Figure out the best (and worst) places to watch the sunrise and sunset from in the Grand Canyon with our guide! We spent 3 weeks exploring the south rim of the Grand Canyon, watching the sunrise and sunset from various locations to give you our best recommendations.
Whether you’re just starting to plan your trip or are already there, we share detailed tips on what direction, benches, how early to arrive, and more to watch the sunrise and the sunset from in this gorgeous National Park! This article focuses on viewpoints you can find on the South Rim, the most popular area of the Grand Canyon, where we visited.
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Top 7 Sunrise & Sunset Spots in Grand Canyon
If you’re looking for the best of the best, here is a roundup of our top 7 spots we recommend for watching the sunrise or sunset in Grand Canyon National Park. Click on the name to read more, or continue reading for a complete list of over 15!
🥇 Our Top Pick: Ooh Aah Point was the perfect balance of a short hike, beautiful views, and small crowds.
👀 Best on Hermit Road: Powell Point for sunrise and Pima Point for sunset.
🚗 Best on Desert View Drive: Lipan Point for sunrise and Yaki Point for sunset.
🥾 Unique Sunset Hike: Take the Red Shuttle to Hermits Rest 1-2 hours before sunset and hike back.
👩👩👧👧 Most Convenient: Mather Point is gorgeous and convenient, but very crowded—go to Yavapai Point instead if you can swing it!
15+ Sunrise & Sunset Viewpoints in the Grand Canyon
There’s a lot of overlap when it comes to the best spots to watch the sunrise and sunset in the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. Below, we’ve listed a variety of viewpoints to watch the sunrise or sunset right from the rim, or even after a short hike down into the canyon. We’ve grouped together the viewpoints located along Hermit Road and Desert View Drive as they are quite similar, just at different points along each road.
1. Ooh Aah Point
Located on the South Kaibab Trail (Orange Shuttle Bus), Ooh Aah Point was our favorite spot to watch the sunrise in the Grand Canyon! To get here requires a short, 1-mile (1.6-km) hike (AllTrails map below) into the canyon (2 miles/3.2 km round trip). There were other people at this viewpoint when we got there, but it was still excellent!
The views here are superb, giving you panoramic views of the canyon and some awesome pictures of the rocks. Although this is one of the best sunrise spots in the park, it isn’t for people who are apprehensive about going into the canyon. If this is your case, don’t hesitate to stick to the other viewpoints on the rim.
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2. Mather Point
Mather Point is hands-down the most popular spot to watch the sunrise and sunset in the Grand Canyon. Beyond offering gorgeous canyon views, it’s also super close to the Visitor Center and is just a short walk away from this parking lot. We visited Mather Point for our first sunrise in the park, and it was a bit overwhelming due to the sheer number of people who come to this spot. So we don’t necessarily recommend this spot for this reason, since it’s so busy.
That being said, it’s popular for a reason. The views are pretty spectacular, and if you’re short on time, a sunset at Mather Point is better than none at all! However, we preferred any of the following spots we mentioned in the park to have more secluded views. The first alternative that’s close by is Yavapai Point, up next!
2. Yavapai Point
We recommend Yavapai Point as the closest alternative to Mather Point. As it’s also quite close to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, it has pretty good access to parking and is located down a paved trail. We think this is the best alternative to Mather Point because it has similar views, while being significantly quieter! This viewpoint is about a 20-minute walk from the same Visitor Center parking lot.
4. Hermit Road Viewpoints (Various)
Our next recommendation includes any of the 9 viewpoints along Hermit Road. You can reach these viewpoints via the red route shuttle bus (or by car if you’re visiting from December to February). These viewpoints include:
- Trailview Overlook – First Official Overlook
- Maricopa Point
- Powell Point – Our Favorite for Sunrise
- Hopi Point – Most Popular for Sunset, although it can get busy
- Mohave Point – Our Favorite for sunset
- The Abyss
- Monument Creek Vista
- Pima Point – Our Favorite for Sunset
- Hermit’s Rest – End of Red Shuttle Line
We especially liked Powell and Hopi Points for their canyon views and doable hiking distance. At dawn, these spots are peaceful since shuttles don’t run until after sunrise, cutting down on the number of people who want to make the hike out there. However, Hopi Point does get crowded at sunset because it just out into the canyon the furthest, so if you’re looking for a quiet sunset spot, go a bit further down the road to a quieter outlook like Mohave or Pima Points.
The only challenge for sunrise here is that the red bus doesn’t start until 8 am, which is after even the latest sunrise of the year. So, unless you’re visiting from December to February, you’d need to hike in. Lucky for you, Maricopa, Powell, and Hopi Points are quite close to the Bright Angel Trailhead, making for a stunning 4.4-mile (7.1-km) round-trip journey along the West Rim Trail (trail map below). We did this on several mornings and really enjoyed how quiet the trail was. We didn’t see many people at all and had most spots completely to ourselves.
Since most visitors don’t want to wake up for sunrise, you can expect sunset to be a bit busier. Thankfully, for sunset, there’s no rush, as the latest bus leaves one hour after sunset, so you can travel to any of this road’s viewpoints with time to make the shuttle back as well. More info about this shuttle on NPS.
