The short answer

If you are based in Las Vegas and have one day, Grand Canyon West is the practical choice: it is the closest part of the canyon to the city and is home to the glass Skywalk. If you want the classic national park panoramas, ranger programs and the deepest, widest views, the South Rim is worth the longer trip.

Grand Canyon West

Grand Canyon West sits on the Hualapai Reservation at the western end of the canyon. Visits are organized around a few viewpoints such as Eagle Point (home of the Skywalk) and Guano Point. Entry is by a Hualapai visitor package rather than a national park pass, and your America the Beautiful pass does not apply here.

It is also the main base for helicopter flights that land below the rim and for pontoon boat rides on the Colorado River.

South Rim

The South Rim is the most visited part of Grand Canyon National Park. Viewpoints like Mather Point, Yavapai Point and Desert View deliver the sweeping, layered scenery most people picture. Grand Canyon Village has lodges, restaurants and a free shuttle system, and trails such as the Bright Angel and South Kaibab start here.

From Las Vegas it is a long day trip; from Flagstaff, Williams, Sedona or Tusayan it is much easier. Many visitors fly over the South Rim from the small airport in Tusayan.

How to decide

Choose West for: short time from Las Vegas, the Skywalk, helicopter landings in the canyon. Choose the South Rim for: national park scenery, sunrise and sunset viewpoints, hiking, and combining with Sedona, Flagstaff or Route 66.