Event

Sunset Talk - Grand Canyon Speaks | Desert View Amphitheater | Interview with Richard Graymountain, San Juan Southern Paiute Basket Weaver

Grand Canyon National Park

Fee:

Free.

Location: LAT/LONG: 36.043304, -111.827023


From the Desert View visitor parking lot, follow a paved footpath towards the Desert View Watchtower, a prominent 70-foot-high, cylindrical shaped, stone building. The amphitheater is near the watchtower, alongside the paved footpath between the watchtower and the commercial tour bus and RV parking lot.

Dates & Times

Date:

Monday, June 2, 2025

Time:

6:45 PM

Duration:

1 hour

Type of Event

Campfire/Evening Program

Description

Richard Graymountain (San Juan Southern Paiute/Basket Maker)

On Monday, June 2, Richard Graymountain, a San Juan Southern Paiute basket maker, will be demonstrating. Richard will also be featured in the Grand Canyon Speaks Sunset Talk at Desert View Amphitheater at 6:45 p.m. the same evening. Richard utilizes native materials like willow, yucca, and grasses to craft intricate and functional baskets. For him, each basket tells a story and serves not only as an artistic expression but also as a way to preserve and promote Southern Paiute culture and history.


Join a ranger to explore the complex layers of Grand Canyon’s history, ecology, geology, and more during this 30 to 45-minute program.

During the summer of 2025, Sunset Talks by park rangers will take place at the Desert View Amphitheater on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 6:45 pm.  Enjoy a program with a beautiful sunset backdrop. The talks start an hour before sunset, and end with enough time to take pictures and enjoy the view. 

On Tuesday and Thursday, the Sunset Talks are "Grand Canyon Speaks" presentations, in which members of Grand Canyon's Native American Communities share their rich history, culture, and personal connections to Grand Canyon, through storytelling, singing, and hands-on-learning.  

Dress warmly for this outdoor event. Seating is on stone benches. 

All outdoor programs are subject to cancellation due to inclement weather or when lightning danger is present. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Reservation or Registration: No

Image Gallery

Ranger sits with a guest infront of a crowd sitting on benches with a canyon in the background.
Ranger sits with a guest infront of a crowd sitting on benches with a canyon in the background.
Desert View Ampitheater sits west of the Desert View Watchtower and is a location for Grand Canyon Speaks programs, sunset talks, and cultural performances.
NPS
Tags: desert view amphitheater desert view dv sunset talk ranger program evening program sunset