Grand Canyon East Entrance: 19 Awesome Tips For 2025

The Grand Canyon is truly grand – it is one of the wonders of the world and a must-see destination.

The only negative is that the Grand Canyon has a lot of people visiting it which can mean long lines to even enter the park.

We are hiking enthusiasts who LOVE exploring the Grand Canyon. We try to make it there once a year – it really is that magnificent!

During our visits, we found that entering the Grand Canyon via the East Entrance saves us a ton of time entering the park.

This guide will help you plan your visit to the East Entrance of the Grand Canyon, utilizing all our tips and tricks!

Grand Canyon East Entrance Address

The address for the Grand Canyon East Entrance is:

Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023

This is about 35 minutes from the closest town, Cameron, Arizona.

The East Entrance is also commonly referred to as the Desert View Entrance Station.

How to Get to the Grand Canyon East Entrance

As the name points out, the Grand Canyon’s East Entrance is the most east of all the entrances. This makes it a bit easier to access from Arizona locations than from Nevada.

• Page, Arizona: 109 miles, 1 hour and 45 minute drive
• Flagstaff, Arizona: 81.5 miles, 1 hour and 30 minute drive
• Sedona, Arizona: 111 miles, 2 hours and 5 minute drive
• Pheonix, Arizona: 226 miles, 3 hours and 30 minute drive
• Zion National Park (Utah): 228 miles, 4 hour drive
• Las Vegas, Nevada: 336 miles, 5 hour drive (✨use the South Entrance instead✨)

The Grand Canyon East Entrance is a 40 minute drive from the main entrance (South Entrance Station) of the Grand Canyon South Rim.

That being said, the South Entrance Station can have a line of 2 hours during peak travel times. ⏱

For the Grand Canyon, peak travel falls on weekends, holidays, and in the summer.

✨Since we prefer to visit the Grand Canyon from cities in Arizona like Sedona or Page, the East Entrance is always a better bet. The drive is not much longer and the shorter wait times are worth it. ✨

Plus, entering at the Grand Canyon East Entrance sets you up to end the day by the lodging at the main village.

We love the overlooks and small hikes on the way from the Grand Canyon East Entrance to the main Grand Canyon Village area, so this way we can easily enjoy them along our drive.

We prefer to stay in the park, which we will cover in a bit, so starting from the east side and going toward the South Entrance is an ideal set-up!

Grand Canyon East Entrance Hours

The Grand Canyon East Entrance is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year!

Just like the main entrance in the south, the Grand Canyon East Entrance operates around the clock, making it easy to plan your visit!

When the entrance does back up, it is typically between 9:30am and 4pm. However, unlike the South Entrance, the line rarely exceeds 30 minutes.

Grand Canyon East Entrance Fee

Outside of the 5 free entry days, there is a fee to enter the Grand Canyon. The fee at all of the entrances is the same.

💲The cost to enter the park is $35 per vehicle. This pass is good for a full 7 days at any Grand Canyon entrance. 💲

You can purchase this at the entrance using a credit card, but your line will take longer.

We recommend buying the pass online ahead of time to avoid this. The pass can be purchased at Recreation.gov.

Alternatively, you can use the American the Beautiful National Park Pass to enter. Personally, we buy this pass every year and it saves us a big chunk of change.

You can enter almost all National parks and monuments for free and some state parks accept it as well.

The cost of the American the Beautiful National Park Pass is $80 for 12 months of use. If you are a veteran or a senior, the pass is even cheaper.

The pass can be purchased at the gate, online, or at your local REI.

Grand Canyon East Entrance to South Rim

Besides avoiding the long lines at the South Entrance, we also love this entrance for the awesome drive and overlooks.

By starting at this entrance, you will have the opportunity to drive at your own pace and stop to see the canyon from multiple angles before reaching the main village area.

Once you reach the main village, you will probably need to park and take the shuttle to any hikes or overlooks. The roads are closed to visitors for the majority of the year.

The drive from the Grand Canyon East Entrance to the Village is called Desert View Drive. The whole route is 23 miles and takes a little under an hour to get from Desert View to the Grand Canyon Village.

💡There are six canyon viewpoints with parking along the drive to stop at along Desert View Drive. 👀

Starting at the closest overlook to the Grand Canyon East Entrance, here are a few details about each viewpoint:

Desert View

Desert View is the largest of the stops until you reach the village. Here, you will find a very large parking lot, plenty of bathrooms, and food options.

This is perfect, especially if you just make a lengthy drive to get there! Additionally, there is a gas station if you’re in a pinch for gas.

From the parking lot, there is a 1/4th mile walk to the viewpoints.

Desert View has a spectacular view of the canyon and the Colorado River going to the west. There is a spot at the viewpoint where you can get a pretty awesome 180° view.

Plus, Desert View has a number of cool historic buildings. The most iconic is the watchtower. The watchtower was built in 1932 by Mary Colter and is based on the architecture of the Ancestral Puebloan people of the Southwest.

