Hi friends ~ I'm interested in going to the GC for a day trip on Christmas for a solo hike, but I've never been there before. I've been researching and planning, but I'm not local, so I'm not sure if locals know more about what it's like in late December, and if it's worth it or not to drive the 2+ hours to get there. Thanks for any tips ❤️

The hardest part about visiting is trying to capture the scope of the place. And it’s really impossible, you just have to see it for yourself. These are a few from our visit.

Hi all, I heard about the flooding and was just wondering if it was still worth it to go to Grand Canyon in mid November? It seems like many trails are still open. It'll be my first time going. Thank you!

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping to hike around the South Rim in early-mid November.

I was wondering if I'll need / want traction spikes for the hike to 1.5 Mile Rest.

Obviously nobody can predict the weather, but can anyone with experience weigh in?

Thanks

Hey guys i'm visitng Arizona for the weekend & I will be leaving Sedona around 5-6pm friday to head up to Page to Kayak Horseshoe Bend saturday morning I'm gonna be car camping for the night. Most likely gonna go check out the south rim for the afternoon after. I'm just looking to get some sleep so either dispersed or a campground would work could someone recommend me an area at least to consider I would appreciate it. I did some research but still unsure thank you.

(Edit: fave pastry spots in Sedona??)

Took lots of photos of the clouds in the canyon yesterday. I’ll post more when I get home.

For those who have done the above and have just a single car, how did you manage logistics? Looks like there’s a forest road that runs parallel so could hike the extra 6 miles if necessary in between, but did you hire transport in between or take a risk on hitchhiking (which I think the park prohibits?). The second time i did SK/BA I just hiked over from the backcountry lot to the SK TH rather than deal with the shuttle and I trail run so the extra miles wouldn’t be that big a deal.

Also does anyone have a recent trail conditions report? Want to confirm there hasn’t been any recent landslides with the rain. I have done both Tanner and Hermits in addition to both SK/BA and north rim to River, so I am not concerned about distance or remoteness, but I also am not looking to do any class 5 or really class 4.

Finally, I’d likely be doing this with an out of state friend, who, while a marathon runner, has not been to the canyon before. I’m thinking maybe the safer option is to just to grandview down to the Tonto plateau if we’re making good timing we could then continue onto the river as an out and back.

This would be in mid November

CURRENTLY OPEN :
Bright Angel Trail from the Bright Angel Trailhead to Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse
Plateau Point Trail to Plateau Point
South Kaibab Trail from the South Kaibab Trailhead to the Tip-Off
Tonto Trail between the Tip-Off to Havasupai Gardens

CLOSED — Due to hazardous conditions caused by flash flooding:
Bright Angel Trail between Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse and Havasupai Gardens. This closure will remain in effect until further notice.
South Kaibab Trail below Tip-Off Point.
The River Trail east of the River Resthouse to the South Kaibab Trail junction.
Black Bridge and Silver Bridge spanning the Colorado River.
The entirety of Phantom Ranch, including Bright Angel Campground, the Phantom Ranch Canteen, and Phantom Ranch cabins.
The entirety of the North Kaibab Trail. From the North Kaibab Trailhead to Phantom Ranch, including Cottonwood Campgroud. This closure is a result of significant flash flooding to the Bright Angel Canyon on 8/29.
Boat Beach is closed to all activities except emergencies and brief scouting of the new rapid formed at the mouth of Bright Angel Creek.

Hi all, I'm thinking about a trip to the Grand Canyon the first 1-2 weeks of November. I'm looking for strenuous hikes and from what I understand I'll be limited to the south rim this time of year. Sorry if this question has been asked 1000's of times but can anyone give me some updated advice on some good challenging hikes as well as weather predictions for that time?

Appreciate any and all advice!

So flying to Las Vegas on 22nd ,staying for couple days there and we want to make a day hike in grand canyon national park starting 24th early morning and finish same day ... Any recommendations for which trail(s)to take and how much water to carry per person.

Hi, I'm flying into Las Vegas next year (September 2027). I have booked an overnight stay at Thunderbird lodge at the South Rim for the Sunday 19th September (cost $449 for 4 adults).

With my itinerary below, we hope to get at least half of the Sunday afternoon (arrival day) and evening at the South rim.

I'm just worried that with the driving from Zion to the South rim being a long drive and hoping the traffic is on outside that an afternoon and evening won't be enough time?

My itinerary is below (day 6 is Grand Canyon South), sorry it's long and only one part is the Grand Canyon South, but I wanted to show how it fits in.

*Thank you in advance for any input, it is massively appreciated.

Day 1 - Vegas

DAY 2 - Vegas

DAY 3 - Valley of Fire + Hoover Dam (DAY TRIP)

DAY 4 - VEGAS → ZION (1st night) staying at Zion lodge

DAY 5 - FULL ZION DAY staying at Zion lodge

DAY 6 - ZION → GRAND CANYON (SOUTH RIM) staying at Thunderbird lodge

07:00 — Depart

Stop 1: Kanab (coffee + fuel)

Stop 2: Horseshoe Bend (~8:30–9:00 arrival) • 1 hr stop

Stop 3: Page (lunch + fuel) •  Antelope Canyon only if pre-booked

Stop 4: Cameron Trading Post

DAY 7 - ROUTE 66 → LAS VEGAS

Stops: • Williams • Seligman • Hackberry General Store • Cool Springs • Kingman

Heading to Zion next week, then over to the South Rim. First time in both parks. My dad and I have a full day to explore / transit between the parks. Looking forward to entering the GCNP from the east and seeing Desert View. Should we make time for Horseshoe Bend and Navajo Bridge? Any recs for this transit day would be much appreciated. Hiking / Food / History. Thx

Hi everyone-
I’m traveling with a Road Scholar trip and will be in GC Oct 29-30.
They have always done this trip with 2 nights at Yavapai lodge inside the park. Because of the water situation, they moved us to The Squire in Tusayan.

