Conditions Right Now
Use sunset as your turnaround alarm.
Why Hike This
Plenty of people stop at the paved overlook by the parking lot and turn around, which is why the rest of the trail stays quiet. Walk the full mile out along the rim and the view keeps widening until you can pick out the White Rim road below, formations in the Needles and the Maze, and mountains on the horizon. The route follows the canyon edge on rough, uneven rock with stone steps, so keep kids close. There is no potable water anywhere on the trail, so fill up at the visitor center.
The Trail
Rim walk over the entire Island in the Sky ending at a jaw-dropper.
Heat note: desert country - in summer start at dawn and carry more water than feels reasonable.
Pack Loadout (Easy)
Water bottle, sunscreen, hat, snacks, comfortable shoes.
Getting There
Make it a weekend: Willow Flat Campground (Camping, 5 mi) · The Needles Campground (Squaw Flat) (Camping, 12 mi) · Kayenta Campground (Dead Horse Point) (Camping, 14 mi) · Ken's Lake Campground (Camping, 26 mi)
More hikes nearby: Mesa Arch (Hike, 5 mi) · Upheaval Dome Overlook (Hike, 9 mi) · Chesler Park Loop (Hike, 12 mi) · Druid Arch (Hike, 13 mi)
Quick Answers
- How long is the Grand View Point hike?
- 1.8 miles round trip with 157 feet of elevation gain.
- How hard is Grand View Point?
- Easy. Kid rating: 4 out of 5.
- When should I hike Grand View Point?
- Best season: All year.
- Why hike Grand View Point?
- Grand View Point is the payoff walk of Island in the Sky, a level rim traverse that ends where the mesa runs out. From the end you can see miles of corrugated canyons, the White Rim road, features in the Maze and the Needles, and distant mountains. The first stretch is a paved, wheelchair-accessible sidewalk.