Seasonal Road Closures, SOUTH RIM

From March 1 to November 30, Hermit Road and the road out to Yaki Point/South Kaibab are CLOSED to private vehicle traffic. You will need to ride a shuttle bus to access those destinations. Private vehicle access on these roads is permitted for vehicles with accessibility permits.

From December 1 to February 28, Hermit Road and the road out to Yaki Point/South Kaibab are open to private vehicles.

Park Shuttle

Free shuttle buses operate on four routes on the South Rim at Grand Canyon National Park: Hermits Rest Route, Village Route, Kaibab Trail Route, and Canyon View/Mather Point Route (for visitors needing mobility assistance). No tickets are required, and bus stops are clearly marked throughout the park by signs.

Buses may be white, white with a green stripe, or brown and tan. The route is indicated by a colored square near each door. Many buses also display the route name on the front of the bus. Pets are not permitted on shuttle buses. Service animals for visitors with disabilities are allowed.

The Hermits Rest Route is NOT in service between December 1 and February 28. During those three months ONLY, Hermit Road and the road out to Yaki Point/South Kaibab are open to private vehicles.

Because most park shuttle buses are not yet accessible for wheelchairs, an accessibility permit can be obtained in the park at entrance gates, the visitor center at Canyon View Information Plaza, Yavapai Observation Station, Kolb Studio, El Tovar registration desk, and the Bright Angel Lodge transportation desk. The permit allows access to some areas closed to the general public traffic. Accessible shuttle buses are available in response to requests made the day prior. Call (928) 638-0591.

A Parking and Shuttle Bus Route Map is available as a PDF file that can be viewed with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader (version 5 or newer). If you plan on printing the file, it may print faster if you download it to your computer.

• To view a PDF in your browser window, click on the file link and the Acrobat Reader plug-in will automatically load and display the file.

• To download a PDF to your computer, right-click on the PDF link and choose the "Save Link/Target As" option from the drop-down menu. After saving the file to your computer, click on its alias/icon and Acrobat Reader will launch and open the PDF for viewing and/or printing.

PDF file - Parking and Shuttle Bus Route Map - 1.29 mb

Hermits Rest Route - This route operates from March 1 to November 30. - Buses provide transportation between the Village Route Transfer and Hermits Rest with stops at eight canyon overlooks. Hermit Road is open to private vehicles December through February only, but may be closed temporarily due to ice and snow.

Buses on the Hermit Rest Route run one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset on the following schedule:

March, October, November:

• Every 30 minutes from one hour before sunrise to 9:30 a.m.

• Every 15 minutes from 9:30 a.m. to sunset

• Every 30 minutes from sunset to one hour after sunset

April through September:

• Every 30 minutes from one hour before sunrise to 7:30 a.m.

• Every 15 minutes from 7:30 a.m. to sunset

• Every 30 minutes from sunset to one hour after sunset

75-minute round trip (without getting off the bus). There are twelve stops as follows:
 

Note that on the return trip from Hermits Rest, the bus stops ONLY at Mohave and Hopi Points, providing a semi-express return service. Water is not available on Hermit Road except at Hermits Rest. Take a canteen with you.

Village Route - This route operates year-round. - Buses provide transportation between Canyon View Information Plaza, Yavapai Point, hotels, restaurants, campgrounds, parking lots, and other facilities in the Village area. This is not a scenic route, but rim views are available a short walk from many stops.

Buses on the Village Route run one hour before sunrise to seasonal stop time:

December through February (winter):

• Every 30 minutes from one hour before sunrise to 8:00 a.m.
• Every 15 minutes from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Every 30 minutes from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

March through May (spring):

• Every 30 minutes from one hour before sunrise to 6:30 a.m.
• Every 15 minutes from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Every 30 minutes from 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

June through August (summer):

• Every 30 minutes from one hour before sunrise to 6:30 a.m.
• Every 15 minutes from 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• Every 30 minutes from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

September through November (fall):

• Every 30 minutes from one hour before sunrise to 6:30 a.m.
• Every 15 minutes from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Every 30 minutes from 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

60-minute round trip (without getting off the bus).  There are eighteen stops are as follows:

• 

Kaibab Trail Route - This route operates year-round. - Buses provide transportation between Canyon View Information Plaza, Pipe Creek Vista, South Kaibab Trailhead, and Yaki Point. This is the shortest scenic route and the only access to Yaki Point.