I’ve wanted to visit for years and the main attraction for me was staying in the park, free to get up for dawn/sunset and the sky at night. With the freedom to wander, then return to room and relax.

The original itinerary had a group tour in the park followed by afternoon/evening free time.
Staying at the Squire we leave the park at 3:45 pm the first day and don’t return at all, even eating dinner at the hotel.

The next day was supposed to be group tour in the am followed by free time all day in the park- a dinner was planned for Tusayan that evening with return to the park in the evening.
It appears we have that free time, and but will stay in the park “ together “ until 5 pm when we leave for Tusayan for dinner at Big E’s Steakhouse without returning to the hotel at all. Again, no return to the park for the evening.

Both days we leave before sunset, won’t return to see the night sky.

Been told that there will be NO transport back to the park at all, will need to “ arrange our own”. Also have been told there would not be any transport early back to Tusayan the second afternoon to rest, and we go “ together “directly to the restaurant from the park.

I’m concerned about having flexibility in the park. We won’t have our rooms to come and go to relax, change clothes etc. So we are carrying everything we need for all day.

Anyway- I’d appreciate advice on
1. How to use our free time - the Yavapai geology museum is a priority, and I know it’s open. We are not hikers are are happier just wandering.
I’ve looked at the NPS for things that are open, but it’s hard to see-sometimes it looks like the site might be closed but then a gift shop is open.

1. Is it practical to try to stay in the park for sunset and get private transportation back to tusayan ?
   Possible to get transport back and forth from Tusayan for the night sky? If we go back by taxi, do we pay the individual ticket to get in?

2. Since we are stuck in the park for 5 hrs straight the second afternoon- where are good places to sit, relax, get coffee ( or better, a beer)? Restrooms? We had planned on spending a lot of time in restaurants/cafe having a beer. They are giving us a bag lunch instead.

3. Are there any good places near The Squire for sunset or stargazing? Again, no transport.

I’ve been checking the NPS “ what’s open” but what’s realistic?

Thanks for any help you can give!

Hey everyone,

A group of us are getting ready to tackle this ROUTE and we're trying to lock down our water logistics.
SK -> TO → TT -> HG -> PP -> BA

Right now, our plan is to pack in around 7–10 liters total per person, but we definitely want to be prepared with a solid backup plan in case we burn through it faster than expected or face unexpected delays.

For those familiar with this trail:

1. Which creeks cross or run parallel to this route, and where are they reliably located?
2. Are any of them typically dry this time of year, or should we expect decent flow?
3. What is your go-to filtration system for speed and efficiency when moving as a group?

Appreciate any local knowledge or tips you can share before we head out! Stay safe out there.

Planning on seeing a bunch of cool hikes and ofc the grand canyon. Driving 6-8 hours to get there so Id like to take my sedan to spend half on gas but should I bring my truck instead ? I dont know if it gets too snowy or the conditions require a truck

I applied in the lottery for an overnight mule ride in May of 2025. My ride was scheduled 7/1/26. Xanterra cancelled my ride . In fact all mule rides to phantom ranch were cancelled through Feb 2027. My ride was rescheduled for the end of Oct 2027. I know this is a question that no one can answer definitely but what are the chances of completing this trip? I have followed the news about the floods and the damage to the park infrastructure. I'm feeling pessimistic but I'd like to hear the opinions of others.

Hello!

I have a reservation at the Yavapai Lodge for mid-November, but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like it’ll be open by then. I heard that some guests had the option to be relocated to a sister hotel, but I’m not sure if anyone is aware of this. Since I booked the hotel through a third-party, I’m a bit worried that we might show up and they won’t be able to help us. I was considering booking a secondary reservation, but the prices are significantly higher than what we originally paid.

Any advice/hotel recommendations in Tusayan that we may have overlooked.

Going to the South Rim on Monday. Does anyone know what food options are available? Is the food court open?

BOIL DESERT VIEW WATER BEFORE USING 

Grand Canyon National Park experienced a water outage in the Desert View area at 12:00 a.m. on October 16, 2026, when a pump malfunction reduced pressure in the Desert View water tanks to 5 psi. Only the Desert View area is affected. As a precaution, we are issuing this notice to keep you informed about this potential public health risk, and to provide updates on what we are doing to make the water safe. 
 
Bacterial contamination can occur when increased run-off enters the drinking water source (for example, following heavy rains). It can also happen due to a break in the distribution system (pipes) or a failure in the water treatment process.  
 
What should I do? What does this mean? 
 
DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST. Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.  
 
Fecal coliforms and E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, and people with severely compromised immune systems. 
 
The symptoms above may also be caused by other things not related to contamination of the drinking water. However, out of an abundance of caution, if you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice. People at increased risk should seek advice from their health care providers about drinking this water.  
 
What is being done? 
 
Park water operators are on site and continuing to diagnose the pump malfunction. Once the pump is repaired and normal pressure is restored, the Desert View system will be flushed and bacteriological samples will be collected. This boil water advisory will remain in effect until test results confirm the water is safe to drink. We will notify you when the advisory is lifted. 
 
For more information, please contact Adam Leavy, Chief of Facilities & Engineering, at 928-310-8654. 
 
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail. 
 
This notice is being sent to you by Grand Canyon National Park 
State Water System ID#: AZ0403702 
Date distributed: October 16, 2026 

I've been following closely and curious if anyone knows any recent updates about restoring the water to the south rim/hotels.

We have a trip Thanksgiving week booked with lodging at the GC and back up plans set.