Visiting the Grand Canyon with a Baby or a Toddler (Full Guide!)
Last Updated on April 25, 2024 by Kelly
Thinking of traveling to the Grand Canyon with a baby or a toddler? As one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon is certainly a bucket-list destination. We recently visited the Grand Canyon with our toddler, and we learned a thing or two! We think that it’s important to plan easy excursions, to stay mindful of safety considerations, and to bring the proper gear. In this post, we’re sharing everything you need to know about visiting the Grand Canyon with a baby or a toddler.
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Tips for Visiting the Grand Canyon with Young Children
There are a few things to keep in mind to prepare you for a safe trip with your baby or toddler at the Grand Canyon.
- Research your planned hikes and trail conditions. You’ll want to know which hikes have steep drop-offs, which viewpoints have guardrails, and which trails are paved or unpaved. (More details on that below!) When you arrive, you can ask a park ranger about any current conditions you should be aware of, especially as it relates to hiking with young children.
- Research current weather and road conditions. The National Park Service posts updates on conditions. If it’s going to be warm or sunny, you’ll want to bring plenty of sunscreen, water, and a sun hat with a wide brim.
- Don’t feed the wildlife. Don’t approach wildlife and don’t offer animals human food. We saw plenty of signs saying the most dangerous animal at the Grand Canyon is the squirrel!
- Stay on marked trails. If you leave the trail, you could get lost or encounter a steep drop-off. Be sure to stick to the clearly marked trails.
- Stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) away from the edge of the rim. There are documented fatalities from people getting too close to the edge and falling. (Your personal safety is not worth the selfie!)
- Don’t throw rocks (or anything else) over the edge of the canyon. You could injure hikers below, or you could start a landslide.
- Closely supervise your child even when there are guardrails. A toddler could climb through many of the guardrails. As shown in the picture below, some of the guardrails are placed around areas that have cave in a bit. Just be sure to have a close eye on your child at all times.
- Learn from a Park Ranger. The National Park Service put out a podcast and article about hiking safely with infants and toddlers. There are lots of great tips!
| The Grand Canyon was one of several stops we made on our three-week road trip. |
Essential Items for Visiting the Grand Canyon with Children
These products will help you to make the most of your trip to the Grand Canyon with a baby or a toddler!
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- Child harness backpack. If you want to do any unpaved trails, you’ll want to carry your toddler. This is the pack that we use, and it is super light. It’s also more affordable compared to some other brands. Bonus that it has a built-in sun shade!
- Stroller. There are several paved trails that are much easier to use with a stroller. (That way your toddler can take a nap or get a break from the sun.) We brought a Thule jogging stroller to the Grand Canyon, and it worked out perfectly for us.
- Stroller sunshade. This product is a game-changer. It covers your stroller completely to protect your toddler from the sun. (You won’t have to worry about the sun shining on those little legs!) It blocks up to 97.5% of UV rays. It’s air-permeable, so your toddler will be able to breathe. It has the added bonus of making the stroller darker, so it can be especially helpful at nap time. We were so glad we brought this with us.
- Sun hat. When your toddler is out walking around, you’ll want to protect their face and neck from the sun.
- Ergo. If you have an infant or younger toddler, you may be more comfortable using this baby carrier.
- Insulated water bottle. This water bottle will keep you water cooler for longer. Trust us, there is nothing better than gulping ice-cold water on a hot day. We’ve had this water bottle for a long time, and we are glad we made the switch!
- 10 Essentials. Whenever you go hiking, it’s important to bring the 10 Essentials for safety preparedness.
See our guide to the hotels at the Grand Canyon!
Bringing a Stroller
One of the first things you’ll have to decide is if you want to bring a stroller to the Grand Canyon. We think that having a stroller with you will make a big difference as you plan your day. If you can bring your stroller, your baby or toddler will have a place to nap and a place to retreat from the sun.
The Grand Canyon shuttles allow small, foldable strollers on board. Bulky jogging strollers are prohibited. The drivers just ask that you have your stroller folded and ready to go. We brought our stroller and just folded it in half prior to boarding. All our drivers allowed us to board.
4 Family-Friendly Hikes at the Grand Canyon
Now that you know you can bring your stroller with you, you can start planning some stroller-friendly hikes!
1. The Rim Trail
The Rim Trail has a series of scenic overlooks and is best accessed by taking the Hermit Road Shuttle. Taking the Hermit Road Shuttle was probably the highlight of our toddler daughter’s road trip. She loved sitting in the front row, holding onto the bars, and saying “vroom vroom!”
The shuttle route connects Grand Canyon Village with Hermits Rest. It’s 7 miles long, and there are a total of 9 scenic overlooks. You can decide to hop out at one or all nine of them. There are also paved trails that connect some of the overlooks. So, you can decide to walk some of the seven miles if you’d like. We wrote a complete post on the Rim Trail (with detailed information on each of the overlooks!)
