Yaki Point - Where the South Kaibab Begins

Photo: InSapphoWeTrust from Los Angeles, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)

A stop on Grand Canyon South Rim, a free self-guided tour.

Now you cross to the east side of the Village. Yaki Point, beyond the Visitor Center, is served by the Kaibab Rim shuttle, and private cars are not allowed on its road for much of the year, so check nps.gov for current access.

Yaki Point pushes far out from the rim for a wide view up and down the canyon. Below it, the South Kaibab Trail drops along open ridgelines straight toward the river. Unlike the Bright Angel Trail, it has almost no shade and no water along the way, so rangers urge hikers to plan carefully, especially in summer.

Look out for Zoroaster Temple across the gorge and, farther east, Vishnu Temple and Wotans Throne. To the north, the deep cleft of Bright Angel Canyon leads toward the North Rim.

Elk and mule deer often graze along the roads here. Enjoy them from at least 25 yards away, and never feed any animal, even the bold squirrels at the overlooks.

Getting here: Ride the Hermits Rest shuttle back to the Village, transfer to the Village Route to the Visitor Center, then take the Kaibab Rim (Orange) Route to Yaki Point.

Did you know?: The Park Service built the South Kaibab Trail in the mid-1920s partly to give visitors a free route into the canyon, bypassing Ralph Cameron's toll on the Bright Angel.

Photo op: From the end of the point, frame the South Kaibab Trail's ridgeline as it drops toward O'Neill Butte.

Nearby: Restrooms at the South Kaibab Trailhead stop nearby; a water spigot there runs seasonally, roughly May to October.

More on Wikipedia: South Kaibab Trail · Zoroaster Temple · Hindu temple

Yaki Point - Where the South Kaibab Begins

Stops on this tour