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Grand Canyon Maps
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Global Graphics Grand Canyon Panoramic Map (Wilderness in your Pocket)
For day hikers and motorists visiting the more popular destinations in the park, this is the best value.  You get two different styles of maps, with somewhat different coverage.  On one side, is a topographic contour map based on USGS quads, lightly enhanced with shading to bring out a three-dimensional illusion.  (See sample at right.)  Its coverage is more than adequate for most day hikers starting at the South Rim.  Besides the most popular corridor trails (the Bright Angel and the South Kaibab), it also covers the Hermit Trail, the Rim Trail, the lower portions of the North Kaibab Trail (ranging upstream from Phantom Ranch about two miles), and large parts of the Tonto Trail; its eastward extent is Shoshone Point.  Only the two most popular backpack campgrounds are shown (at Indian Garden and Phantom Ranch).  The map does not give trail mileages.  The map details are a bit lacking in its treatment of Grand Canyon Village: Although published at least two years after it was built, the map does not show Market Plaza Road, yet it does show the new Canyon View Information Plaza, which opened after the new road.  Mather Campground is labelled only "Campground", and the nearby RV park Trailer Village is not marked at all.  The picnic area in the village shown no longer exists.  No matter; for getting around the Village by road, the best map to use is not this or any other that I sell on this page, but the National Park Service's free one included within The Guide given to visitors when entering the park or available at many other locations.

On the reverse is a pictorial panoramic map which extends coverage beyond that of the topographic map.  It covers all of Desert View Drive, and shows part of the route to the North Rim, and the North Rim facilities themselves and the route out to Cape Royal.  (See sample at left.)  The oblique view of eastern Grand Canyon will be appreciated by those who have trouble reading conventional topographic maps, and the depictions of the mountains and points within and around the canyon are more or less recognizable.  The map also shows trails, and in addition, shows several backpacking campsites not marked on the contour map.  Interestingly, though the map is not as detailed, the coverage of Grand Canyon Village is in some ways better than the map on the other side: Mather Campground and Trailer Village are both labelled, and the new Market Plaza Road, though not marked, is shown.  I spot two mistakes, both along Hermit Road: The structure labelled "Hopi Fire Tower" is actually an old mine (the actual fire tower is farther west and not open to the public and seldom even noticed); the map shows a picnic area along the road before Hermit's Rest which does not exist.  And on neither this side of the map nor the other is there any indication that Hermit Road is, in fact, closed to private vehicles during the most popular nine months of the year.

Again, for trips by road, use the free maps given out by the park service.  This publication is better than the free ones only for hiking trails.

Scale, about 1:24,000 (1 inch = about 0.4 mile = 2000 feet).  Contour interval: 40 feet.  Size: about 28 x 18 inches.  Folded.  Paper.
Global Graphics, 2003.  New.
Item #GG-GRDCYN.  Shipping weight: 0.2 lb.  Publisher's price: $4.95.  Your price: $4.50
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National Geographic/Trails Illustrated Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
A recent revision of the popular Trail Illustrated Grand Canyon map, which now includes dramatic shaded relief, making the form of the Canyon readily apparent.  The topographic contours are not quite as bold, though they are still legible to the discerning map reader—an excellent compromise which serves both the large constituency of users who don't really understand contours, and those who do.  The map includes recent changes in roads and trails around the South Rim's Grand Canyon Village.  It is also a significantly larger scale than the old edition, so it shows more detail.  This new edition does not include Havasu (except on a small-scale regional inset not suitable for hiking).  It ranges from canyon river mile 42 to near river mile 140 (below Fishtail Rapids).

The map shows roads, trails, designated backpack sites, backpacking zones, no-flight zones, and day use only zones.  There are information boxes which rate backpacking zones by difficulty, describe backcountry regulations, and provide details on hotels, campgrounds, tribal lands, and permits needed, with contact numbers and websites.  This current printing now includes the UTM grid for the benefit of GPS users; though this feature was not on the original printing of the 2003 edition, National Geographic has not changed the edition date.

