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor California Condor, Bighorn Sheep, American Bison, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 73 trails, 96 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“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!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Unkar Delta Loop
A short loop with a long way inUnkar Delta is a 0.
Unkar Delta is a 0.9-mile loop across alluvial terraces and drainage channels by the Colorado River. The walk takes about 45 minutes and passes ten archaeological sites. Published distances vary slightly: one description gives 0.8 mile, while two route summaries give 0.9. That is only the walk; getting here means a river trip to mile 72.5 on the right bank. There is no road access.
Walk the terracesThe route is easy by distance, with about 100 feet of ascent and 80 feet of descent.
The route is easy by distance, with about 100 feet of ascent and 80 feet of descent. It crosses terraces and drainages over mostly level but uneven ground. The interpretive path was developed to channel visits and protect the fragile desert around the remains, so stay on it. Exact directions from the river landing to the mapped loop start aren't published; follow your trip's landing instructions.
A farming landscapeUnkar is the most extensive habitation site in the Colorado River corridor.
Unkar is the most extensive habitation site in the Colorado River corridor. Ancestral Puebloan people lived here mainly between AD 1050 and 1150. They farmed the fertile terraces and redirected creek water with small ditches; as the community grew, homes shifted to higher talus slopes to leave more room for crops. The delta has 52 identified sites, including 31 excavated in 1967 and 1968.
Give the remains roomThe interpretive loop passes ten sites.
The interpretive loop passes ten sites. Foundations and potsherds may be visible, but archaeological material is protected by law. Don't pick anything up or wander off the developed route. This is an inner-canyon trail, where pets are prohibited. Private river travel requires a river permit; confirm that your authorized trip includes a stop at Unkar Delta.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Grand Canyon
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.
