Desert View Watchtower – A Grand Canyon National Park Must-See!

The Grand Canyon National Park is one of the top 10 most visited National Parks in the entire US! Millions of people from all over the world visit the Canyon every year.  With such a large amount of worldwide attention, one begins to wonder, “What’s all the fuss about??” That’s what I wondered, anyways, and my answer is you should probably just go see it for yourself! There are a number of truly impressive sights at the Grand Canyon, and it’s not hard to see why it’s ranked amongst the top 10 most visited.

That being said, the Grand Canyon is one of those places where it’s easy to feel like you didn’t see everything.  Despite a 9 day trip through Page, the North Rim, and the South Rim, there are still things I didn’t get to see that I wanted to!! (*cough*Havasu Falls*cough*cough*) It can be hard to decide what you want to make time for when planning your trip, but believe me when I tell you that you don’t want to skip seeing the Desert View Watchtower while you’re at the South Rim! The Watchtower offers stellar views of the Colorado River and the Canyon – in my opinion, it’s actually the best view the South Rim has to offer!

(And just so that we’re all on the same page about this, you need to see it at sunset. The setting sun turns the Watchtower a nice rose color and the Canyon gets these shades of orange and purple and, really, you just need to trust me and see it at sunset!)

The Desert View Watchtower actually has an interesting history that you might want to read about if you’re so inclined! It was built in 1932 and was designed by architect Mary Colter who pretty much personally approved every stone used for the exterior of the Tower.  The Watchtower was designed after structures built by the ancestral Puebloan people and was made with the intent of blending into the surrounding landscape. It’s really amazing that this structure has stood the test of time and still impresses to this day!

The Desert View Watchtower sits at the eastern edge of the Grand Canyon and can be found almost immediately upon entering the Park from the East entrance. It’s a 25-mile drive from Grand Canyon Village but definitely worth the effort to see it at sunset!  There’s actually a very small village set up around the Watchtower that features a market, gas station, trading post, the Desert View Campground, restrooms, and picnic tables! Here are some of the particulars for your visit:

Directions: (From Grand Canyon Village) Follow Desert View Drive east along the Rim of the Canyon.  Before exiting the Park the entrance to the Watchtower parking lot will be on your left.

Restrooms: Yes

Wheelchair accessible? This attraction is wheelchair accessible with the exception of all upper floors of the tower.

Pets OK? Only at the Desert View Campground, but not in the actual tower itself.

Crowds: Heavy during peak travel seasons, low in the middle of winter

Fees: Free

Tips: 

• First things first, there are visiting hours for the Kiva Shop inside the Watchtower as well as for accessing the stairs inside the Watchtower.  We didn’t know that and so we ended up cutting it real close! Visit this link for the most up to date hours of operation!
• Depending on the time of year, you may want to bring a jacket if you are visiting for the sunset.  Desert air doesn’t hold a lot of heat, and it cools off pretty quick once the sun is gone!
• Desert View is open all year, but the campground is only seasonal. Click this link for the most up to date information on when the Campground is open!
• Besides the campgrounds, there is no other lodging in this area of the Park.  If you’re staying in a room it’ll have to be at the Grand Canyon Village.
• I’ve read a lot of reviews that talked about how crowded it was in the stairways during the summer.  We went in September right before they closed, so there wasn’t a big crowd for us.
• The Grand Canyon shuttle system does not make runs anywhere along Desert View Road, so you will have to provide your own transportation to this attraction. It is a little bit of a drive, and when we were here we had multiple stops along the way so that everyone could photograph the Elk.
• There are multiple viewpoints along the Desert View Drive that you can enjoy along the way.  We drove straight to the Tower so we could get there in time for sunset, but if you head out a little earlier you can do it all in one trip.

The Kiva Room is the first thing you see upon entering the Watchtower.  There’s a little retail shop as you can see that offers souvenirs as well as information regarding Ranger Programs and Cultural Demonstrations. After looking around for a bit you start your ascent up the many sets of stairs to the top observation deck!

Once you start up the first flight of stairs you’ll begin to see the murals painted by the Hopi artist Fred Kabotie. Make sure and enjoy the many views out of the little windows along the way!

As you can see the murals are painted all over the inside of the tower, so make sure and take your time going through it!

What can I say…I love a good staircase shot!!

Eventually you will find yourself at the top observation deck! Get ready to enjoy the awesome scenery!

Awesome view of the Painted Desert to the east.  I lived in southern New Mexico off and on for about 5 years, so I can always appreciate a long distance view over the desert landscape!

This view of the Colorado River is by far the best in the entire South Rim! Well, the best from above the Rim, anyways.

Once you’re done exploring the tower you can walk around its adjoining viewpoint area that’s just east of the building.  You’ll enjoy more of the same views you saw from the observation deck.  If you leave this area and walk to the west of the Tower, you’ll be in a prime spot to view the sunset over the Canyon and the Tower.

This is seriously a great place for a sunset!! I couldn’t have been happier with the lighting we saw over this area!

I really would have loved to capture the above picture without any people in it, but I’m pretty sure that’s not even a possibility during travel season at the Grand Canyon.

Once the sun was gone we lingered for a short time before heading back to our hotel.  The tower would be cool to see at any time of day, but I can’t recommend enough for you to see it at sunset! Definitely my favorite spot on the South Rim.

Well, that’s all for now! I hope you guys enjoyed this post and I hope I inspired you to see the Desert View Watchtower while visiting the Grand Canyon!

Don’t forget to leave me a comment and let me know what you think!!

Until next time!