Pima Point is a south rim scenic viewpoint in Grand Canyon National Park that overlooks 40 miles of rugged canyon lands from Bright Angel Canyon to the east to Powell Plateau and the Great Scenic Divide to the west.
The scenic overlook is one of the best places to see and sometimes hear the Colorado River. The splash and grind of Granite Rapids below can be heard echoing up the canyon walls on quiet days.
As the final vista point on Hermit Road before reaching Hermit’s Rest, Pima Point sits on northernmost edge of a wide promontory with spectacular, unobstructed, panoramic views:
- To the west you can see the deep, red canyon of Hermit Creek and the abandoned Hermit Camp where early visitors came for a getaway, as well as sections of the Hermit Trail switchbacking down Cope Butte, crossing Hermit Creek, and winding around Travertine Canyon.
- To the east, you can see Monument Creek, the Granite Rapid, and The Alligator formation.
- Directly across Grand Canyon on the north rim, you can see Ninetyfour Mile Creek.
In 1925, the Fred Harvey Company installed an aerial tram that dropped 6,300 feet to Hermit Camp. The tram carried supplies to the resort 3,600 vertical feet below the rim and was dismantled in the 1930s when the resort was closed under National Park Service policies aimed at returning Grand Canyon to more natural conditions.
After taking in the amazing Grand Canyon views at Pima Point, we headed out on foot along the nine foot, paved, wheelchair accessible Greenway Trail for another 1.25 miles to reach Hermit’s Rest, a historic building designed by Mary Colter that has a gift shop, restrooms, and granb-and-go cafe.
Know Before You Go
- Pima Point is located on Hermit Road west of Grand Canyon Village, Arizona 86023 in Grand Canyon National Park, Coconino County.
- Hermit Road follows the South Rim for 7.0 miles from Grand Canyon Village to Hermit’s Rest. The Canyon Rim Trail also travels from Grand Canyon Village to Hermit’s Rest, but over 7.8 miles because it hugs the edge of the canyon rim and runs between Hermit Road and Grand Canyon.
- Don’t want to hike the entire Canyon Rim Trail? No problem? You can walk/hike between scenic overlooks or take the shuttle and mix it up, so you could walk the shorter distances and ride the shuttle for the longer distances.
- In the winter, you can drive your own vehicle from scenic viewpoint to scenic viewpoint, but the rest of the year, you need to ride the free shuttle bus.
- Traveling from Grand Canyon Village, the Hermit Road (Red) Shuttle Route stops at nine overlooks — Trailview Overlook, Maricopa Point, Powell Point, Hopi Point, Mohave Point, The Abyss, Monument Creek Vista, Pima Point, and Hermit’s Rest. Traveling from Hermit’s Rest to Grand Canyon Village, the shuttle stops at only four overlooks — Hermits Rest, Pima, Mohave, and Powell Points.
- You can also travel to Hermit’s Rest by bike. If you didn’t bring a bike, you can rent a bike at Bright Angel Bicycles near the South Rim Visitor Center.
- The nearest restrooms are at Hermit’s Rest.
