277 miles long, 18 miles wide, and over a mile deep — 1.8 billion years of geology turned sideways. From Mather Point's 4,500-foot drop to Hermit's Rest, designed by Mary Colter to look like a ruin, with a uranium mine that operated inside a national park until 1969.

Stops on This Tour (8)

1. 1
   Grand Canyon Visitor Center Start. The canyon is 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and over a mile deep. The oldest rocks at the bottom are 1.8 billion years old.
2. 2
   Mather Point First viewpoint most visitors see. Named for Stephen Mather, the first director of the National Park Service. Drop from rim to river: 4,500 feet.
3. 3
   Yavapai Geology Museum The canyon wall is a geology textbook turned sideways. Each layer is a different era. The Great Unconformity — a billion-year gap in the rock record — is visible from here.
4. 4
   Bright Angel Trailhead The most popular trail into the canyon. Havasupai people maintained this trail for centuries before it became a tourist route. The mule rides have been running since 1887.
5. 5
   Trailview Overlook You can see the Bright Angel Trail switchbacking down below. The temperature at the bottom can be 20-30°F hotter than the rim.
6. 6
   Maricopa Point Remnants of the Orphan Mine — a uranium mine that operated inside a national park until 1969. The headframe is still visible.
7. 7
   Hopi Point Best sunset viewpoint on the South Rim. On a clear day, you can see 100 miles. The Colorado River is visible as a thin green ribbon.
8. 8
   Hermit's Rest Designed by Mary Colter in 1914 to look like a ruin built by a hermit. Every stone was placed by hand. The fireplace is 10 feet wide. End of the Hermit Road drive.

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