There are Ranger-led learning opportunities at the watchtower and this viewpoint so be sure to look for the posted schedule.

We always stop at Desert View and strongly recommend you do as well!

Navajo Point

Navajo Point is Kelsea’s favorite view of the entire Grand Canyon. There is a fantastic view of the Colorado River as you can see everything clearly.

It is a great eyeful of everything the Grand Canyon has to offer as you are at the highest overlook on the South Rim.

Because you are so elevated, you have both east and west panoramas, so it is a great spot for sunrise.

From this spot, you can see the watchtower at Desert View.

Lipan Point

For Lipan Point, you go up a hill to get to the top of the overlook. At this point, you’ll have viewpoints of a few points of interest.

First is the Hance Rapid. The Hance Rapid is a class 8 rapid on the Colorado River which is considered one of the hardest and longest rapids in the Grand Canyon.

Next is the Unkar Delta which was the home to the ancestral Puebloan people. This area is an active site of archeological study.

Lastly, you will have a great view of the Grand Canyon Supergroup.

The Grand Canyon Supergroup is where the rocks are tilted and primarily comprised of sandstone and mudstone, with some areas of igneous rock. The rock strata are from the late Proterozoic era.

Moran Point

Moran Point is probably our most skipped viewpoint. The views are good, but you will get pretty similar views from the village.

From this point, you can clearly see three of the main rock groups that make up the canyon – Layered Paleozoic Rocks, Grand Canyon Supergroup, and Basement Rocks.

This makes it a great stop for geologists and photographers as the color of the rocks really pops here!

Grand View Point

Grand View Point is the busiest overlook on the east side, mostly because of the name and the proximity to the Visitor Center.

⚠️We will say, the safety fence along the rim does not give us strong safety vibes. If you have kids or are prone to tripping (looking at you, Kelsea), be sure to be especially alert!⚠️

The viewpoint has panoramic views of the Grand Canyon. The bends of the Colorado River to the east make photos especially magical.

In addition to being a viewpoint, the Grand View Trail also begins here. This trail is extremely steep and only recommended for experienced hikers.

Yaki Point

Yaki Point is the last overlook on Desert View Drive and the only one without a parking lot.

In order to visit Yaki Point, you can take a shuttle (Kaibab Rim Route Orange Shuttle Bus) or hike to it from the visitor center.

At Yaki Point, you’ll have great views of the Bright Angel Trail, Tonto Trail, South Kaibab Trail, Cedar Ridge, O’Neill Butte, Cremation Creek, Newton Butte, and Clear Creek.

Are there tours that go to the Grand Canyon East Entrance?

Yes! Many tours from Sedona or Flagstaff take the lesser-known Grand Canyon East Entrance.

Small-Group Grand Canyon Complete Tour

This small group tour from Sedona or Flagstaff takes you along Desert View Drive of the Grand Canyon and to some of the National Monuments outside the park.

A great highlight of the tour is a Southwestern lunch at the historic Cameron Trading Post on a Navajo reservation.

Grand Canyon Day Trip with Dinner & Sunset

Maybe a sunset and dinner in the Grand Canyon National Park is more your style! This tour will provide you with stunning photos of the sun going down over the Colorado River below.

Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour

And finally, if you’re driving and exploring on your own, this Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour from Cameron or Flagstaff is exactly what you need to learn all the information you want about the geology of the area and the local Native American tribes while exploring the national park.

Where to Stay at the Grand Canyon South Rim

While we love visiting the Grand Canyon, especially the South Rim, we do find the lack of accommodations to be a bit frustrating at times.

Over time, we have found solid options that have melted this frustration away.

If you’re looking for a close place to the Grand Canyon East Entrance, we would recommend staying in Cameron, Arizona at the Navajoland Hotel of Tuba City. While it might not be fancy, it is clean and 30 minutes from the park entrance!

Once you are in the park, Yavapai Lodge is our favorite hotel. It is located directly on the rim of the Grand Canyon, so it provides an incredible view through the window in your suite.

Plus, the Yavapai Lodge has a restaurant which is perfect after a long day exploring the Grand Canyon.

Additionally, the Mather Campground at South Rim Village is the best choice for camping. It is open all year, centrally located, and very large with 327 sites. There are no hookups, but the site comes with a campfire, picnic table, and space enough for two vehicles and three tents.

If you are traveling with an RV, we recommend the Trailer Village RV Park at South Rim Village. It is the only RV Campground in the park with full hookups and is open year-round.

Outside the park by the South Entrance Station, you can stay in Tusayan, which is 7 miles south of the Grand Canyon Village. We recommend the Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon and Holiday Inn Express Grand Canyon, an IHG Hotel.

FAQs for the Grand Canyon East Entrance

In Conclusion: The Grand Canyon East Entrance

The Grand Canyon East Entrance is a great option for travelers looking to experience the beauty of the Grand Canyon without large crowds.

Not only can visitors enjoy stunning views from this entrance, but they can also take advantage of shorter lines and viewpoints that are less traveled.

We wish you the best travels, and don’t forget to set your “Out of Office!”