Everything You Need to Know to Visit Hermit’s Rest at the Grand Canyon National Park!

Hello again! I feel like I’ve been writing about Page and the Grand Canyon forever at this point, but I am now on my third and final leg of posts from my epic trip to Arizona that I took last September with my family!  This is the first post I’ve written about the iconic South Rim, and it’s covering one of my favorite spots there!

The South Rim was very different from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The South Rim was larger and it offered more attractions than the North.  One such attraction is known as Hermit’s Rest, which is located at the end of the historic Hermit’s Road. Trust me when I say you’re going to want to make time in your itinerary to see this interesting spot!

Hermit’s Rest is a unique and historic structure that was built in 1914 to provide a rustic environment for visitors coming up from El Tovar.  The structure is built into the earth just feet from the Rim of the Canyon, and it still has the rustic feel that it’s had for over a century! The stone gate you see in the above picture marks the entrance area to Hermit’s Rest. The bell in the arch is a genuine antique that comes from a Spanish Mission in New Mexico! As you can see, the Arch makes for a great photo op!

Hermit’s Rest marks the furthest western attraction of the Grand Canyon National Park.  (There is a West Rim of the Grand Canyon, but it is not part of the National Park Service.)  If you visited the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and didn’t see Hermit’s Rest, you’d really be doing yourself a disservice since a lot of the well-known viewpoints of the South Rim are along Hermit’s Road!

Here’s some information about Hermit’s Rest to read before you go!

Directions: If you come in winter months, Hermit’s Road is open to all vehicles.  Follow the road to the very end where there is a parking lot for Hermit’s Rest.  Otherwise, take the shuttle bus to your destination! Hermit’s Rest is the last stop.

This stop can also be accessed via biking and hiking.

Restrooms: Yes there are restrooms located next to the parking lot  

Wheelchair accessible? Yes, the buses are wheelchair accessible and the path to Hermit’s Rest is short and paved.

Pets OK? Pets are not permitted in shuttle buses

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

Tips: 

• There is a gift shop inside Hermit’s Rest with a lot of interesting and even locally made souvenirs!
• Enjoy refreshments at Hermit’s Rest Snack Bar! This is a canteen styled snack bar with items such as cookies, drinks, and sandwiches.  Prices were on par with the prices at the other food locations in the Park. Click here for current hours of operation throughout the year!
• There is a fountain to refill water bottles here.
• This road is closed to private vehicles for the majority of the year and is accessible during these times by the free shuttle bus (March 1 – November 30).  The pickup location is located near the Bright Angel trailhead west of Bright Angel Lodge.  The shuttle wait areas and buses are well marked so make sure you are reading signs as there are more than one shuttle buses/locations in operation.
• In peak tourist season, expect the possibility that you may have to let one or two buses pass before there is room for you and your party to continue on the shuttle path.
• During heavy tourist season, the shuttle buses are very packed!! The drivers are good about having younger people stand up to allow the elderly and disabled to have seats. Be prepared for the possibility of standing up for some or most of your ride.
• If you want to beat the crowds head to Hermit’s Rest early in the morning! Check the current shuttle times and be there when they start rolling!
• Consider the weather if you visit during Monsoon.  I’ve read multiple reviews where people felt very uncomfortable making the stops along Hermit’s Road with the high winds that can occur during those times.
• There are many people who opted to hike into Hermit’s Rest via the Rim trail.  We didn’t because we had my 9-month-old daughter with us at the time and were concerned about the near 100-degree heat.
• The Hermit Trail trailhead is located close to Hermit’s Rest and goes down to a small network of trails west into the Canyon.  Click here for more information on hiking this trail.

This is the first view you get of the building walking from the Arch.  You can see that even in the middle of September it was still busy!

The above picture was taken standing in front of the entrance to Hermit’s Rest/gift shop.  Not the most expansive view of the Canyon but definitely still a beautiful one!

The fireplace is the first thing you see upon entering Hermit’s Rest. Pictures don’t do it justice! The huge hearth and the vaulted ceilings really make an impression.

There were many reviews I read that stated the fire was lit on their visit.  I’m glad the fire wasn’t lit for my visit, as I was already pretty darn hot and sweaty from my stops along Hermit’s Road…but it still would be interesting to see it lit! Maybe you winter visitors can see it for me!

We happened to explore the shop at a time where everyone else was still wandering around outside or at the Snack Bar! It was nice to see everything inside without bumping into someone every step of the way.

This is the view from the west side of the structure.  It’s really impressive that this over 100-year-old building has stood the test of time and is visited by so many every year! My family and I really enjoy old, historic places such as this so we had a great time walking around reading about history and enjoying the area! It’s definitely a Must-See attraction for those of you visiting the South Rim of the Grand Canyon!

That’s all I have to say about Hermit’s Rest! Stay tuned for my upcoming posts on the South Rim!

Don’t forget to leave me a comment!! Have you been here? Did you see the fireplace when it was lit? Did you hike Hermit’s Trail?? I wanna know!

Until next time!