How to see grand canyon

The north rim closes early because of snow so the south rim is where you need to go. Tho I was a north rim promoter for years we did the south rim this year and I have to admit it has better views. Drive the road to the east entrance and stop at the viewpoint pull outs and get out and walk around at each. At the main village walk the the rim trail. If you are very fit then take some of the trails off the rim trail but they can be strenuously steep.
We boondocked for 5 days in the surrounding National Forest. There was plenty of room but we were there early in the season in April. Before the big mobs arrive. Maybe the crowds will diminish by Fall.

South rim and stay in Trailer Village. Try for a reservation as soon as possible. Use the bus system within the park.

If you are up for it, take a mule ride down into the canyon. That's where the money shots are. The mule rides are from the south rim. I've been to both south and north. The south rim has soooo much more to offer.

North Rim closes in mid-October, long after Labor Day.

I'm a fan of the North Rim -- cooler, lots of trees, many fewer people. Yes, the views are better on the South Rim, but the north side has some great views, too. Check out this blog post -- we were there in late Sept:

North Rim

bgum wrote:
South rim and stay in Trailer Village. Try for a reservation as soon as possible. Use the bus system within the park.

This. If you miss the reservation for Trailer Village there’s a nice RV park not far outside the gates in Tusayan near a couple of restaurants and IMAX and you can catch the shuttle into the park if you want.

Lots of boondocking around Tusayan. If you have a park pass you can use the dump station and get fresh water without any charge and zip back to your campsite.

Since you are wandering, hit both the North and South rims. They are very different parks, being 2,000 feet different in elevation as well as having different views of the canyon itself. Do be aware that snows happen as early as late September even at the lower elevation of the South rim. Been there when it did.

And absolutely make reservations at both as early as possible. They are popular places to visit, and fill up quickly.

The point I was making is this:
"The North Rim will reopen with full services between May 15 and October 15, 2022. "

North rim always closes mid October snow or no snow

Philh,

There is a lot to see and do along the route you have outlined, but some it kind of mode dependent.

How will you be traveling and with what other stuff?

Matt - also in Belleville, but really New Boston

naturist wrote:
Since you are wandering, hit both the North and South rims. They are very different parks, being 2,000 feet different in elevation as well as having different views of the canyon itself. Do be aware that snows happen as early as late September even at the lower elevation of the South rim. Been there when it did.

And absolutely make reservations at both as early as possible. They are popular places to visit, and fill up quickly.

^^^ This. Very different points of view on the Grand Canyon. Stayed at the North Rim Campground a few years back, on their final full week of operation. Not crowded at all in the campground, the North Rim Visitor Center and Grand Canyon Lodge was somewhat busier. Some great drives to give you different perspectives on the north side; the drive to Point Imperial and Cape Royal were outstanding.

After the North Rim stay, moved around to the South Rim. Vistas and perspective are definitely different. Stayed at Trailer Village and that's an outstanding recommendation to stay there, as suggested get reservations early as possible. Shuttle bus stop right at their entrance, can take you anywhere you want to go on the South Rim.

Doing both will give you a very satisfying appreciation of the magnitude of the Grand Canyon.