An inset shows the entire park at small scale in shaded relief, but with enough detail to guide vehicle travel to some of the more remote parts of the park.

Scale, about 1:63,360 (1 inch = 1 mile).  Contour interval: 100 feet.  Size: about 25½ x 37½ inches.  Folded.  Plastic.
National Geographic/Trails Illustrated, 2003.  New.
Item #TI-207.  Shipping weight: 0.3 lb.  Publisher's price: $9.95.  Your price: $8.50 (Out of stock)
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Sky Terrain, Grand Canyon National Park: Trails
Excellent newly revised hiking map by independent cartographer Kent Schulte.  This map covers the eastern portion of the park from about Colorado River mile 57 (north of the confluence of the Colorado with the Little Colorado), down to Crystal Rapids downstream of river mile 98.  In between are the most popular areas visited by hikers, including the Hermit, Bright Angel, South Kaibab, North Kaibab, Grandview, Beamer, Cape Solitude and Tanner trails.  Developed areas shown include Grand Canyon Village, Desert View, and the North Rim.  Shows backpacking zones and their designations, with a table detailing the type of use allowed.  A  descriptive trail guide is provided in the margins.  This second edition includes improved shaded relief, and trail mileages have been added to show point-to-point distances on the map itself.

This topographic map is, in my opinion, much superior to the Trails Illustrated map (unless you are visiting the areas to the west which this map does not cover), for the trails are plotted more accurately, and it is a larger scale.  See sample above right.  It is printed on two sides on waterproof plastic.

Scale, 1:40,000 (1 inch = about 2/3 mile).  Contour interval: 100 feet.  Size: about 24 x 36 inches.  Folded.  Plastic.
Published by Sky Terrain, 2007 (second edition).  New.
Item #ST-GC.  Shipping weight: 0.3 lb.  Publisher's price: $8.95.  Your price: $8.05  (Out of stock)
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National Geographic Destination Map: Grand Canyon National Park
A very attractive shaded relief map of the more popular areas of the park richly supplemented with full-color photos and information on recreation, geology, history, flora and fauna, archaeology and ethnology, weather, and more, all arranged in the excellent style National Geographic is famous for.  Supplementary booklet includes fold-out regional map and tourist information.  Folds into protective card stock folder measuring 4¾ x 9 inches.

The map does not show some recent changes in the Grand Canyon Village (South Rim) area, such as the location of the new Visitor Center and the new Market Plaza Road, but for this you can refer to the free maps you get when you pay your fees at the park entrance stations.

Scale: About 1:70,000 (1 inch = about 1.1 mile).  Size: about 36 x 25 inches.  Folded.  Paper, with card cover.
National Geographic Maps, 1999.  New.
Item #NG-4007.  Shipping weight: 0.4 lb.  Publisher's price: $11.95.  Your price: $10.75  (out of stock)



Venture Quest Maps, Grand Canyon Map & Guide
Revised and improved second edition of the first commercially available recreation map showing the entire Grand Canyon National Park from Lees Ferry to Lake Mead.  (The National Park Service provides a free glossy map of the whole park at the entrance stations, but it is not as large nor nearly as detailed as this one.)  The sheet is printed on two sides and uses shaded relief to show the form of the canyon and is packed with supplementary information about the formation of Grand Canyon, history, and basic facts.  The previous edition of this map was called The Colorado River SuperGuide Map of the Grand Canyon.

On one side is the full park map (see detail at right) which is surrounded by informative text and charts describing the geology.  A list of 68 rapids keyed to the map is included.  Small color photos give you an idea of the terrain and the life forms of the region.  

On the reverse is a larger-scale (more detailed) map of the Canyon covering the river from mile 35 to below mile 140 (mile 0 starts at Lees Ferry).  This area includes the most popularly visited places on the North Rim, South Rim and at Desert View.  An even more detailed inset shows Grand Canyon Village and vicinity.  Text on this side of the sheet gives an historical timeline of human history, plus facts about the area and additional color photos.

