Attraction of the Week: Mather Point at the Grand Canyon’s South Rim

The Grand Canyon’s gorgeous South Rim is a must-see for anyone traveling to or through beautiful Northern Arizona. Fortunately, Mike and I have been able to take several trips here since moving to Flagstaff. It’s an easy drive so we are taking advantage of the close proximity.

There are many overlooks to take in the gorgeous views, day or night, 365 days a year. If driving to the canyon, you will park your car at the Mather Point Visitor Center. Although it’s super crowded (especially during the summer season), this breathtaking overlook is one of the best places to view the canyon for the first time. This overlook is located on a scenic walking route known as the Rim trail. You can explore so much history and enjoy great views all in the same place.

Although I prefer hiking in the canyon, I like to take visiting family members here for the first time. Everyone I have taken here has been super impressed by the scenery. It’s a great option for those not interested in hiking or adventure activities like whitewater rafting and mule rides.

This overlook provides spectacular panoramic vistas of the canyon. It can be difficult to get photos of yourself with the canyon in the background during the prime tourist months, however, if you visit during the slower fall or winter seasons, you will pretty much have the views to yourself.

I try to avoid the summer season as this is when monsoons are more common. I’ve been caught in more than one storm here including one scary time while hiking the Kaibab. These storms can be really dangerous, plus it is not fun to walk around wet all day. I recommend a poncho if you are visiting at this time.

The Rim trail

After taking in the gorgeous views at this overlook, you can continue walking along the 13 mile Rim Trail, where you will come across numerous observation points, each offering a slightly different view of the canyon. If you are not afraid of heights, there are several overlooks where you can take some pretty cool photos. This is a great place for first time visitors to start the journey as you can read more history along the route. This trail is flat and features some pretty nice overlooks.

Always be extra careful. We saw a lot of tourists taking ridiculous selfies where they were just inches from falling. It’s not worth it. There are many people who die each year at the canyon attempting to take pictures. I picked up the most interesting book called Over the Edge: Death at the Grand Canyon, sold at most of the gift shops. This is a highly interesting (albeit morbid) book covering the various deaths which have occurred over the years. It’s pretty scary and fascinating at the same time; I couldn’t put it down. It made me think twice about getting too close to any cliff drop.

Fortunately, we had a family member visiting with us who was able to take our photos which is a rarity for us as we usually travel alone. Walking out onto this overlook was a bit scary (but in reality, it’s much wider than it looks).

This turned out to be a really nice photo and there wasn’t much risk involved. My mom was super scared taking the photo on the other side, but we assured her that it in fact was super wide. This photo was a great free souvenir to take home with us!

While you are walking this trail, be sure to check out Lookout Studio. It’s a large gift shop in the historic village. There is a nice overlook here too.

Grand Canyon Village

The South Rim is set up really conveniently for tourists. You can take a free shuttle around to the various observing areas and trails. You can also take it to the Historic Village, where you will find gift shops, restaurants, lodging, historic sites of interest, and more beautiful views. After your walk along the Rim trail, I recommend checking out a few of these sites and maybe stopping for lunch. We enjoyed lunch at the El Tovar lodge. The views were spectacular and the food decent enough.

The Grand Canyon Railway opened in the early 1900’s. A lot of guests love taking the train to the canyon. It departs in Williams and there is onboard entertainment on the lengthy 2 hour, 65 mile ride. We took this train ride once as we had visiting family members who are big fans of trains.

I wasn’t overly impressed with the scenery along the route but the cowboy western entertainment was pretty fun. It was an experience for sure, but I prefer driving as I can stay at the canyon as long as I want.

Admission & Directions

Entrance to the Canyon is $35 per car (good for 7 days). For the best value, purchase an America the Beautiful annual pass for just $80. This is an excellent deal as it includes unlimited entrance to national parks and monuments for a year. We put our pass to good use since we are within driving distance to so many great parks in Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico.

To get to this overlook by car, enter the following coordinates into your GPS: 36°03’32″N 112°06’33″W. After parking near the Visitor’s Center, you will be just a short walk away from Mather Point and the Rim trail.

Tips for a great visit

• Drink lots of water. The canyon is located pretty high up (7000+ feet). Conveniently, there are free spring water stations everywhere.
• Dress in comfortable clothing – I prefer workout clothes. You will be doing a lot of walking.
• Take advantage of the shuttles. Here is a map of the routes.
• If driving, leave as early as possible. It’s less crowded at this time and cooler (in the summer).