Hiking the Shoshone Point Trail in Grand Canyon National Park
Distance: 2.1 miles / 3.4 km
The Shoshone Point Trail, also called Shoshone Point Road, in Grand Canyon National Park, is a quick and easy day hike on the South Rim of the canyon that feels like a hidden gem in an otherwise busy area.
I say this because all the best and most popular viewpoints off the 12.7-mile (20.4 km) Rim Trail can either be driven to or reached via the free Grand Canyon Shuttle, but Shoshone Point is different, because the only way to reach the stunning viewpoint is by hiking.
On top of this, Shoshone Point is one of the best hikes for both sunrise and sunset on either side of the Grand Canyon, which I discuss in more detail at the end of this article.
Shoshone Point Road vs. Shoshone Point via South Kaibab
There are two different routes to hike to Shoshone Point.
Shoshone Point Road
Hiking to Shoshone Point via Shoshone Point Road is the easier of the two ways to reach the rim of the canyon, largely because the hike is much shorter, as the trail follows a mostly flat 1.0-mile (1.6 km) dirt road that leads to the Shoshone Point Picnic Area—the only place in Grand Canyon National Park that can be reserved for private events.
Shoshone Point Trail via South Kaibab
The Shoshone Point Trail via the South Kaibab Trailhead is the longer of the two options at 2.6 miles (4.2 km) each way, but it is undoubtedly more beautiful because it follows the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Note that the Shoshone Point Trail via South Kaibab is commonly used for horseback riding, while also being open to hikers. That said, the most challenging aspect of the hike is, easily, the difficult parking situation at the South Kaibab Trailhead, which you can read about in more detail in my separate post.
Read My Separate Post: Shoshone Point Trail via South Kaibab
Shoshone Point Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Shoshone Point Trail via Shoshone Point Road is located directly off Desert View Drive, about 3.3 miles (5.3 km) east of the Grand Canyon Visitor Center at Mather Point.
The parking lot is unpaved and is often one of the easier places to find parking on the busy South Rim—something that cannot be said about the nearby South Kaibab Trailhead, which serves as the alternative access point for visitors hiking to Shoshone Point.
Google Maps Directions: Shoshone Point Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Grand Canyon
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Grand Canyon National Park.
Hiking the Shoshone Point Trail
The Shoshone Point Trail, via Shoshone Point Road, begins at the gate that blocks the dirt road that leads out to the picnic area.
As previously mentioned, Shoshone Point Road is 'mostly flat,' but it does gain about 100 ft. (30.5 m) over the course of the 1.05-mile (1.7 km) hike, which is hardly noticeable over this distance.
The first two-thirds of the Shoshone Point Trail wind their way through a forest dominated by Ponderosa Pines, but they will noticeably thin out—serving as a great mental checkpoint that the hike is nearing the rim of the canyon.
While it may seem like there’s a lot of shade on the Shoshone Point Trail, this is only true during the early morning and late evening hours, which is why I always recommend hiking in a hooded sun shirt in Grand Canyon National Park—especially on the trails below the rim!
Since Shoshone Point Road is a quiet, less-traveled trail, it is one of the best places to trail run on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
That said, these are my preferred trail-running shoes that work great for both running and hiking on most adventures across the Southwest.
This is where the Shoshone Point Trail begins transitioning into a Pinyon Pine–Juniper-dominated forest.
This is not a split in the Shoshone Point Trail; rather, it’s a turnaround loop for vehicles driving out to the picnic area.
That said, go right to stay on the fastest route to Shoshone Point.
This is where the Shoshone Point Trail completely transitions from a landscape dominated by Ponderosa Pines to one that is primarily a mixed Pinyon Pine–Juniper forest near the rim of the canyon.
Shoshone Point Picnic Area
After about 0.9 miles (1.4 km), Shoshone Point Road ends at the picnic area and pavilion just prior to Shoshone Point.
Here, go right to walk through the picnic area to find the trail that leads out to the point shortly ahead.
This is the area that can be reserved for private events.
After the picnic area, the Shoshone Point Trail simply navigates its way out to the furthest ledge on the point.
Shoshone Point
The end of the Shoshone Point Trail is an expansive north- to northeast-facing viewpoint above Newton Butte and Cremation Creek, Lonetree, and Boulder Creek Canyon, which makes for one of the best—and often uncrowded—places to catch both sunrise and sunset in Grand Canyon National Park, especially when compared to the countless other drive-up viewpoints along the South Rim.
However, depending on whom you ask, they may not recommend Shoshone Point for sunset because it does not offer a direct view of the sun going down, as there is with sunrise. Rather, it’s one of the best because of the colors within the canyon to the east, which light up best late in the day!
In any case, be sure to pack a good headlamp if you plan to hike for either.
