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Desert View Watchtower, Grand Canyon Village, AZ

Photo: Vladsinger, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingIconicHistory Buff

Desert View Watchtower

Desert View, AZ-64, 23 miles east of Grand Canyon Village · Grand Canyon Village, AZ

Why you should go…

Architect Mary Colter designed this 70-foot circular stone tower, finished in 1932, to echo Ancestral Puebloan watchtowers. On the lower level you look through reflectoscopes, black glass mirrors that cut haze and glare on the canyon view, and in spring, summer and fall you can watch demonstrations by artists from tribes tied to the canyon. Upper floors, open when staffing allows, carry murals by Hopi artist Fred Kabotie. No park shuttle comes out here, so you drive yourself.

  • #grand canyon
  • #observation tower
  • #south rim
  • #historic landmark

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Desert View Watchtower, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Tours
    Iconic

    Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters

    $50+

    Helicopter and airplane air tours over the Grand Canyon departing near the South Rim.

    17 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Stay
    Iconic

    El Tovar Hotel

    $50+

    Stay or dine in a 1905 lodge of limestone and Oregon pine set right on the Grand Canyon's South Rim.

    17 mi awaySwitch it up: Stay

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Raptor Ranch

    Under $25

    Birds of prey park near the Grand Canyon with daily raptor flight demonstrations and RV camping.

    32 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Wupatki National Monument

    $25–$50

    Walk up to sandstone pueblos built in the early 1100s, including the 104-room Wupatki Pueblo with its ball court and blowhole.

    44 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

    $25–$50

    Walk a one-mile loop across the Bonito Lava Flow at the foot of a cinder cone volcano that erupted around AD 1085.

    49 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Sightseeing
    Outdoor Adventure

    Flagstaff

    Free

    A high-elevation Arizona city on Route 66 serving as a gateway to the Grand Canyon, ponderosa forests and ski country.

    59 mi awayMore like this