Grand Canyon East Rim Visitor Guide

Grand Canyon East is located in the area along the Colorado River to the north and east of the South Rim. This is the most difficult area of the Grand Canyon to access, but intrepid adventurers are rewarded with smaller crowds and close-up views of the Grand Canyon.

The primary physical attribute of the Grand Canyon East region is the Little Colorado River (LCR). The LCR is responsible for carving several of the smaller canyons in the region, and its lower 40 miles constitute one of the largest arms of the Grand Canyon. The Canyon surrounding the Little Colorado River is over 3,000 feet deep where it joins the Colorado River near Desert View between the South Rim and Grand Canyon East.

Because of the mineral content in the Grand Canyon East area, the LCR flows with beautiful blue water in the summer months; in other parts of the year, it runs almost blood red.

There is no official “East Rim”, and “Grand Canyon East” isn’t an official designation used by the National Park Service, but there are many spots to see on the east portion of the Grand Canyon, including:

Grand Canyon East offers two main viewing areas: one is free but doesn’t have safety guardrails, while the other costs a minimal fee paid to the Navajo Nation, but does include guardrails.

The annual November flooding of the Grand Canyon is also an interesting experience! The annual release of water from the Glen Canyon Dam floods the Grand Canyon via the Colorado River, with the goal of rebuilding the Colorado River beaches in order to benefit local endangered species such as the humpback chub.

Compared to the North, South, and West Rims, there is very little tourism at Grand Canyon East. There are many attractions that make it worth a visit, including a number of locally-provided tours, visits to the smaller canyons, boat tours, helicopter tours, fishing, and rafting.

Grand Canyon East is not easily accessible by bus from Las Vegas. The quickest way to reach the East Rim is by airplane.

The East Rim is worth the effort to reach, but if you’re visiting the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, the other rims are more easily accessible and offer day-trip options.

Because the Grand Canyon East views often don’t feature safety guardrails, we recommend that families with small children visit the South Rim, West Rim or North Rim. However, Grand Canyon East does offer a quieter, less “touristy” experience, and is perfect for travelers who want to experience the less-conventional views of the Grand Canyon or who want to avoid the crowds at the South Rim and West Rim.

Grand Canyon East is less accessible from Las Vegas, but you can experience the east Canyon’s peaceful beauty from a birds-eye view on your way to the North Rim.

Find answers to all your questions about the Grand Canyon in our newly updated guide!