south rim drive

When we saw the number of vehicles at the visitor center, we expected the road would be crowded; however, to our (pleasant) surprise there were very few vehicles encountered. In fact, we were somewhat surprised at how short a time some travelers spent at the overlooks: it was not unusual to see a vehicle roll in, see a window roll down and a camera poke out, then roll up and out without actually dismounting from the vehicle. There are marvelous plants, rock formations, and views to be had at all overlooks, ones that require you to actually get out of the car and invest a little time. Walkways are accessible and well maintained, with good signage and plenty of safety rails, so there;s no excuse for missing the delights of this drive.

A Tour of the South Rim Drive is a must if you want a complete view of the canyon. Great photo opportunities abound from each overlook. A rim tour gives the canyon visitor a comprehensive view of just how high the canyon walls actually are.

The South Rim Drive is an easy road to drive with about 10 turnouts. The road itself does not go along the edge of the rim so if you have any nervous passengers, they need not worry. The turnouts have ample parking and lots of guardrails for safety. A few have optional trails but on most of the stops, the views are available without walking. Some of the stops have view finders to help zero in on spotting ruins of dwellings. At the very last stop, you do have to walk 200 steps to see the famous Spider Rock. It is not possible to do so on crutches. Overall, the 2 1/2 hour drive is well worth it for all.

Beautiful 2 hour drive that can turn in to a day trip of you are not careful. Lots of pull outs and lots of hiking trails. It doesn't go through so you'll be coming back the same way. But it is the reason you came.

This drive has great lookouts. Native artists were displaying and selling their art at these stops. We were able to see both rims in one day.

The South Rim drive is comprised of seven overlooks and will probably take you about 3hours to see it all at a leisurely pace, not including hiking down to the White House Ruins. Some of the overlooks are wheelchair accessible, others require a very short hike from the parking lot. Some locations have public washrooms. None have water refill stations. There are vendors in the valley by the White House Ruins that sell cold drinks and native artwork.Spider Rock is the last stop on the South Rim drive but if you're a photographer and get there by mid/late afternoon, the monolith might be bathed in harsh shadows by the very side of the canyon you are standing on. I'd try and hit Spider Rock anytime from late-morning to early afternoon depening on the time of year.There are local Navajo vendors at most of the parking lots (except White House Ruins and Spider Rock) selling native artwork and jewelry. Some are quite nice and you wish you could support them all. They don't haggle you or force you to buy anything. Such is their passive culture. Keep in mind that if you wish to take photographs of their work or of them, please respect their culture and ask for permission first.

A 12 miles drive with several ample parking and walking path to spectacular view points. Some are also accessible to people with reduced mobility, but just only a few.Don't miss the drive

With 4 turnouts, this is a beautiful way to see the canyon - and it's free. Although the North Rim drive has more opportunities to walk out to the edge, the South Rim is more suitable for those who might have some sort of handicap.

We drove to the very end of the drive first; about 1 1/2 hours before sunset. Good decision as the end of the South Rim has the best sights. The light on the canyon walls was fantastic. Walked to all the look outs and took great pictures. Great activity before taking a canyon tour with Tseyi Jeep Tours the next morning.

The drive out to the Spider Rock overlook winds through the Pinon and Juniper at a distance from the Canyon, so stops along the way at overlooks is recommended. Specifically spectacular, however, is the final overlook above Spider Rock. This spire has enormous cultural significance, and is a beautiful sight, particularly at sunset. If you can time your trip to the end of the day, you are often also treated to see a flock of roosting Turkey Vultures and views of inaccessible Ancestral Puebloan ruins (bring your binoculars). Careful on the road driving back for free-range livestock and wild life.

There are numerous pullouts to view the valley below and ancient ruins. Some viewpoints are from the pullout and others are a couple of hundred feet from the pullout. Don't miss this!

Lovely views of canyon from pull outs with some short walks. Good introduction - take tour to see more!

Enjoyed the overlooks, as we are not hikers we could not walk the trails, but did enjoy the scenery we could see and the stories. Talked with a gentleman (Ted) from the Visitor Center who told us his mom lived at the bottom of the Canyon all her life and never left. He told her to pack her bags and took her to San Diego where she witnessed the Pacific Ocean for the first time in her life. What a story!! And it was a true story. Her name was Rose,

Did some of the north rim and some of the south should have stuck with the south there is more to seeDon't be put off with the comment about the Navajo sellers they have to make a living and they are not pushy

The South Rim Drive is an excellent companion to a canyon tour. Without the canyon tour, it would still be pretty breath-taking, but you would miss the intimate understanding of the canyon and the way of life of the people inhabiting the canyon itself. The road is in good repair, but can get long to the various over-looks and views.