The National Park Service celebrates its 110th anniversary in August 2026, making this a great time to visit a national park.
With 4.4 million annual visitors, Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most popular national parks in the country. My parents took me to see it in 1995, so now, I’m taking my son to see the massive gorge formed by the Colorado River.
Most people check this natural wonder off their bucket lists once they’ve spent time at the South Rim, the area containing the most popular viewpoints in the park. South Rim is an easy, accessible option for people who don’t have a lot of time, need paved walkways for getting around, or aren’t able to walk or hike long distances. It has a large parking lot within a short walk to scenic viewpoints, which also makes the South Rim the most crowded place to view the Grand Canyon.
With a little more time and effort, you can soak in marvelous views away from the crowds. We took the park’s free bus shuttle service’s red line that goes west of the South Rim’s visitor center. This bus line stops at nine viewpoints on its way to Hermit’s Rest, a 1914 building styled to look like a miner’s cabin. It’s also the trailhead to backcountry hiking.
Watch the video to see the Grand Canyon viewpoints most visitors miss.
My favorite stops on the red line were Trailview Overlook–the first stop on the way to Hermit’s Rest and Mohave Point. Both stops include large overlooks with plenty of space to admire the canyon. Hopi Point is the first stop heading west, where you can see a portion of the Colorado River, although you can see it from Mohave Point too. Powell Point is the most popular overlook for watching sunsets in the park.
Although visitors aren’t allowed to drive themselves along Hermit Road, other roads inside the park allow you to self-drive while stopping at scenic points. After spending one night in the Trailer Village campgrounds, the South Rim’s campgrounds for RVs, I drove our Thor Quantum Class-C RV that I rented on RVshare.com along Desert View Drive. We stopped at Grand View Point Overlook inside the national park, and the Little Colorado River Gorge Overlook, a Navajo-managed park just outside the national park borders on Arizona 64. Both stops were uncrowded and gave exceptional views.
In 2026, the Grand Canyon’s North Rim reopened after the 2025 Dragon Bravo wildfire closed it and even burned down the historic Grand Canyon Lodge. If you’re looking for less crowded views, this is a great place to visit, although you must be prepared for a much more remote experience. It will take years for the Lodge to be rebuilt, but overnight visitors can book just outside of the park at Jacob Lake Inn, or book a campground in the nearby Kaibab National Forest.