How to use the Trail of Time

How to get there: Shuttle buses will take you to either end of the Trail of Time, at Yavapai Point and its geology museum or at Verkamps Visitor Center, which is located at the east end of the historic Grand Canyon Village. The start of the Trail of Time is at Yavapai Geology Museum, a half hour walk from Mather Point and the Canyon View Visitor Center.

Walk into the past, walking backwards in time: Between Yavapai Geology Museum and Grand Canyon Village (2.1 km or 1.3 miles), walk (west), backwards in time and experience Grand Canyon's entire geologic history. You will start by walking the "Million Year Trail", which transitions from human time scales to geologic ones. The "Million Year Trail" is immediately followed by the main Trail of Time where each meter equals one million years of Grand Canyon's geologic history. This fully accessible one hour walking trip provides breath taking vistas of Grand Canyon and allows you to ponder and understand the depths of geologic space and time.

Walk from the past to the present, forwards in time: Walking east from Grand Canyon Village takes you through the same experience, but forward in time, from Grand Canyon's oldest rocks to canyon carving and Grand Canyon's human history.

Don't forget a Walking Guide: Available at both ends of the Trail of Time are illustrated Trail of Time Walking Guides.

Map of the Trail of Time's location at Grand Canyon's South Rim.