Visitors to Grand Canyon National Park this spring break can expect long lines and full parking lots.
As a result of increased visitation, traffic regularly backs up at all entrance stations, with the longest wait times between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Parking lots, especially near the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, start reaching capacity by 12 p.m. and shuttle bus lines will be long.
Please follow these tips as you prepare to visit the South Rim:
- Arrive early (before 9 a.m.) or later in the day (after 5 p.m.)
- Monitor the South Entrance Station Webcam to help time your arrival
- Buy your park pass online at Your Pass Now or in Tusayan at one of the following businesses – IMAX Theater, Canyon Plaza Resort, Red Feather Lodge, and Westwind Air Service
- Hermit Road, providing canyon views from the west rim, is best experienced early in the morning and will be crowded by mid-day
- Consider taking the train from Williams, Ariz.
- If arriving from the east on Interstate 40 or from Phoenix on Interstate 17, consider taking US 89 from Flagstaff north to Cameron, Ariz. and then west on State Route 64, where you can enjoy first views of the Grand Canyon from Desert View.
- Park campgrounds and lodging fill months in advance. Check availability and make reservations before you arrive.
For a list of what is open and what is closed in Grand Canyon National Park, please visit the park website here.
