How Far Is The Grand Canyon From Las Vegas (North, South & West Rim Distance)

The Grand Canyon is one of the most spectacular natural areas in the world! If you’re planning a visit to Las Vegas and you have the time, it’s something you should take a day to go see because it’s not very far away. To do that, you’ll first need to know which rim of the Grand Canyon you want to visit, and how long it will take to get there from Las Vegas.

What is the distance to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas?

The Grand Canyon’s West Rim is the closest to Las Vegas at 134 miles (a 2-hour drive one way). It is the most visited rim from Vegas, and can easily be done as a day trip. Grand Canyon’s South Rim (292 miles/4.5-hour drive), and North Rim (268 miles/4.5-hour drive) are both accessible from Las Vegas as well.

Distance From Las Vegas to Grand Canyon By Car

The Grand Canyon has three distinct rims with easy visitor access. These are:

• West Rim
• South Rim
• North Rim

Let me tell you a little about each rim, how long it takes to drive from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon by car (North, West, & South Rim), and some alternative ways to get to the Grand Canyon from Vegas.

Distance From Las Vegas to Grand Canyon West

The West Rim of the Grand Canyon can easily be reached from Las Vegas by car or bus in just under two and a half hours without stops (a distance of approximately 134 miles) but I recommend that you don’t rush a Grand Canyon trip.

There are a few interesting stops along the way to and from the West Rim when coming from Las Vegas. The main points of interest are all located in the same general area, and are more or less along the way (about 40 minutes from the Vegas Strip).

The following map shows the route you will follow: Las Vegas to Grand Canyon by car (West Rim)

Points of interest along the way to the West Rim include:

• Boulder City
• Lake Mead
• Hoover Dam (You can see our article here about visiting Hoover Dam)

The map above is showing you the route through Boulder City, with stops at the Lake Mead Visitor Center and Hoover Dam.

Of course, these stops will add some extra time to the journey. If you don’t have a lot of extra time and just want to go straight to Grand Canyon West, make sure when you’re approaching Boulder City on Interstate 11 that you stay on the main highway rather than cut off to Boulder City.

This will take you over the Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, bypassing Boulder City/Hoover Dam and saving you a lot of time.

RELATED: Can You Drive From Vegas to the Grand Canyon at Night?

Things to Do at Grand Canyon West

The entire West Rim area of the Grand Canyon is owned and operated by the Native American Hualapai Tribe. Being Hualapai Nation land, this area of the Grand Canyon is not part of Grand Canyon National Park, but you will find the views no less amazing!

There are several things to do and see at Grand Canyon West, including:

• Grand Canyon Skywalk – The canyon highlights of the west rim is the clear glass skywalk at Eagle Point that extends out over the edge of the canyon providing amazing views all the way down to the bottom.

• Guano Point – One of the best viewpoints overlooking the Grand Canyon. You won’t believe the views!

• Hualapai Ranch – An old west-style town with lodging, recreational activities, and gift shop. You can even ride a zip line over part of the canyon from here! Hualapai Ranch is also the perfect place to begin a white water rafting trip through the canyon.

Grand Canyon West Entrance Fee

There is a $56 admission fee per person to enter Grand Canyon West, and it will give you access to all of the viewpoints and areas mentioned above.

Grand Canyon West Tours From Last Vegas

If you’d rather avoid driving and just enjoy the journey, you may find it easier and a whole lot more fun to take a guided Grand Canyon tour from Las Vegas. One of these full-day tours will get you exactly where you want to go without the stress of driving, parking, figuring out how to get places, etc.

Here are the top rated tours from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon West:

Grand Canyon West Rim 5 in 1 – Travel by Luxury SUV or Mini Coach to the West Rim. You’ll experience the Skywalk, Eagle Point, Guano Point, Hualapai Ranch, Joshua Tree Forest, and Hoover Dam. Breakfast, lunch and snacks included. (A Skywalk ticket to walk out onto the walkway over the canyon is an additional option).

Grand Canyon West Rim Classic – Travel by SUV to the West Rim. In addition to all the sights at Grand Canyon West, you’ll make stops at the desert town of Dolan Springs, the Colorado River, and the Joshua Tree Forest. Lunch is included.

Grand Canyon West Rim & Helicopter 6 in 1 – If you really want to take it up a notch you’ll want to hop on this Grand Canyon helicopter tour. In addition to the many sites and experiences you’ll have in Grand Canyon West, this guided tour also includes a 15-minute helicopter flight complete with amazing aerial views of the canyon and southwest desert landscape!

Many of these Las Vegas Grand Canyon tours will even pick you up, and drop you off, at your Las Vegas Strip hotel, making a day at the West Rim as enjoyable and convenient as can be.

No matter how you choose to get there, the West Rim of the Grand Canyon is not to be missed and it’s easily accessible from Las Vegas.

RELATED: 15 Best Grand Canyon Tours From Las Vegas (including the Grand Canyon Railway!)

Distance From Las Vegas To Grand Canyon South Rim

When people talk about the Grand Canyon or Grand Canyon National Park, it’s generally the South Rim they’re talking about. Doing a day trip from Las Vegas to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is possible just know that it will be a very long day if you’re going by car or taking a ground tour.

The map below shows the route you will follow: Las Vegas to Grand Canyon by car (South Rim)

A one way trip to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas will take a little over 4.5 hours at a distance of 292 miles. If you want to do this in a day, there won’t be much time for stopping along the way but if you can make it a two-day trip or more, there are a couple of interesting stops in addition to the ones I talked about above for the West Rim. They are:

• Kingman, Arizona (website) – Kingman is a city along historic Route 66. It’s where you’ll find the Route 66 Museum, Mohave Museum of History and Arts as well as Locomotive Park and the Kingman Railroad Museum.

• Seligman, Arizona (website) – You may have heard about famous Route 66 in songs (“Get Your Kicks on Route 66”) and seen it in movies, well Seligman, AZ is the place they’re talking about! The Birthplace of Route 66, Seligman was originally a railroad town but is now a tourist town extraordinaire. It’s a very small detour off the route to the Grand Canyon but well worth it! You can check out our full article about Seligman and Route 66 here.

The map above shows the most direct route to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas. If you zoom in a bit you’ll see the famous section of Route 66 in between Kingman and Seligman. If you’re not in a hurry, you really should consider taking this detour.

Things to Do at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon

The South Rim of the Grand Canyon is the most developed of the three rims. Here you’ll find the most cayon destinations to explore, including Grand Canyon Village that contains shops, lodging, restaurants, campgrounds, and more. From here, you can experience all that the Grand Canyon has to offer, including:

• Mather Point – One of the most popular viewpoints looking into the canyon.

• Yaki Point – A great remote overlook to experience sunrise or sunset.

• Hopi Point – A spectacular view can be had from here. Not to be missed!

• Rim Trail – A well-defined trail along the rim. Some sections are paved.

• Bright Angel Trail – This is considered the park’s best hiking trail through the canyon. This is a safe, well-graded trail and has potable water along the way.

• South Kaibab Trail – A slightly more rugged trail that traverses the canyon floor.

Grand Canyon South Rim Entrance Fee

The entire South Rim is a N