If you don’t get off the bus and just ride the shuttle, the ride is 80 minutes long roundtrip. We recommend that you plan to do this activity for a half day. We found that the shuttle was much busier in the afternoon, and relatively quiet in the morning when we visited in June. We didn’t need to wait in any shuttle lines when we arrived between 9-10am during our visit. (Note that the outbound buses stop at all nine overlooks, and the return trip buses stop only at four of them.)
The nine shuttle stops are: Trailview Overlook, Maricopa Point, Powell Point, Hopi Point, Mohave Point, The Abyss, Monument Creek Vistas, and Hermits Rest.
If you’d like to walk a portion of the way along a paved route, disembark at the Monument Creek Vista. There is a 3 mile trail for bicyclists and pedestrians. It is fully accessible up until Pima Point.
When you visit the view points, just be mindful of your toddler if you approach any steep drop-offs. Either keep your toddler in the stroller, or be sure that you have a close eye on them.
2. Trail of Time
The Trail of Time is a relatively flat paved trail that takes you through a geological timeline of the canyon’s creation. It is 2.83 miles long (4.56 kilometers). Each meter you walk along the trail represents a million years of geological history. It really gives you an appreciation for the magnitude of time! Time is marked by bronze markers embedded into the trail. We wrote a complete post on the Trail of Time, so check it out if you are planning to complete that trail!
You can reach the beginning of the Trail of Time at the Yavapai Geology Museum.
It’s an excellent activity to do with a toddler. It’s not every day you can walk through millions of years of time! Plus, you can make lots of puns as you stroll through time. (It feels like this hike is taking forever!)
There are some areas where the trail skirts near the edge of the canyon. Again, be mindful if you have young children walking with you.
3. Shoshone Point Trail
One of the hidden gems of the Grand Canyon is the Shoshone Point Trail. It is off the beaten path, so there tends to be less visitors here.
This is an out-and-back trail that is 2.1 miles long with only 150 feet of elevation gain. When you reach the end, you’ll be rewarded with excellent views of the canyon. The trail is not paved, but it’s a dirt trail. A jogging stroller would likely be fine on this trail, but use your judgment.
4. Mather Point
This is not so much a trail, as it’s just a short walk from the Grand Canyon Visitor Center. The viewpoint is named for Stephen Tyng Mather, who was the first director of the National Park Service. At this viewpoint, you will have expansive views of the entire canyon. It’s an excellent place to catch a sunrise or a sunset. There is an ADA-accessible ramp that takes you to the viewpoint, so this is a good stroller-friendly place to visit.
Toddler-Friendly Attractions Near the Grand Canyon
In addition to the trails, there’s a lot for a little toddler to do in the vicinity!
Grand Canyon Railway
If your toddler likes trains (and what toddler doesn’t?), you could book a trip on the Grand Canyon Railway. It’s about a two-hour ride, and it’s an efficient way to see a lot of the surrounding area.
Children are allowed in three of the six classes (Pullman Class, Coach Class, and First Class). And, children under age 2 are free!
Bearizona Wildlife Park
About an hour south of the Grand Canyon is Bearizona Wildlife Park. They have a drive-through wildlife park and a self-guided walking tour. You’ll see animals such as jaguars, sheep, and bobcats. Many of the animals in the park have been rescued due to conservation efforts.
Horseshoe Bend
If you have enough time for a day trip, you can take a short road trip to Horseshoe Bend. The total drive time is about 2.5 hours each way. Horseshoe Bend was one of the most impressive viewpoints we have seen during our travels, so it’s well worth the time spent.
Summary
We allocated two days to spend at the Grand Canyon with our toddler. We’re grateful we gave ourselves two days, because it turns out we had car trouble on the second day and spent the entire day fixing our tire. (That’s why we created our one-day guide to seeing the Grand Canyon!)
We were very cautious around the Grand Canyon’s rim. We closely supervised our toddler at all times.
We are so glad that we visited the Grand Canyon with our toddler. Seeing the Grand Canyon in photos is one thing, but experiencing it firsthand is quite another! We especially enjoyed the Trail of Time and the Rim Trail. Our daughter’s favorite part of the Grand Canyon, though, was the shuttle bus!
Disclaimer: We always strive for content accuracy. Since the time of publishing, travel-related information regarding pricing, schedules, and hours may have changed. Please look up such information directly from each vendor or institution for the most current information. Please note that safety and weather considerations at the Grand Canyon change daily, so this article can’t tell you whether or not it’s safe for you to hike with your child to these locations on any given day. This post is for informational purposes and not for personal advice. We merely share our experiences.
