Outdoors · Flagstaff

Grand Canyon South Rim

The Grand Canyon's South Rim is the headline day trip from Flagstaff, and the town makes an ideal basecamp — it is roughly a 90-minute drive north through the pines to one of the world's great natural wonders. Waking up in Flagstaff and being on the rim by mid-morning is entirely doable.

At the rim, a paved trail links a string of overlooks, and the free park shuttles make it easy to hop between the best viewpoints without fighting for parking. Even a single day allows for jaw-dropping views, a walk along the edge, and, for the ambitious, a taste of a descent below the rim — though hiking down is far more demanding than it looks.

Go early to beat both the crowds and the afternoon heat, carry plenty of water, and check the National Park Service for current conditions and entrance fees before you set out. Head up at sunrise, spend the day, and you can be back in Flagstaff for dinner.