Photo Opportunities / Making Memories

Visiting the Grand Canyon is a goal for many people. When they have a chance to see this natural wonder of the world in person, it is generally a highlight of their lives. In the excitement and anticipation to view the Grand Canyon, many people drive by the sign that makes for a great photo opportunity prior to the entrance gate. In this post, we’ll review where to find these signs at the south rim, east entrance, and north rim gates. These gates are part of the National Park System (NPS) and an entrance fee or national parks pass are required to enter Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP).

Let’s go!

Upper left: South Rim sign, Lower left: East Entrance sign, Right: North Rim sign. Photo credit: Krista

Getting There and Know Before You Go

South Rim – Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP):

• South Rim is open year-round. Some roads may close intermittently during winter for heavy snow or ice. Check AZ511.gov (ADOT’s official site) for road closures.
• From Williams, AZ, take Arizona highway 64 (AZ-64) north. The South Rim entrance gate is approximately 60 miles from Williams.
• From Flagstaff, AZ, you have three (3) options for getting to the Grand Canyon:
  • Take Interstate 40 (I-40) west to Williams and then follow the driving instructions above for AZ-64 north.
  • From downtown Flagstaff, take U.S. highway 180 (US-180) west until it intersects with AZ-64 north near Valle, AZ, and follow the rest of the driving instructions from above for AZ-64 north. US-180 west may close during heavy winter storms and snow accumulation. Check AZ511.gov for road conditions and closures.
  • Or from the east side of Flagstaff, take U.S. highway 89 (US-89) north to Cameron, AZ, then west on AZ-64 and enter through the east entrance gate. See below for additional information about the East Entrance.
• Tusayan, AZ is a small community about two (2) miles outside GCNP on AZ-64 north and offers hotels/motels, restaurants and snacks, an unofficial visitor center, and a general market.

East Entrance – Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP):

• The east entrance gate is located off U.S. highway 89 (US-89) north.
• From Flagstaff, take US-89 north for approximately 50 miles, then take AZ-64 west to the east entrance gate.
• This entrance is generally open year-round, although Desert View Drive may close intermittently during winter for heavy snow or ice. Check AZ511.gov for road conditions and closures.
• The “first look” of the Grand Canyon is at the Desert View Watchtower. The parking lot is located just beyond the East Entrance gate.

North Rim – Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP):

• North Rim is only open late spring through mid-autumn. The opening date in late spring depends on the winter snowfall amount. Check AZ511.gov for road conditions and closures.
• In 2023, the North Rim will be open the first part of June with limited services. Check the GCNP website for official North Rim details.
• From Flagstaff, the North Rim is approximately 195 miles (3.5 hours) away. Take US-89 north and then turn left onto US-89A north. Turn left onto AZ-67 south (near Jacob Lake) and continue approximately 30 miles to the entrance gate. Follow the signage to the North Rim Visitor’s Center and other services.
• From Page, AZ, the North Rim is approximately 110 miles (2.25 hours) away. Take US-89 south and then turn right onto US-89A north. Turn left onto AZ-67 south (near Jacob Lake) and continue approximately 30 miles to the entrance gate. Follow the signage to the North Rim Visitor’s Center and other services.
• From Kanab, UT, the North Rim is approximately 70 miles (1.5 hours) away. Take US-89A south and then turn right onto AZ-67 south (near Jacob Lake) and continue approximately 30 miles to the entrance gate. Follow the signage to the North Rim Visitor’s Center and other services.
• The road from Jacob Lake to the North Rim goes through the northern part of the Kaibab Plateau in the Kaibab National Forest. There are meadows along AZ-67 south that have wildlife, including bison.
• Depending on when you go to the North Rim, you may see bison in the meadows and crossing the road. Drive cautiously and do not approach the bison. Only take pictures from your vehicle. Check out the NPS site for Wildlife Viewing and Safety Tips.

Entrance Fees

Admission to Grand Canyon National Park is valid for seven (7) days from date of purchase and includes both the South Rim and during its season, the North Rim. No cash is accepted; only credit/debit card. No refunds are given due to inclement weather. Grand Canyon Annual Passes and America the Beautiful passes are available at all three (3) of the Grand Canyon National Park’s entrance stations.

Roads

The roads to the Grand Canyon have a general incline and are not too steep or windy. In most places, the roads are two-way roads with only a few passing lanes. The main roads are not on the edge of the canyon, so should not cause issues. Check AZ511.gov for road updates and closures.

Wildlife

Be advised, the Grand Canyon and surrounding areas are naturally wild, so be on the lookout for wildlife (deer, elk, bison, and free-range cows) during both day and night. Check out the Wildlife Viewing and Safety Tips on the NPS website. It is important for all of us to do our part to keep wildlife wild.

National Park Service (NPS) Entrance Signs

There are NPS Grand Canyon signs before the South Rim, East Entrance, and North Rim entrance gates. Each year, approximately six (6) million people visit GCNP, with about five (5) million people visiting the South Rim and one (1) million people visiting the North Rim. The entrance signs make for a great photo opportunity – if you know where to find them. It is best to take your pictures during the daytime. The sign at the South Rim has dim lights shining on it for nighttime pictures. We have not visited the East Entrance or North Rim at night, so am not sure if those have lights to illuminate them. Keep reading to find out where to stop and see these signs on your next visit to the Grand Canyon.

South Rim Entrance – Grand Canyon National Park (Elevation 6,772 feet)

The South Rim is the most visited entrance for the Grand Canyon National Park because it is open year-round and easily accessible from Interstate 40 (I-40) and other highways in northern Arizona. To find the entrance sign for the South Rim on AZ-64 north – after you pass through Tusayan – stay in the right lane to stop at the designated parking area for the sign.

