Short Hikes of Grand Canyon National Park
The Grand Canyon is both nationally and internationally renowned as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. And no wonder it's a Wonder; its beauty, depth, and majesty are unmatched.
Grand Canyon National Park has two sections - the South Rim, most of which is open year-round, and the North Rim, which is closed from October 15 to May 15 each year.
As beautiful as longer hikes are, many of us are not able to complete them, whether because of health, energy, time, or other limitations. Does this mean the National Parks are not worth visiting? By no means!
This is where Short Hikes come in. Below you'll find them broken down into Short Hikes (2.0 miles or less), Shorter Hikes (1.0 mile or less), and Shortest Hikes (0.5 mile or less).
All distances are roundtrip, whether the trail is a loop or out-and-back. For out-and-back trails, it is the total of the "out" and the "back."
Jump to: Short Hikes | Shorter Hikes | Shortest Hikes | Read More
Let's get going!
Short Hikes
Short Hikes are 2 miles or less. Check out these Short Hikes for Grand Canyon National Park.
Jump to: South Rim | North Rim
South Rim
Lower Tunnel - 1.5 miles
The Lower Tunnel is a tunnel along the longer Bright Angel Trail, which is different from Bright Angel Point on the North Rim despite the similar names. To reach the Lower Tunnel, start hiking at the trailhead for the Bright Angel Trail. Stop hiking at the second tunnel and retrace your steps for a roundtrip distance of 1.5 miles.
South Kaibab Trail to Ooh Aah Point - 1.8 miles
Ooh Aah Point is a well-marked point and overlook along the longer South Kaibab Trail with magnificant views of the canyon. Start at the South Kaibab Trail trailhead, hike 0.9 mile to Ooh Aah Point, and retrace your route back to the trailhead.
Honorable mention: Shoshone Point Trail - 2.1 miles
Shoshone Point Trail is an out-and-back trail with a roundtrip total distance of 2.1 miles, so it just misses our Short Hikes cutoff. But if you are up to the slightly longer distance, this hike is well worth it. It passes through a pine and juniper forest and ends in a gorgeous overlook of the canyon with a large viewing area and picnic shelter. It is typically much less crowded than other overlook areas, and its parking lot is accessible (though snowy!) in winter as long as the park roads are open and navigable. Shoshone Point is not on official park maps at the time of this writing.
North Rim
North Kaibab Trail to Coconino Overlook - 1.4 miles
As with Ooh Aah Point on the South Rim, Coconino Overlook is a well-marked overlook that is part of the longer North Kaibab Trail. To reach Coconino Overlook, begin at the trailhead of the North Kaibab Trail, hike 0.7 mile to the overlook, and retrace your route back to the trailhead.
Shorter Hikes
Shorter Hikes are 1 mile or less. Check out these Shorter Hikes for Grand Canyon National Park
Jump to: South Rim | North Rim
South Rim
Some of the hikes between the viewpoints on Hermit Road fall into this category. See the note at the top of the page about Hermit Road. Otherwise there are no hikes that fall into the specific 1.0-to-2.0-mile Shorter Hikes range on the South Rim.
North Rim
Greenland Lake Trail - 0.6 mile
Greenland Lake Trail is a narrow out-and-back trail that passes Greenland Lake and ends at an old log cabin. It is located off of Cape Royal Road, which is open May through October. The lake is fenced off, and its size varies by season.
Cliff Spring Trail - 0.8 mile
The Cliff Spring Trail is an out-and-back trail that passes by an archaeological site and ends at Cliff Spring, 0.4 mile from the trailhead.
Cape Royale - 1.0 mile
Cape Royale is an out-and-back trail that starts at the North Rim Visitor Center. It includes views of Cape Royal and the Angels Window arch, and there are informational plaques throughout the trail. It is 0.5 mile each way for a round-trip distance of 1.0 mile.
Shortest Hikes
Shortest Hikes are a half-mile (0.5 mile) or less. Check out these Shortest Hikes for Grand Canyon National Park.
Jump to: South Rim | North Rim
South Rim
Yavapai Point - 0.2 mile
Yavapai Point is located on the eastern portion of the South Rim near the Yavapai Geology Museum and is a popular sunset destination. The nearby parking lot has a public restroom.
Mather Point Trail - 0.2 to 0.5 mile
Mather Point is located near the Grand Canyon Visitor Center and provides lovely views of the canyon. The length of the trail depends on which parking lot you start from, but it is well-marked and easily identifiable from all sides.
Matrimony Heart Rock - 0.4 mile
Matrimony Heart Rock is located behind the El Tovar Lodge. It can be accessed by hiking the Rim Trail from the eastern parking lot for 0.2 mile or by taking a short path between the El Tovar and Kachina Lodges within the village.
Desert View Watchtower and United Airlines Historical Monument - 0.4 mile
These landmarks are right behind the Desert View Visitor Center, but they are an approximately 0.2-mile walk each way from the parking lot and picnic area. This area is right inside the east entrance to the park.
Hermit Road Points
The hikes and viewpoints on Hermit Road are accessible only via shuttle bus from March 1 to November 30. They can only be accessed by vehicle in December, January, and February. Whether you reach them by shuttle or personal vehicle, you can create your own Short Hike between or among the Shortest Hikes and Roadside Sights on Hermit Road because they are all connected by a paved trail. See this page from the National Park Service for more information about the distance between each point.
The following hikes are located on Hermit Road:
- Powell Point - 0.1 mile roundtrip from shuttle bus stop
- Maricopa Point - 0.2 mile roundtrip from shuttle bus stop
- Mohave Point - 0.1 mile roundtrip from shuttle bus stop or parking lot
Additional viewpoints on Hermit Road can be found in our Roadsight Sights of the Grand Canyon article here.
North Rim
Roosevelt Point Trail - 0.2 mile
The Roosevelt Point Trail cuts through a scenic forest and includes some overlooks of the eastern part of the Canyon. It has a roundtrip distance of 0.2 mile.
Bright Angel Point - 0.5 mile
The trail to Bright Angel Point starts at the North Rim Visitor Center and is half a mile roundtrip. It is a paved trail but has some steep sections.
Read More
Grand Canyon National Park is also featured in these articles:
Pin this article for later!
