Summer season attracts millions of traveler goers to the Grand Canyon but what about those seeking a quieter, snowy experience? If you’re looking to avoid the tourist bum rush, then visiting the Grand Canyon in December or January may be the right option for you! This is the complete winter Grand Canyon guide including an itinerary, when to go, what to pack, where to stay and what to do.

The Grand Canyon’s title as one of the seven natural wonders of the world is well-deserved and this national park is an absolute must see, especially if you love to road trip. If you visit in December, you will be visiting the South Rim of the Grand Canyon as the North Rim is closed in winter. You will still see the canyon from some amazing viewpoints but the popular rim-to-rim hike is unfortunately not an option in the winter.

ITINERARY FOR THE GRAND CANYON

DAY 1: Fly in to Las Vegas, have a night on the Strip and stay at a fabulous Las Vegas Hotel (we love The Cosmopolitan*), play blackjack, good steak and a massage before picking up your RV there the next day. You can also fly into Phoenix or take the scenic drive from home if you live on the West Coast and are looking to do a longer road trip. RVShare and RVezy are good RV rental websites.

DAY 2: Make the 4-hour drive from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon with an optional pit stop at Hoover Dam along the way. The Hoover Dam forms Lake Mead, which is the largest reservoir in the US when it’s full. Spend the afternoon walking around Grand Canyon Village and visitor center, get your first glimpse of the breathtaking beauty of the canyon and get settled (grocery shop, hook up the RV, etc.)

DAY 3: Get an early start on the Rim-Canyon-Rim hike, which will take up most of the day. As we mentioned, the rim-to-rim hike is not an option in December but you can hike from the top of the canyon, down to the river base at the bottom of the grand canyon and back up in one day if you’re in shape and plan well. It’s truly one of the best ways to see the canyon. More details on that hike below!

DAY 4: Sunrise at Mather Point and a hearty breakfast at Yavapai Lodge or El Tovar Dining Room. If your legs can take it, you might try one of the other hiking trails. Otherwise, the Rim Walk is the perfect way to shake out the legs and get your dose of history at the Yavapai Geology Museum.

DAY 5: The sunrise at Hopi Point is supposed to be the primo view spot, however there is a chance it may be closed as well if there is a lot of snow when you visit. On your last day, soak in the last drops of the canyon’s beauty before heading out.

*The Cosmopolitan is part of The Citrine Compass’s partner portfolio and we are often able to get members of our community VIP perks such as complimentary breakfast for two each morning, hotel credit, early check-in, late check-out and room upgrades, subject to availability. Reach out to us here to access our insider connections!

HOW MANY DAYS IN THE GRAND CANYON?

How long you visit depends on how much time you have, your budget and your ultimate vision of the trip. Below is a good way to gauge:

2 DAYS IN GRAND CANYON: Bare minimum, just passing through
3 DAYS IN GRAND CANYON: Time to chill and hike
4+ DAYS IN GRAND CANYON: Looking to do several hikes and really disconnect

If your goal is to spend some time reconnecting with nature (and take a hiatus from your phone addiction as service is spotty to non-existent in and around the canyon), we suggest 1 night in Las Vegas and 3 days/3 nights at the Grand Canyon.

BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT THE GRAND CANYON

Generally speaking, mild weather and fairly thin crowds make mid-spring and end of fall the best time to visit the Grand Canyon. The summer months are a popular time to visit as school is out and families are able to travel but herds of crowds and extreme heat make it less than ideal.

Visiting the Grand Canyon in December can make for a very special visit. If you live somewhere that doesn’t have a very chilly winter and are craving a change, heading to a colder climate to see the canyon blanketed in snow is an incredible experience. The pros of visiting in winter is that crowds are very thin so you have better access to viewpoints, fewer (or no) bus tours or throngs of people waiting for the hike shuttle bus lines, less people on the trails and overall a more intimate experience.

The cons of visiting in the winter are that it can get cold AF in the canyon. If you happen to be there during a cold front, the weather can drop to zero degrees at night. The interesting part about the Grand Canyon though is that even if the weather is in the mid-30’s at the top of the mountain, it gets warmer the further down you go. It would not be unlikely to end up in a t-shirt with the weather in the 50’s and 60’s with exertion and the shining sun helping to warming you up.

Where to stay in the Grand Canyon

Phantom Ranch is a series of cabins at the base of the Grand Canyon South Rim, nestled in a campground along the Colorado River. I think this is actually an ideal place to stay for a night or two as it’s intimate and rustic, as well as a nice home base for hikes. It has great reviews and charm up the wazoo; you’ll share the trail with mules that bring food and supplies up and down the canyon.

The catch is that you have to book pretty far in advance or get lucky with the lottery, as there are only a handful of cabins. Hence this being the prime spot for the planner!

A sister hotel to Phantom Ranch, El Tovar Hotel is at the rim of the canyon so you won’t be required to climb down into (or out of) 5,000 feet of elevation to stay but will still be in the mix. This is a great option for those that want to stay inside of the park and/or are looking to plan a last minute trip. If El Tovar is booked, you can check out Bright Angel Lodge nearby.

The upside of renting an RV: you live a minimalist lifestyle, you have electricity, access to water (read: shower, toilet and sink), heat and A/C. It’s really a little home on wheels.

The downside: you have to deal with any logistical issues and manage the mechanics of the RV, which is a learning curve if you haven’t done it before. You have to manage the generator for electricity, hot water heaters, “black water” (which is anything that goes down the toilet) and more. So be sure at least one in your party is down to be chief engineer.

