The Grand Canyon East Entrance – Desert View Drive

South Rim is the most popular, the North Rim is the most remote and the East Entrance of the South Rim is the best of both worlds. Of course, that is my opinion. Desert View Drive was my favorite road at the Grand Canyon. Not as far as the North Rim, but less crowded than the main entrance. The East Entrance is part of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, however it is less central to the hub of the South Rim.

If you’re visiting the Grand Canyon in Arizona I highly recommend take the Desert View Drive. This 23-miles drive connects to the popular main South Entrance of the Grand Canyon to the east entrance.

The free shuttle buses do not drive down this road (with the exception of Pipecreek Vista and Yaki Point) so if you want to see the east side of the canyon you’ll need a car. This side of the canyon, in my opinion, is better because there are less crowds and the views are really just incredible. You’ll have the best views of the Colorado River, great sunset views, Native American ruins to explore, the 1920’s stone Watchtower to explore all with less people than the South Rim.

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Desert View Drive at the Grand Canyon

1. Pipecreek Vista
2. Yaki Point (shuttle access only)
3. Shosho Point (hiking trail)
4. Duck on a Rock Viewpoint
5. Grandview Point
6. Moran Point
7. Tusayan Ruin and Museum
8. Lipan Point
9. Navajo Point
10. Desert View Point & Desert View Watchtower

Yaki Point

The one and only point on Desert View Drive that can be accessed via the Grand Canyon shuttle. For all of the other points on this road you will need a vehicle. This is a good spot to watch a sunset.

Tusayan Ruin on Desert View Drive

The Tusayan Ruin and Museum offers you a glimpse of how the Pueblo Indians lived some 800 years ago. It is on the National Historic Registry. The small one-room museum and gift shop was built in the 1930’s. You can visit the museum to learn about the people who lived in this area. The paths are wide. They are wheelchair and stroller accessible.

Take the path to your immediate left to see the ruins. The entrance to the Tusayan Ruin is immediately to the left of the building.

Tusayan Ruins

The ruins are in a compact area, so you will not have far to walk to see them. First you will see the remains of the Kiva. Public and spiritual ceremonies took place in the Kiva.

You will also view the ruins of storage rooms where people stored their food supplies.

You will see the ruins of living quarters. At one time the living quarters was comprised of three to four rooms. Up to 40 people called these living quarters home.

If you continue down the path you will walk to the farming area. Archaeologists used the tree rings on the juniper tree to date the buildings in this area back to A.D. 1185.

Lipan Point

Driving further east from the Tusayan the next stop is Lipan Point. We had a great view of the Colorado River from this point. We visited in May when this photo was taken. Look how blue the water is. Often when I visit the water looks muddy.

Navajo Point

Just before you reach the Watchtower stop at Navajo Point to get a view of the tower you won’t see up close.

Desert View Point and Grand Canyon Watchtower

The Grand Canyon Watchtower is found at Desert View Point and is a pretty cool building to explore. You enter through a gift shop and make your way up four flights of stairs to the top. Each floor is circular with petroglyph drawings on the walls and windows to view the canyon.

For those who say the Colorado River is always muddy, this photo shows it is really blue sometimes. This photo was taken in the month of May.

When visiting the Grand Canyon in Arizona be sure to take the drive and tour the watch tower. Mary Colter designed the watch tower to offer visitors “the widest possible view of the Grand Canyon.”

It was built by Fred Harvey and the Santa Fe Railroad and opened to the public in 1933.

Explore the Grand Canyon Watchtower

If you drove to the end of Desert View Drive you’ll reach Desert View Point and the parking area to see to tower at the Grand Canyon.

The paths are wide leading to the watch tower and you have wonderful views from both inside and outside of the Grand Canyon. You will make your way past the bathrooms and general store to your right.

The Watch Tower is attached to a gift shop. Walk into the gift shop and up the stairs to view the inside of the watch tower. Inside the tower you’ll find four sets of winding stairs that each lead to a circular room with views of the canyon.

A short climb up 85 stairs you’ll find yourself on the observation deck with 365 degree views of the Grand Canyon.

Views From the Grand Canyon Tower

If you veer to the left off the first flight of stairs you will come to a rooftop with a great view of the canyon.

In the middle of each floor is a cutout circle, so you can view all of the floors from above. The sides of this circle shows petroglyphs.

Each floor has different paintings on the wall. At 7,522 feet, the elevation from the fourth floor of the Watch Tower is the highest on the South Rim.

There are however several high power binoculars and huge window glass to take in the view. It is overlooking Desert View Point.

Paths Around Desert View Point

If you choose to continue walking down the pathway instead of entering the watch tower, you will have a fantastic views from Desert View Point.

Desert View vantage point gives visitors an expansive view of the landscape. You can easily see the Colorado River.

From this vantage point you will also have a fantastic view of Cedar Point Mesa and of the Painted Desert

Nearby Attractions

Grand Canyon Tours