The Desert View Parking Lot is the primary place to leave your vehicle when exploring Desert View Watchtower, Desert View Point, and other facilities at Grand Canyon’s East Entrance. It sits steps from the rim and offers level, paved access to restrooms, water, and scenic overlooks.
This is one of the largest parking lots found outside of the Grand Canyon Village, and the farthest east. There are two parking lot here, one for passenger vehicles with numerous handicapped parking spaces, and the other for oversized vehicles including large RVs. You will also find a Chevron gas station to the east of the main parking lot with those outrageous gas prices, get gas before getting here.
Neat place to visit. The views are fantastic. Do it. It is worth the wait!
Wonderful mule ride through this area and adventure of a lifetime
Great drive from Grand Canyon – on the way to Page
Plenty of parking and a great view of the Grand Canyon
The Desert View Parking Lot is the primary place to leave your vehicle when exploring Desert View Watchtower, Desert View Point, and other facilities at Grand Canyon’s East Entrance. It sits steps from the rim and offers level, paved access to restrooms, water, and scenic overlooks.
Opened with the completion of Desert View Drive in the 1930s, the parking lot anchors the only developed area on the South Rim’s far‑eastern end. From here a short, accessible path leads to the rim’s highest viewpoint (7,360 ft / 2,243 m) and to the Desert View Market & Deli, gas station, and seasonal campground. The lot’s layout was resurfaced and striped in the 2010s to improve traffic flow and add ADA stalls. Because no park shuttle reaches Desert View, this lot is the indispensable gateway for self‑driving visitors arriving through the East Entrance from Cameron or Page.
25 mi/40 km east of Grand Canyon Village via Desert View Drive (SR 64). 30 mi/48 km west of Cameron via US 89 & SR 64.
Local advice to help you make the most of your visit.
charge in Tusayan or Cameron before arriving.
perfect after a sunrise shoot.
Only for registered campers in Desert View Campground; otherwise vehicles may not be left unattended overnight.
No. Desert View is accessible only by private vehicle, bicycle, or commercial tour.
Yes—heated flush toilets are open all year next to the lot.
Yes, the separate RV/bus spur accommodates vehicles up to 40 ft.
Park roads and lots are plowed after storms, but temporary closures may occur; check road status before driving.
National Park Service. “Desert View.” Grand Canyon National Park. https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/desert-view.htmGoogle Maps listing: “Desert View Parking Lot.” https://maps.app.goo.gl/oMYuJwWJqDfMDzVZ6Grand Canyon National Park Map & Guide, 2024 edition.Desert View Inter‑Tribal Cultural Heritage Site Environmental Assessment, NPS (2017).Bing search result summary referencing http://allgrandcanyon.com/, accessed 17 June 2025.
Discover attractions, viewpoints, restaurants and experiences within a short distance.
Centered on Desert View Parking Lot · showing places within 1.9 mi
Establishment0.1 miLocated 25 mi/40 km east of Grand Canyon Village, Desert View Picnic Area sits at 7,400 ft (2,255 m) on the South…
Store0.1 miOperated by Delaware North, the Desert View Camp Store is the only grocery outlet at Grand Canyon’s East Entrance. Inside you’ll find…
Visitor Help0.1 miThe National Park Service notes the facility is “Restrooms: located between the main parking lot and the canyon.” Built to support the…
Store0.2 miLocated 26 miles east of Grand Canyon Village, the market serves day‑trippers, campers, and through‑hikers entering via Desert View Drive. Shelves carry basic…
Store0.2 miBuilt in 1932 beside Mary Colter’s Desert View Watchtower, the Desert View Trading Post continues the Fred Harvey Company tradition of showcasing…
Viewpoint0.2 miDesert View Watchtower was conceived as a “re‑creation” of ancestral Puebloan towers, blending seamlessly with the canyon’s rim. Architect Mary Colter collaborated…
Campground0.3 miSet among pinyon pines and junipers 23 mi (37 km) east of Grand Canyon Village, Desert View Campground sits at the highest elevation on…
Local_government_office0.4 miThe East Entrance Station, often called the Desert View Entrance, sits 25 mi/40 km east of Grand Canyon Village on Arizona State Route 64. It serves…
Parking0.6 miNavajo Point Parking Lot sits 0.6 mi / 1 km west of Desert View Watchtower along Desert View Drive. Roughly 25 vehicles…
Viewpoint0.6 miPerched 25 mi / 40 km east of Grand Canyon Village, Navajo Point takes its name from the neighboring Navajo Nation. A short, paved spur off…
Trailhead1.5 miStarting beside Lipan Point overlook on Desert View Drive, Tanner Trailhead offers a gateway to the wild eastern Grand Canyon. The primitive…
Viewpoint1.6 miLipan Point sits along Desert View Drive, 6 mi (9.7 km) west of Desert View Watchtower. The overlook reveals the Unkar Delta, a broad…
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