Powell Point

Grand Canyon National Park South Rim


This rocky peninsula cuts out over the canyon, offering some of the South Rim's most dramatic vistas. Similar to Hopi Point 0.3 miles to the west but not as crowded, Powell is a magnificent spot to catch the sunset. A granite memorial honors John Wesley Powell, the one-armed Civil War veteran who, along with his crew, is credited with being the first man to navigate the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon (1869).


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Grand Canyon National Park South Rim attractions

1. Hopi Point

0.23 MILES

Spectacular Hopi Point juts further into the canyon than any other South Rim overlook, offering magnificent east–west views, making it an excellent choice…

2. Maricopa Point

0.27 MILES

Maricopa, a 1.2-mile uphill walk from Grand Canyon Village along the Rim Trail, makes a lovely sunrise spot. Just east of here are the remains of the once…

3. Mohave Point

0.85 MILES

Mohave Point is a great spot to watch the sun rise or set. In high season, when crowds at popular overlooks can be unbearable, Mohave makes a particularly…

4. Trailview Overlook

0.96 MILES

With an excellent view of most of the Bright Angel Trail switchbacks, this is a good spot to watch hikers and mule trains ascending and descending the…

5. Lookout Studio

1.17 MILES

Like Mary Colter's other canyon buildings, Lookout Studio was modeled after stone dwellings of the Southwest Pueblo American Indians. Made of rough-cut…

6. Kolb Studio

1.17 MILES

In 1905 Ellsworth and Emery Kolb built a small photography studio on the edge of the rim, which has since been expanded and now holds a bookstore and a…

7. Bright Angel Lodge

1.26 MILES

Commissioned by the Fred Harvey Company, designed by Mary Colter and completed in 1935, the log-and-stone Bright Angel Lodge offered canyon travelers…

8. Fred Harvey History Room

1.26 MILES

Fred Harvey's Harvey Company opened the first Harvey House in 1876 in Topeka, Kansas. In the following decades Harvey, in collaboration with the Atchison,…