Alternative Hermit Road Sunset Hike Plan
If you take the red route to Hermits Rest 1 to 2 hours before sunset, you can walk back on the Rim Trail as the sun goes down. Whenever you like, stop at a bench (there are a ton of benches with excellent views) and enjoy an incredible Grand Canyon sunset all to yourself! Hop on the first bus you see when you’re done and end your evening with dinner or drinks at one of the lodges in GC Village.
5. Best Sunrise and Sunset Spots on Desert View Drive
Desert View Drive starts just South of the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, heading East along the rim. There are tons of spots that you can watch the sunrise or sunset from, but below we’ve pulled together some of our favorites.
- Yaki Point: Yaki Point is the first main viewpoint off of Desert View Drive when driving from Grand Canyon Village. We visited this point after visiting Ooh Ahh Point for sunrise, and it was pretty and quiet—the best of both worlds!
- Grandview Point: Grandview Point is one of the most-reviewed lookouts off of Desert View Drive. Here, you’ll get another classic panoramic view of the canyon and the Colorado River. You’ve also got some short trails as well as the Grandview Lookout Tower nearby, which is free to visit!
- Lipan Point: Further down the road, Lipan Point offers incredible views of the canyon with the San Francisco Peaks to the south, the distant Painted Desert, and extensive stretches of the river below. This spot juts out into the canyon the most of all of the viewpoints on Desert View Drive!
Other points include Moran, Shoshone, and Duck on a Rock Viewpoints (we’ve pinned them on the map below), but we must say that they’re all pretty similar, as they all look out over the canyon. Another quieter option is to go to one of the many unmarked pullouts along Desert View Drive. Since there are only a few parking spots at these unmarked locations, you have a higher probability of being alone if that’s your jam! We drove past several people who had just pulled over to these parking areas and watched the sunrise from their car while drinking coffee, and it was definitely a vibe!
Map of BEST Sunrise and Sunset Spots in the Grand Canyon
How to use this map: We have saved the locations from this guide on this map. You can save this map to your Google Maps by pressing the star icon. In your Google Maps, click the menu icon and then Saved Maps, where this map will appear.
Grand Canyon Sunrise & Sunset Times
Sunrise and sunset in the Grand Canyon change daily, so we recommend checking your weather app for the most accurate time. To give you a general idea, we’ve outlined the average sunrise time by season below. If you plan on hiking to a viewpoint before or after the sun is up, make sure to use a headlamp to illuminate your path.
Sunrise Times
- Spring Sunrise Time: 5:00 – 6:15 am
- Summer Sunrise Time: 5:15 – 6:15 am
- Fall Sunrise Time: 6:30 – 7:40 am
- Winter Sunrise Time: 6:30 – 7:40 am
Sunset Times
- Spring Sunset Time: 6:50 – 7:50 pm
- Summer Sunset Time: 6:20 – 7:50 pm
- Fall Sunset Time: 5:15 – 6:15 pm
- Winter Sunset Time: 5:15 – 6:45 pm
We recommend getting to your sunrise spot 30 minutes before sunrise to really enjoy all of the morning colors the Grand Canyon sunrises have to offer. The colors in the canyon change so much as light washes over the canyon walls, so planning your time accordingly will give you the most time to sit back and watch the show.
FAQ: Sunrise and Sunset in the Grand Canyon
Is the sunrise or sunset better in the Grand Canyon?
If you’re wondering which is more beautiful, we honestly can’t say. Both the sunrise and the sunset in the Grand Canyon are gorgeous experiences.
What we will say is that the sunset is the more accessible time to watch the sky light up, as all the shuttles are running (unlike during sunrise) and you don’t need to wake up early to catch it. This makes it easier for those travelling with young kids, or those whose idea of a good time doesn’t include waking up as early as 4:30 am.
On the other hand, unless we’re talking about Mather Point, the sunrise is generally a quieter time in the park, as fewer people are willing to get up so early. This dramatically decreases your chance of having to share some of the more popular viewpoints with loads of other visitors.
How can I get to these points?
You can reach Grand Canyon South Rim viewpoints by driving your own car (except down Hermit Road, which is shuttle-only most of the year), taking the free shuttle buses from Grand Canyon Village (which run along the rim, Hermit Road, and part of Desert View Drive), or even by walking/biking parts of the Rim Trail—more info on the shuttle schedules on this page.
What to bring to watch the sunrise or sunset in the Grand Canyon?
For sunrise or sunset at the Grand Canyon, our number one recommendation is to dress in layers as temperatures can drop significantly before/after the sun is above the horizon. We often left our van in jackets and beanies and came back to our van in sun shirts. Having water bottles, snacks, and a blanket can come in handy if you can bring them, and sturdy hiking shoes are a must if your sunrise/sunset plan involves walking on uneven terrain. Don’t forget a flashlight or headlamp for visibility if you have a way to your vehicle as well.
🎫 Consider investing in the America the Beautiful pass for $80 like we did if you’re planning on travelling to several parks within the year.
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