uring the summer season the South Entrance Station routinely has long wait times. Avoid waiting in line by arriving to the park before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m. (NPS Photo)
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — Visitors to Grand Canyon National Park this Memorial Day weekend should expect long lines and full parking lots. Traffic regularly backs up at all entrance stations, with the longest wait times between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Parking lots, especially near the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, will reach capacity by 12 p.m. and shuttle bus lines will be long.
Visitors should follow these tips in preparing to visit the South Rim:
- Arrive early (before 9 a.m.) or later in the day (after 5:00 p.m.)
- Monitor the South Entrance Station Webcam to help time your arrival
- Buy your park pass online or in Tusayan at one of the following businesses – IMAX Theater, Canyon Plaza Resort, Red Feather Lodge, and Westwind Air Service
- To lessen wait times, visitors with prepaid passes entering the South Entrance should use Lane 1, the prepaid pass lane.
- If arriving from the east on I-40 or from Phoenix on I-17, consider taking US 89 from Flagstaff north to Cameron, Ariz. and then west on State Route 64 to the East Entrance of the park, where you can enjoy your first views of the Grand Canyon from Desert View.
- If you are a day-use visitor or are spending the night in the gateway community of Tusayan, park in Tusayan and take a shuttle bus to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, where you can access trails, scenic viewpoints, and the in-park shuttle bus system. The Tusayan Route will run from May 28 through Sept 9, 2022.
- Day-use visitors in RVs or pulling a trailer should park in Tusayan and take the shuttle. If you choose to drive into the park, please go to parking lots 1, B or D.
- Consider taking the train from Williams, Ariz.
Due to the COVID pandemic, various public health measures may be in place, including capacity limits and face mask requirements. For current measures, please visit the park website here.
Additional shuttle bus information is available online on the park’s shuttle bus webpages. Find parking and road conditions on Twitter @GrandCanyonNPS.
Grand Canyon National Park, in northern Arizona, encompasses 278 miles (447 km) of the Colorado River and adjacent uplands. Located on the ancestral homeland of 11 Associated Tribes, Grand Canyon is one of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world—unmatched in the incomparable vistas it offers visitors on the rim. Grand Canyon National Park is a World Heritage Site. The National Park Service cares for the special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.