Don’t miss Hopi Point, a promontory jutting deep into the gorge. Magnificent views 45 miles [72.4 kilometers] eastward and 45 miles westward make this an ideal spot for watching sunset or sunrise. To avoid crowds, leave the main overlook and walk along the rim trail to find your own observation point. Across the river rise the intricately carved walls of Isis Temple and tree-topped Shiva Temple, described as “the grandest of all buttes.”
Continue west passing Mohave Point and skirting breathtakingly close to The Abyss, where a sheer cliff plunges 3,000 feet [914.4 meters] to a plateau below. From here the road follows the sweep of the rim out to Pima Point, where you see the Colorado River threading through the deep gorge. On a still day you can hear the distant rumble of Granite Rapids almost a mile [1.6 kilometers] below. What looks like a stream from above is a river 300 feet [91.4 meters] wide that, with its tributaries, drains 1/12 of the continental United States.
The road ends at Hermits Rest, a stone building that looks as if Hobbits built it on the canyon’s rim. Those with time and stamina can hike partway down the steep Hermit Trail to Dripping Springs, 6 miles [9.7 kilometers] and 6 to 9 hours round-trip. Here the hermit Louis Boucher raised goldfish in a watering trough at the turn of the century. It’s a good place to see some of the canyon’s 315 species of birds. Permits are not needed for day hikes, but first ask a park ranger for conditions and advisories. Return to the parking lot and retrace your outward trip back to the village.
