Navajo Point

Navajo Point is the highest point among all of the viewpoints located along the Grand Canyon’s South rim.

This viewpoint is touted to be the best option when it comes to viewing the Colorado River’s ‘big bend’ and incredible views to the Canyon’s west.

Navajo Point, Overlook, Sunrise & Sunset, Grand Canyon National Park

Perfect for visitors who are time-strapped but would like to see some of the best Grand Canyon views, Navajo Point makes for the perfect destination. Located half a mile from the Desert View Lookout Point, Navajo is a great place to stop by and soak in the natural beauty.

Take Desert View Drive to get to the parking area, which is located close to the rim and makes it an ideal place for early morning and late evening visits. Whether you would love to start with breakfast in the wild or prefer to enjoy the dancing light on the canyon walls at sunset, there is never a dull moment at Navajo Point.

Just below the rim are the Cardenas and Escalante Buttes – both of which are easily identifiable by their red sandstone and rugged boulders, with the two close to Tanner Canyon. A couple of miles of the Tanner Trail are visible from Navajo Point, taking hikers past the buttes and all the way to where the Tanner Canyon Rapids joins the Colorado River.

Further north, a few miles of the majestic Colorado River can be seen, and in the distant background, the Echo Cliffs and the iconic Painted Desert. The desert is easy to spot thanks to its brilliant and diverse colors, with the most notable hues of red and lavender. West of Navajo Point, visitors get views of the vast canyon walls stretching to Yaki Point and Shiva Temple.

While Navajo is a picturesque viewpoint all day long, it is best photographed in the morning. Part of the reason for this is that the view is to the west, making this lookout point perfect for sunsets.

So make a plan to explore Navajo Point, alongside other nearby viewpoints, which include Desert View to the east and Lipan Point to the west.