The maps on both sides use shaded relief to depict the rugged topography, identify numerous points and peaks, label river miles every five to ten miles, and also name each set of rapids.  They also delineate major roads and trails.

Because the park is so large and the size of the map fairly moderate, it does not provide enough detail to be of much use for hiking.  Though trails are shown, you need to know more of the geography than you can get from this map before embarking on what is potentially a very hazardous hike in the canyon.  In many places on the map, it shows trailheads, but though this new edition now shows the Forest Service roads leading to remote trailheads, they are printed very light, and it would probably not be a good idea to try to access these trailheads without a more detailed Forest Service map.  The best use of the map, I think, is for participants on guided river rafting trips, for anyone who wants a visual overview of the area, and for the benefit of the extensive information included.

Scale of main map, about 1:355,000 (1 inch = about 5.6 miles); scale of Central Grand Canyon map, about 1:140,000 (1 inch = about 2.2 miles).  Size: about 30 x 22 inches.  Folded.  Plastic.
Published by Venture Quest Maps (a trade name of Dragon Creek Publishing), 2008.  New.
Item #VQM-GRANDCYN.  Shipping weight: 0.3 lb.  Publisher's price: $9.95. Your price: $9.00
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Tom Martin and Duwain Whitis, Guide to the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon: Lees Ferry to South Cove (RiverMaps)
This map book is the definitive atlas for Colorado River runners.  It covers the entire Grand Canyon from Lees Ferry to the eastern end of Lake Mead.  You would have to get at least 43 USGS 7.5' quad maps to cover the same amount of river.  The book, in fact, contains full 1:24,000 scale color reproductions of the latest USGS quads, overprinted with river camps, river miles, take-out points, names and ratings of rapids, and other relevant names.  Text describing these places in more detail, plus interesting facts about the sights, is provided in facing page format.  Black and white photos of the places are also included.  The maps are each arranged so that downriver is at the top of the page, which makes orientation easier for rafters.

The pages are made of waterproof, tear-resistant synthetic paper, and the book is spiral bound.  The maps in the book do not have the same coverage of the USGS quadrangle maps from which they are derived, omitting areas about a mile to a mile-and-a-half away from the Colorado.  But this coverage gives you ample room for short to moderate hikes away from your river camp.

This edition includes updated river mileages to conform to those established by the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.  The new mile points may vary from old ones by up to one mile.
Published by Vishnu Temple Press, 2008 (4th edition).  New.  About 108 pages (51 map pages), 8½ x 14 inches, spiral-bound paperback.
Item #386.  Shipping weight: 2.0 lbs.  Publisher's price: $26.95.  Your price: $24.25   
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Please do not mix orders for books sent Media Mail with non-book items such as maps.  Choose the Priority service option if ordering non-book items along with this book.




National Geographic, The Heart of the Grand Canyon
Superbly detailed topographic map of the most heavily visited region of Grand Canyon National Park.  Includes Grand Canyon Village, Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Canyon, and the North Rim lodge and campground.  Shaded relief illuminates the rugged cliffs and side-canyons, while a green pattern shows the extent of the forests.  Includes trails, roads, and campsites, as well as individual buildings.  Produced by the Cartographic Division, National Geographic Society, in collaboration with the Museum of Science, Boston.

Scale:  1:24,000 (1 inch = 2000 feet).  Contour interval:  100 feet.  Size: about 35 x 36 inches.  Rolled.
National Geographic Maps, 1990.  New.
Item #NG-602803.  Shipping weight: 1.5 lbs.  Publisher's price:  $14.99.  Your price:  $13.50  
Sent rolled, at tubed map rate only.  Please order rolled wall maps such as this one separately from other kinds of items on this website.  Separate packages require separate shipping fees.



