Things to Do in Grand Canyon in September

September's cooler, drier rim air makes the paved Rim Trail and the Hermit Road viewpoints the single best way to experience the canyon without committing to a brutal descent. Walk the stretch from Mather Point through Yavapai Point to the historic 1932 Yavapai Geology Museum in the morning. Ride the free shuttle out along Hermit Road, hopping off at Hopi Point and Pima Point for the widest panoramas. With summer's haze settling, the views toward the river and the North Rim are sharper than they are in August.

September is arguably the best hiking month of the year here. Descend the Bright Angel Trail to the 1.5-Mile Resthouse or the shadier Three-Mile Resthouse early in the day while the rim is cool. Take the more exposed but spectacular South Kaibab Trail to Ooh Aah Point or Cedar Ridge for the open ridgeline views. Start at first light. By descending in the cool morning and climbing out before the inner canyon bakes, you avoid the heat trap that makes summer hiking miserable.

Riding the Grand Canyon Railway from the Route 66 town of Williams up to Grand Canyon Village is a relaxed, car-free way to reach the rim. September still runs the full schedule before the slower winter timetable. The vintage cars roll across the Coconino Plateau through ponderosa pine and high-desert grassland. Arriving at the 1910 log depot beside El Tovar puts you steps from the best viewpoints. Cooler September weather makes the open-air observation experience far more pleasant than the summer furnace.

Drive the 40 km (25 miles) of Desert View Drive east from Grand Canyon Village. Stop at Grandview Point, Moran Point, and Lipan Point, where you can see the Colorado River carving through the rock far below. Cap it at the 1932 Desert View Watchtower designed by Mary Colter. September's longer nights and often crystal-clear post-monsoon skies make this stretch outstanding for stargazing. The Milky Way arcs over the rim once the last light fades.

Half-day smooth-water float trips below Glen Canyon Dam near Page and multi-day whitewater trips through the canyon proper are still running in September. The cooler air plus warmer-than-rim river corridor make it a comfortable time on the water. Towering sandstone walls, the green of the river against red rock, and the cool spray give a completely different perspective from the rim viewpoints far above.

On the Hualapai Tribe's land at the far western end, the glass-floored Grand Canyon Skywalk juts out over a side canyon with the floor dropping away beneath your feet, and September's milder temperatures make the exposed, shadeless platforms bearable in a way the summer heat does not. This area is a long drive or day trip from Las Vegas rather than from the South Rim, so treat it as a separate excursion, not an add-on. Plan accordingly.