Grand Canyon Landmarks and Monuments

(Grand Canyon, Arizona - AZ, USA)

There are too many worthy landmarks and monuments in the Grand Canyon to mention. Several natural and manmade Grand Canyon landmarks and sights stand out as being of outstanding natural brilliance, while others have significant historical importance, offer impeccable facilities or irresistible ambiance.

The El Tovar Hotel fits the latter and has been here for over a century, while the Grand Canyon's Trailview Overlook and Mather Point landmarks offer some of the canyon's best vistas. The Powell Memorial is dedicated to the first man to paddle the Colorado River and the views of the gorge and the Vermilion Cliffs are simply awesome.

El Tovar Hotel

Address: South Rim, Grand Canyon, Arizona AZ, USA
Tel: +1 928 638 2631
The El Tovar Hotel is a South Rim institution and a must-see part of the Grand Canyon's heritage. Opened in 1905 and at the time one of the most elegant hotels west of the Mississippi River, El Tovar is a cross between a Norwegian villa and a Swiss chalet and was constructed from Oregon pine logs. The lobby is the perfect place to linger in the winter, with its welcoming fire place, and the restaurant is simply divine.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Mather Point

Address: Market Plaza Road, South Rim, Grand Canyon, Arizona AZ, USA
Mather Point is usually the first viewpoint of the canyon that most visitors see if they enter the park via the southern entrance and it is also the starting point for the South Rim Trail, which leads to Yavapai Point. One of the Grand Canyon's most impressive natural landmarks, Mather Point stands at over 7,000 feet / 2,134 meters above sea level. The views are striking and include the likes of Pipe Creek Canyon and the Inner Gorge. Shuttle buses run here and the Canyon View Information Plaza provides restrooms and other essential services.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: free

Powell Memorial

Address: Hermit Road, South Rim, Grand Canyon, Arizona AZ, USA
John Wesley Powell was the first man to paddle down the Colorado River's awesome rapids way back in 1869 and he also measured and charted many of the creeks and canyons along the way. A huge, granite memorial to this feat was thus erected in his name and also marks the spot where the Grand Canyon was awarded national park status in 1919.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Trailview Overlook

Address: Hermit Road, South Rim, Grand Canyon, Arizona AZ, USA
Trailview Overlook has some of the most dramatic views of any of the viewpoints in the Grand Canyon National Park. Important landmarks in this area of the Grand Canyon include Bright Angel Creek, a permanent Colorado River tributary stream; the winding Plateau Point; and Bright Angel trails. You can also view many of Arizona's highest peaks, such as the massive San Francisco Peaks, Red Buttle Mountain and Bill Williams Mountain.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Vermilion Cliffs

Address: Marble Canyon, North Rim, Grand Canyon, Arizona AZ, USA
Located near the town of Marble Canyon, northeast of the Grand Canyon South Rim, the spectacular Vermilion Cliffs are 3,000 feet / 915 meters high in some places and easily viewed from highway 89, which runs from Marble Canyon. Officially known as the Grand Canyon's Vermilion Cliffs Monument, here you can spot majestic condors which were introduced to the area in the late 1990s and spend much of their time soaring above the cliffs.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free