USGS Grand Canyon National Park and Vicinity, shaded relief map
Impressive detailed shaded relief topographic map of Grand Canyon National Park, as it existed before expansion some decades ago.  (See image of my personal copy as it looks thumb-tacked to the wall, at left).  As such, it does not cover areas added to the park west of Havasu Canyon (the park is now adjacent to Lake Mead National Recreation Area) and north and east of Tatahatso Canyon ( river sections were added up to Lee’s Ferry, just below Glen Canyon Dam).  The boundaries shown on the map are thus out of date, not only from expansion, but because the Havasupai Indian Reservation is now much larger than shown.  Roads in and around Grand Canyon Village are also out-of-date.

With those shortcomings in mind, the map is yet the best single-sheet display map of the canyon available, for it shows more topographic detail over a larger area than any other.  (The National Geographic Heart of the Grand Canyon map on this page is better if you want only the area between the North and South Rims, since it is a larger scale.)  Trails on the map are little changed since it was published, so it is a good planning tool, or one for reviewing your past hikes in the Canyon.  Or you could even cut it into several pieces for more manageable trail maps.

Elevation contours are enhanced by shaded relief to more vividly show the form of the land, with a orangish tint used to show the flatter areas.  Besides roads and trails, the map shows buildings, springs, benchmarks and section lines.  The map is the same scale as the old 15' quadrangle series which USGS discontinued a few years ago.  It also shows in detail significant parts of adjacent Kaibab National Forest.

Scale, 1:62,500 (1 inch = about 1 mile).  Contour interval:  80 feet.  Size: about 59 x 37½ inches.  Rolled.  Paper.
Published by US Geological Survey, 1972.  New.
Item #USGS-GCNP-SHADED-ROLL.  Shipping weight: 2.5 lbs.  Publisher’s price: $7.00.  Your price: $7.00 (Out of stock)
Sent rolled, at tubed map rate only.  Please order rolled wall maps such as this one separately from other kinds of items on this website.  Separate packages require separate shipping fees.



USGS Grand Canyon National Park and Vicinity, topographic map (folded)
This detailed topographic contour map, printed on one side, is identical in coverage to the shaded relief version described immediately above.  It's margins are a little wider, but it does not have shaded relief or the artfully applied color tints designed to make the topography more vivid. Instead, it employs a green tint to show the extent of the forests and woodlands of the region.  (See sample at right.)

The other difference is that it comes folded (about 12 x 9½ inches when folded), which makes it both more suitable for packing along with you and less suited for display.  Folded maps also cost less to mail, if you request First Class Mail.

Scale, 1:62,500 (1 inch = about 1 mile).  Contour interval:  80 feet.  Size: about 60 x 38½ inches.  Folded.  Plastic.
Published by US Geological Survey, 1962 (compiled in 1967).  New.
Item #USGS-GCNP-43098.  Shipping weight: 0.7 lb.  Publisher’s price: $7.00.  Your price: $7.00  
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USGS, Grand Canyon National Monument, topographic map
The western portion of what is now Grand Canyon National Park was first designated a National Monument.  This classic map shows that region.  It is printed on one side only, and is bounded by Kanab Canyon in the east and Mount Trumbull in the west.  In between in depicts such features as Toroweap Valley, Vulcan's Throne, Tuckup Point and Canyon, SB Point, and the mouth of Havasu Canyon (but not the falls area upstream).  Shows roads and trails, elevation contours, and the extent of woodlands.

Unfortunately, it is a different scale than the other USGS Grand Canyon map immediately above, so it cannot be pieced together to form a larger map.  The archaic style of the contours and the hand-printed lettering, though, add a charm of their own.  See sample image at right.

One of the cartographers was C.H. Birdseye, whose name canyon aficionados will recognize from Claude Birdseye Point, named in his honor.  The map was surveyed in 1934-1936.  Because some road and trail alignments may have changed since then, you should not use this map as your sole means of orientation.