Sites like RVShare allow you to rent an RV directly from an owner. If you are going to do the RV option, make a reservation at Trailer Village RV Park, which is inside the park and has a shuttle stop that takes you to the Canyon. If that’s booked up, your next best bet is Grand Canyon Camper Village which is about 15 minutes from the Canyon. It’s farther from the park and not as well-loved as Trailer Village but it’s an option.

The most popular campgrounds are Mather Campground which is at the top of the canyon, Indian Garden Campground about halfway down the canyon and Bright Angel Campground, which requires full descent to the Colorado River.

What to do when visiting the Grand Canyon’s South Rim

HIKE INTO THE CANYON

There are so many amazing hikes in Grand Canyon National Park; there are options whether you’re an avid hiker or a leisurely shuffler. We would highly recommend going into the canyon, however brief your visit, as you can see some spectacular views even a short ways down. The rim views will take your breath away but you’ll be competing for space with other tourists.

Here are some of the most popular hikes:

Bright Angel Trail is popular and has stopping points at 1.5 miles and 3 miles if you don’t want to go all the way to the canyon (which is approx 8 miles). This trail is gorgeous but the sweeping views into the canyon are much more plentiful on South Kaibab. Note that the last 3 miles are STEEP (2000 feet of elevation gain in just that stretch) so it’s a workout no matter how far down you go.
South Kaibab Trail is another gorgeous option with resting points at the Ooh Ahh Point, which is at 0.9 miles down and Skeleton Point, 3 miles down. The are were wildly gorgeous but it is steeper than Bright Angel for most of the trail.

WALK THE RIM TRAIL

Rim Trail is 13 miles long, running from South Kaibab Trailhead to Hermits Rest. I would suggest starting at the Grand Canyon Village Center so you can stop at Mather Point and Yavapai Point and Geology Museum as well. Hopi Point is one of the most beloved viewpoints but this was closed due to the snow during out visit. The Rim Trial is a flat walk with amazing vistas and you can make it as long or short as you want.

GRAND CANYON TOURS

There plenty of Grand Canyon tours that you can choose from if you don’t want to organize the trip yourself or prefer a guided tour. We think this could be a cool option if you’re not physically able to hike or walk the rim, if you’re interested in a mule trip (mules deliver goods and people to Phantom Ranch) or horseback riding, or if you want to ball out with a Grand Canyon helicopter ride and tour guide.

CHILL

While there is a small town just outside of the park, the park itself is fairly remote and once you enter there is minimal cell service. Not much to do but relax and enjoy nature! I would encourage leaning in to the disconnection and crack open the bottle of red, play some groovy music (be sure you download your playlists ahead of time as you won’t be able to stream) and read or play cards with your crew.

EXTENDED ROAD TRIPPING + BEST DAY TRIPS

If you’re looking to take an extended road trip, you have lots of options in Nevada, Arizona and Utah. If you are excited about national parks, Utah has 5 national parks and some beautiful monuments and areas worth visiting. We have an amazing team of Tastemakers in Utah that are local experts in Utah travel if you’re looked for curated, off-the-beaten track recommendations!

In the meantime here is a quick overview of some options:

EXPLORE THE WEST RIM OF THE GRAND CANYON: The west rim, located on the Hualapai Reservation, is home to the Grand Canyon Skywalk. Situated near Eagle Point, the Skywalk is a spectacular horse-shaped bridge extending out over the Grand Canyon with a glass walkway for visitors to experience a unique all-encompassing view. Located in the same area is Guano Point, offering visitors one of the most drastic 360-degree viewpoints of the Grand Canyon. This is located about 4 hours from the South Rim or you can do an organized tour like the Grand Canyon West Rim Tour that will do a Las Vegas hotel pickup and take you on a 4-hour tour to see all of these sights.
EXPLORE THE EAST RIM OF THE GRAND CANYON: The Grand Canyon east rim is not technically not part of the national park but it is home to some incredible rock formations and natural beauty. Some of the most beautiful sights include Horseshoe Bend, Lower Antelope Canyon and Marble Canyon, all a relatively short distance from each other. These sights are about 2.5-3.5 hours from the South Rim
VISIT A GHOST TOWN: There are a number of ghost towns on the way to and from the Grand Canyon, depending on where you’re coming from! Two Guns, Canyon Diablo and Goldroad are all relatively close to the park.
RED ROCK CANYON: Like the Grand Canyon, Red Rock Canyon was formed in the Colorado Plateau so offers visitors gorgeous natural beauty albeit on a smaller scale than the Grand Canyon. Located just 25 minutes outside of Las Vegas and can be a stop on your way to the Grand Canyon
VALLEY OF FIRE STATE PARK + THE BLACK MOUNTAINS: Located just 45 minutes outside of Las Vegas, this is a great pit stop on your way to the Grand Canyon
MOJAVE DESERT: Famous for its Joshua Trees, the Mojave Desert is located about 1 hour from Las Vegas and can also be a stop on your way to the Grand Canyon
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK: Located about 2 hours from Las Vegas
MONUMENT VALLEY: 3 hours from Grand Canyon
ZION NATIONAL PARK: 4 hours from the Grand Canyon
BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK: 5 hours from the Grand Canyon (neighbor to Zion)
MOAB: 5.5 hours from Grand Canyon
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK: 5.5 hours from Grand Canyon
CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK: 5.5 hours from Grand Canyon
DEAD HORSE POINT STATE PARK: 6 hours from Grand Canyon
GOBLIN VALLEY STATE PARK: 6.5 hours from Grand Cayon
CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK: 6.5 hours from Grand Canyon