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The South Rim and Desert View (open all year)

The Grand Canyon Visitor Center (on the South Rim by Mather Point.)
Stop by the Visitor Center and the Books and More bookstore across the Plaza. Outdoor exhibits provide information about Grand Canyon National Park and what to do when you arrive. Watch the film, Grand Canyon: A Journey of Wonder, in the theater. The movie is 20 minutes long and starts on the hour and the half-hour. The Visitor Center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.

From the Visitor Center, its just a short walk - or shuttle ride to Mather Point for a spectacular view of the canyon. Many visitors choose to park their vehicles in one of the 4 lots that surround the Visitor Center, then use the free shuttle buses to get around the village and out to the scenic overlooks.

Download the S. Rim Transit Map. It shows Grand Canyon Village shuttle bus routes, bus stops, points of interest and parking lots.

Click here to download the map (690 kb PDF)

Please be aware that between February and and early April 2012, areas in and around the visitor center will be undergoing construction.

Remodeling of the visitor center interior and installation of new exhibits will take place during March and April. During the construction process, portions of the Visitor Center may be closed, but there will always be rangers on duty to answer questions.

Outside, on the plaza, a new bicycle rental facility is under construction. This building is adjacent to parking lot 4 and is in the same location as the temporary structure used by the pilot bicycle rental operation (in operation during the 2010 and 2011 summer seasons.)

Read more about the Visitor Center/ Mather Point Improvement projects that have been taking place for three years.

The recently improved Mather Point and the Rim Trail are open. You may walk to the canyon rim by following the signed pedestrian paths leading from the Visitor Center Area to the Rim Trail. You may still see workers completing construction projects and cleaning up areas.

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Stop by Verkamp's Visitor Center,
a short walk east of the El Tovar Hotel and Hopi House, the canyon's newest visitor contact station in one of its oldest buildings. At the information desk, National Park Service rangers and Grand Canyon Association staff will answer any questions you may have. From the Verkamp's Visitor Center, follow the Rim Trail west to other businesses and viewpoints along the rim.

Open daily 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (winter hours)

The Verkamp's home and business was constructed in 1906, and it was open as a gift shop (that featured Grand Canyon souvenirs and Native American arts and crafts) through September 17, 2008.

Verkamp's re-opened as a visitor center on November 26, 2008. The National Park Service now owns the building and it hosts a bookstore and exhibits about the pioneer history of Grand Canyon Village. Several ranger-conducted activities start here.

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Yavapai Geology Museum
How old is the canyon? How did it form? The new exhibits at Yavapai Observation Station answer these and other geology questions. Displays include three-dimensional models, powerful photographs, and exhibits which allow park visitors to see and understand the complicated geologic story of the area. The historic building, located one mile (1.6 km) east of Market Plaza, features expansive canyon views. The bookstore offers a variety of materials about the area. Several ranger programs begin here.

Open daily 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (winter hours)

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Kolb Studio
Once the home and business of the Kolb brothers, pioneering photographers and filmmakers at Grand Canyon, this rambling, Victorian era building (1905) has been restored to its original splendor.

Visit the free Kolb Brothers exhibit, A Grand Life at the Grand Canyon in the auditorium, and shop in the bookstore. This fall, the 4th Annual Grand Canyon Celebration of Art Exhibit will be showcased here between September 8 and November 25, 2012.

Kolb Studio is located in the Village Historic District at the Bright Angel trailhead.
Open daily 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (winter hours)

Other Visitor Centers

Your phone provides a fun way to learn more about the Park. Listen to park rangers give 2 minute audio tours at various points of interest on the South Rim, from Hermit Road to Yaki Point, and the North Rim. Learn more...

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Desert View (open all year)

Desert View Visitor Center and Bookstore

Desert View is located 25 miles/ 41 km east
of Grand Canyon Village, on the South Rim.

Download the map (235kb PDF File)

Download the Trail Guide (1MB PDF File)

The Desert View Visitor Center and Bookstore, located at Desert View Point near the park's east entrance, offers a Passport Stamp cancellation station, and an excellent selection of publications. Open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Visitor Center exhibits explore how this magnificent landscape has inspired artists, writers, musicians, and conservationists.

The Desert View Watchtower, one of the most prominent architectural features on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, underwent major renovations during 2010. The 70-foot tower contains a gift store and its upper floors serve as observation decks where visitors from around the world enjoy magnificent views of the canyon and the Painted Desert.

Recognized as a National Historic Landmark, the tower was constructed in 1932. Architect Mary Colter’s design takes its influences from the architecture of the ancestral Puebloan people of the Colorado Plateau.

Tusayan Museum 

A visit to Tusayan Museum provides a glimpse into Pueblo Indian life at Grand Canyon some 800 years ago. Admission is free. This was a thriving community as illustrated by its pottery, arrowheads and other household artifacts.

The Tusayan Museum is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and is located 3 miles (5 km) west of Desert View.

Also shown here are representative handicrafts from today's local tribes, providing a glimpse into their rich cultures. 

The museum features some of the original 2,000–4,000 year old split-twig figurines.  Often they are made in the shape of deer or bighorn sheep, sometimes with horns or antlers. 

Free admission.

Tusayan Ruin
A self-guiding trail leads through the adjacent 800-year-old Tusayan Ruin. Ranger-led ruin tours are offered daily. Educational materials about the park and region are sold in the non-profit bookstore.

Download: Tusayan Museum Trail Guide (821kb PDF file)

Watch a 3 minute video to learn more.

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The North Rim (Season mid-May - mid-October)

Closed for the winter. Will Reopen mid-May 2012

The North Rim Visitor Center
Located adjacent to the parking lot on Bright Angel Peninsula, by the Grand Canyon Lodge. The North Rim Visitor Center has park and regional information, maps, brochures, exhibits, and a bookstore. Open mid-May to mid-October, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. Interpretive programs are offered during the season. Public restrooms are located in back of the building.

Download the North Rim Map (289kb PDF File)

The North Rim Visitor Center is a great place to start your adventure on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. 

Speak to a ranger who will be happy to help with questions you may have about the area.

The Visitor Center also features interpretive exhibits and a bookstore.

The Grand Canyon Association, a non-profit park partner since 1932, operates the bookstore, where your tax-free purchases help support ranger programs and research projects in Grand Canyon National Park.