About 0.2 miles before the entrance gate for the South Rim, there is an unmarked road to the right that leads to a parking lot behind the GCNP sign. There is not a sign or directional arrow for this parking area, so be sure to pay attention for the turnoff. Should you miss the road, there is another entrance on the other side of the GCNP sign for you to pull in and return to park. The parking area is large enough to accommodate an RV or truck pulling a camper, provided the area is not too crowded with other vehicles when you stop. There is also a vault toilet in this parking lot should anyone in your group need to use the restroom.  

After you have parked, it is a short walk to the sign. The area approaching and around the sign is accessible for people with limited mobility or in wheelchairs / scooters. At the sign, there is a sidewalk and patio area to stand in front, or to the side, of the Grand Canyon sign. Often, other people waiting to take pictures will offer to take your photo should you be alone or in a small group. This location also has a metal pole with a small flat platform that you can set your camera and use the timer mode to take your photo.

When you are finished taking your photos, it is a very short drive from the sign’s parking area to the South Rim entrance gate. If you already have a National Parks Pass, the first lane (on the far left) is the best option if it is open. This lane is reserved for pre-paid park entrance yet is not always open. Mather Point and the Grand Canyon Visitor Center are generally the first stop for many visitors. The Grand Canyon Conservancy, the official non-profit partner with GCNP, has a gift shop at Mather Point.

East Gate Entrance – Grand Canyon National Park

The East Gate Entrance is a great option if you are coming from the east or want to experience the Desert View Watchtower as your ‘first look’ of the canyon. During the busier summer months, the east gate entrance may be less crowded. This entrance is generally open year-round, except for when AZ-64 is closed due to winter storms, snow, or ice. From this direction, after you turn off US-89 onto AZ-64 west, you will drive approximately 25 to 30 miles for the east entrance. To find the entrance sign at the East Entrance, it is about 2.5 miles before the gate.

For the east entrance GCNP sign, there is no parking lot – only a wide shoulder off the road to the right. The shoulder is wide enough for passenger cars/vans and trucks, RVs, and trucks with camper trailers. The ground on the shoulder is dirt and gravel, so may pose challenges for people with limited mobility. There are usually not a lot of people at this spot, so if you are traveling alone or in a small group your best option for a photo will be a selfie or taking turns, unless you have a tripod to take a photo using the timer function.

When you are finished taking your photos, it is about 2.5 miles from the sign to the East Entrance gate. This entrance does not have multiple lanes like the South Gate. From here, most people stop at Desert View Watchtower for their first look of the Grand Canyon. The gift shop inside on the ground level of the Watchtower is run by the Grand Canyon Conservancy, the official non-profit partner with GCNP. After you experience Desert View Watchtower, continue driving west on Desert View Drive and enjoy the various pullouts for the vista points along the 20 miles to Mather Point and the Grand Canyon Visitor Center.

North Rim Entrance – Grand Canyon National Park (Elevation 8,827 feet)

The North Rim is the least visited entrance for the Grand Canyon National Park because it is not open year-round and is not as easily accessible from the highways in northern Arizona. During most years, the North Rim is open from mid-May through mid-October. However, in some years like the 2022-2023 winter season, there is so much snow that the North Rim delays its opening. For 2023, the North Rim opens in early June with limited services.

From Jacob Lake, continue on AZ-67 south through the northern part of the Kaibab Plateau in the Kaibab National Forest for about 30 miles to the North Rim entrance. To find the North Rim GCNP sign, it is on the right side of the road a few miles before the gate. There is no parking lot – only a shoulder area off the road to the right.

The shoulder is wide enough for passenger cars/vans and trucks. The shoulder should be wide enough for RVs, and trucks with camper trailers. The ground on the shoulder is dirt and gravel, so may pose challenges for people with limited mobility. There are usually not a lot of people at this spot, so if you are traveling alone or in a small group your best option for a photo will be a selfie or taking turns, unless you have a tripod to take a photo using the timer function.

When you are finished taking your photos, it is not that far from the sign to the North Rim gate. This entrance does not have multiple lanes like the South Gate. From there, follow the signs to the North Rim Visitor Center, a gift shop run by the Grand Canyon Conservancy, food/beverages, and other services.

West Rim / Grand Canyon Skywalk – Hualapai Reservation

So far, we have covered the Grand Canyon entrances that are part of the National Park Service. There is one more way to see the Grand Canyon from the west that is part of the Hualapai Reservation. The West Rim and Grand Canyon Skywalk are located at Grand Canyon West’s Eagle Point on the Hualapai Reservation and are not affiliated with Grand Canyon National Park.  

The West Rim offers several things to do, including the Skywalk, Colorado River Rafting, Pontoon Tours, and a zip-line. Since the West Rim is not part of Grand Canyon National Park, there is not a National Park Service sign. Many people enjoy experiencing the activities at the West Rim; however, the iconic images most people see of the Grand Canyon are taken from the South Rim portion of the national park.

Closing Thoughts

Seeing and experiencing the Grand Canyon in person is a highlight for many people. In addition to the photos taken at the rim, another keepsake will be the photos taken at the national park entrance sign. Be sure to let whoever is driving know that you would like to stop and take pictures. It is best to take these entrance sign photos before you enter the park, because all too often you forget on your way out. Before you head out on the road, be sure to visit the official Grand Canyon National Park website to plan your trip and for GCNP operational updates. Safe travels!

Have you visited the Grand Canyon? Did you take photos at the national park entrance sign? Looking forward to hearing from you in the comments! Like & follow my Facebook page for mini posts.

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