Buses on the Kaibab Trail Route operate on the following schedule:

• Every 30 minutes from one hour before sunrise to 6:30 a.m.

• Every 15 minutes from 6:30 a.m. to one hour after sunset

30-minute round trip (without getting off the bus).  There are five stops are as follows:
 

There is also a Hikers Express version of the Kaibab Trail Route. It leaves from the Bright Angel Lodge, goes to the Backcountry Information Center, and then on to South Kaibab Trailhead. There are 2-3 Hikers' Express trips each morning, departure times depend on the month, see chart below.

Hikers' Express Schedule
January	8am, 9am
February	8am, 9am
March	7am, 8am, 9am
April	6am, 7am, 8am
May	5am, 6am, 7am
June	4am, 5am, 6am
July	4am, 5am, 6am
August	4am, 5am, 6am
September	5am, 6am, 7am
October	6am, 7am, 8am
November	7am, 8am, 9am
December	8am, 9am

Canyon View / Mather Point Route - For visitors needing mobility assistance between the Mather Point parking lot and the Canyon View Visitor Center. 15 minute round trip. Operates from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 or 6:30 p.m. - buses run about every 15 minutes from a half hour before opening to a half hour after closing of the Visitor Center at Canyon View Information Plaza and Books and More Store.

On-call Paratransit Service - For visitors needing mobility assistance who plan to arrive either without their own transportation or who are not part of a guided tour. Accessible shuttle buses are available in response to requests made the day prior. Call 928-638-0591.

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Concessionaire Bus Tours - On the South Rim, guided bus tours within the park are conducted by Xanterra. Call (303) 297-2757 or toll free (888) 297-2757, FAX (303) 297-3175, or visit www.grandcanyonlodges.com. Visitors arriving in the park should contact any transportation desk for information or call (928) 638-2631 to make arrangements. Tours include: Sunrise, Sunset, Desert View Drive, and Hermits Rest Road. Tours are available throughout the year. Wheelchair-accessible coaches are available by prior arrangement.

Concessionaire Transportation Desks - Information about Phantom Ranch facilities, mule trips, horseback riding, air tours, one-day float trips, and motorcoach tours (including wheelchair-accessible vehicles) is available at the lodge lobbies (hours vary seasonally). Call (928) 638-2631, ext. 6015.

• Maswik Lodge Transportation Desk - Times vary based on seasonal demand.

• Bright Angel Transportation Desk - Times vary based on seasonal demand.

• Yavapai Lodge Transportation Desk - Times vary based on seasonal demand.

Rim to Rim Shuttle - A shuttle service is provided seasonally between the North Rim and the South Rim for a fee by Trans Canyon Shuttle (a park permittee). One trip each way daily. Call (928) 638-2820. Scheduled service available until Oct. 15. Charter service available until Oct. 31. Reservations required.

Taxi Service - Service is available to the Grand Canyon Airport, trailheads, and other destinations. 24-hour service daily. Call (928) 638-2822 or (928) 638-2631, ext. 6563.

Bus Service - Greyhound Bus Lines provides service from Flagstaff and Williams, Arizona to points nationwide.

Shuttle Service - Shuttle service between Phoenix and Flagstaff, and between Flagstaff and Grand Canyon Village is offered by Open Road Tours (800-766-7117), call for prices and schedules.

Train - Grand Canyon Railway offers service between Williams, Arizona and Grand Canyon Village (South Rim). The Railroad Express offers bus service for people who only want a one-way trip on the vintage train. To ride on the train one-way in the morning from Williams, contact any lodge transportation desk within the park. To ride on the train one-way in the afternoon, contact Grand Canyon Railway. Call (800) THE-TRAIN or visit www.thetrain.com for information and reservations.

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