Scale, 1:48,000 (1 inch = about 3/4 mile).  Contour interval: 50 feet.  Size: about 44 x 34 inches.  Rolled.  Paper.
Published by US Geological Survey, 1944 (1972 reprint).  New.
Item #USGS-43077.  Shipping weight: 1.5 lbs.  Publisher's price: $7.00.  Your price: $7.00
Sent rolled, at tubed map rate only.  Please order rolled wall maps such as this one separately from other kinds of items on this website.  Separate packages require separate shipping fees.



Grand Canyon Association, Geologic Map of the Eastern Part of the Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Coverage ranges from Havasu Creek in the west to Tatahatso Point (at western rim of Marble Canyon) in the northeast, and Desert View and Cedar Mountain in the southeast, and including the South and North rims—the part of the park most often visited.  The actual boundary lines are 111E45' W longitude, 112E45' W longitude, 36E28' N latitude, and 36E N latitude.  Several geologic cross sections of key areas are included at the bottom of the map, as is also a detailed key to geologic units.  Compiled in cooperation with the US Geological Survey.

Scale, 1:62,500 (1 inch = about 1 mile).  Contour interval: 80 feet.  Size: about 60 x 42 inches.  Rolled.  Paper.
Published by the Grand Canyon Association, 1996.  New.
Item #GCA-GEO/MAP.  Shipping weight: 2.5 lbs.  Publisher’s price: $12.00.  Your price: $11.50  
Sent rolled, at tubed map rate only.  Please order rolled wall maps such as this one separately from other kinds of items on this website.  Separate packages require separate shipping fees.



Grand Canyon Association, Satellite Image of the Grand Canyon Region
A striking composite image covering about 34,000 square miles, showing all of Grand Canyon and the adjacent areas.  Extends a bit farther west than Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, as far south as Needles and Sedona, and northeast to lower Lake Powell.  Within this region are also Kingman, Flagstaff, Williams, St. George, and Fredonia.  Rather than use natural colors, this image uses false colors enhanced to convey extra information about the landscape.  (See detail at right.)  Features distinguished by colors include snowfields, bodies of water, vegetation, and rock types.  The routes of major roads have been overprinted.  Only a few towns and reservoirs are labeled in order to avoid distracting you from appreciating the details in the image.

At the right side of the poster are several descriptive paragraphs about the image and landscape.  A schematic cross-section shows the basic geology of the region.  Prepared by staff at the US Geological Survey in Flagstaff in conjunction with Grand Canyon Association.

Scale, 1:460,000 (1 inch = about 7-1/4 mile).  Size: about 38 x 26 inches.  Rolled.  Glossy paper.
Published by Grand Canyon Association, undated.  New.
Item #GCA-SIGCR.  Shipping weight: 1.5 lbs.  Publisher’s price: $12.00.  Your price: $10.80
Sent rolled, at tubed map rate only.  Please order rolled wall maps such as this one separately from other kinds of items on this website.  Separate packages require separate shipping fees.


For more detail of the Grand Canyon National Park region, especially areas away from the easiest access roads, you may like to get USGS topographic quads. The 7½-minute series (scale: 1:24,000) will give you the most detail, and most are relatively recent for USGS publications (mid-80s).  See the USGS 1:24,000-scale topographic maps page to see the index page.  On that page, you'll find an index map toward the bottom of the page; click on the appropriate sections on the map to go to more detailed index maps which show the names of the dozens of quadrangles we stock for this area.  The sections which include parts of Grand Canyon are called Littlefield-Mt. Trumbull, Peach Springs-Valentine, Fredonia-Grand Canyon, and Glen Canyon Dam-Tuba City.



The store also stocks the 30 x 60 minute series (scale: 1:100,000) of USGS or BLM quads for all of Arizona and southern Utah.  These quads also have topographic lines, which, however, are in meters not feet.  They are good for a general overview, but are not large enough in scale to show all trails.  See index for locations and to order. These five BLM maps cover all of the canyon:

Grand Canyon, $7.00
Peach Springs, $7.00
Tuba City, $7.00




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