Grand Canyon Visitor Center to Desert View

Road ride along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Road Biking Moderate

Distance: 36 km
Ascent: 487 m
Descent: 377 m
Duration: 1-2 hrs

Low Point: 2.1 km
High Point: 2.3 km
Gradient: 3˚

Grand Canyon Visitor Center to Desert View Map

This ride follows the main road along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It’s a well-paved, two-lane highway with narrow or nonexistent shoulders, and is often busy with large vehicles. Therefore, it’s only recommended for cyclists who are comfortable with high traffic, or during less busy times. Early morning is generally good, or during the lower-traffic months of November to March, if weather allows. Snow and ice can be present during this time.

Grand Canyon South Rim, near Mather Point Photo: Jorge Láscar, cropped from original

Description

If you enjoy cycling in unique locations, however, this route is well worth it. Tracing the rim of the Grand Canyon, the entire ride is above 7,000 feet elevation and includes many dramatic overlooks. In addition, wildlife sightings like elk and mule deer are not uncommon. The terrain is undulating but lacks any especially steep or long hills. The workout may still seem intense for those unaccustomed to altitude, however.

The ride is mapped here as a one-way from the visitor center to Desert View. Both locations have ample parking and services including food, water, and park information. There are no reliable services in between, however. Note that riding as a one-way requires a vehicle shuttle. The park does have free buses that can carry bikes, but they do not service this route.

Sources: https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/upload/sr-pocket-map.pdf