Navajo Point: Highest South Rim Viewpoint

By The Lowdown Guide Editorial Team · Updated May 2026

Why Most Visitors Drive Past Navajo Point

Navajo Point is one of the most commonly skipped viewpoints on the South Rim for a straightforward reason: it sits one mile west of the Desert View Watchtower, and most visitors on AZ-64 have their eyes fixed on the Watchtower as the destination. The Navajo Point pullout sign appears first on the eastbound drive and is frequently mistaken as a preliminary stop before the "real" attraction. Many drivers slow down, see no tower, and keep going. The irony is that Navajo Point sits 23 feet higher than the Watchtower overlook.

The confusion is compounded by the proximity. On AZ-64, the distance between Navajo Point and Desert View is one mile — roughly 90 seconds of driving. Visitors headed east from the Village pass Navajo Point first at mile marker 22, then reach Desert View at mile marker 23. The two are distinct viewpoints with different parking areas, different canyon angles, and different facilities. Navajo Point has no gift shop, no restrooms, and no tower — just a small parking pullout and one of the South Rim's most rewarding panoramas.

The parking lot at Navajo Point holds approximately 20 vehicles. Even on days when the Desert View Watchtower lot is packed, Navajo Point typically has open spaces. That crowd asymmetry is entirely a product of the name-recognition gap — the Watchtower is marketed, photographed, and discussed widely; Navajo Point appears mainly in detailed trip reports and for visitors who have read the full South Rim viewpoints guide before arriving.

Highest South Rim Viewpoint: The Elevation Claim

At 7,461 feet above sea level, Navajo Point holds the title of highest viewpoint on the South Rim. Desert View Watchtower's ground-level overlook sits at 7,438 feet — 23 feet lower. The Watchtower's top observation level adds roughly 70 feet of structure, making the tower roof higher than Navajo Point, but the viewpoint itself — the rim-edge platform accessible without climbing the tower — is lower. For visitors who want the highest natural rim elevation accessible from a vehicle pullout without climbing, Navajo Point is the answer.

The elevation difference is not dramatic in absolute terms, but it contributes to a slightly wider and higher viewing angle over the eastern canyon corridor. At this eastern end of the South Rim, the canyon geometry is different from the Village area — the walls are somewhat closer together and the river corridor has a different character. The eastern canyon sees fewer visitors than the Village viewpoints, which means the views here carry a sense of discovery that even the best Village overlooks cannot replicate on a busy summer day.

The elevation also has practical consequences. At 7,461 feet, visitors arriving from lower elevations — particularly from Las Vegas (2,001 ft) or Phoenix (1,086 ft) — may notice the altitude. Headaches, lightheadedness, and reduced exercise tolerance are common at this elevation for visitors who haven't acclimatized. Drink water, move slowly from the car to the rim, and allow 10 to 20 minutes to adjust before exerting yourself. This applies across all South Rim viewpoints but is worth noting at Navajo Point given how quickly visitors typically arrive from the car to the rim edge.

The View from Navajo Point

The Navajo Point panorama opens primarily eastward and northeast. Looking east from the rim edge, the Desert View Watchtower is visible on the skyline one mile away — a distinctive silhouette of stone rising above the rim. At sunrise and sunset, the tower catches dramatic warm light and makes a compelling foreground element from this westward-facing angle that cannot be replicated from any other accessible viewpoint. The Painted Desert is visible to the northeast, the same colorful badlands expanse seen from the Watchtower top level, though from Navajo Point the view is at ground level rather than elevated.

The Colorado River is visible from Navajo Point on clear days in the inner gorge below. The canyon here is in the eastern corridor where the river has a slightly different character than the wide Bright Angel section visible from Mather or Hopi. The geology from this vantage follows the same layered sequence — Kaibab Limestone at the rim, the Coconino and Toroweap formations below, the red Supai Group, Redwall Limestone cliff, the Tonto Platform shelf, and the dark Vishnu Schist at the inner gorge. From the elevated east-rim position, the layer proportions look slightly different than from the Village — the canyon walls here have a more compact feel.

The viewpoint has minimal infrastructure — no interpretive signs, no railing in places, and no trail access down the rim. The rim edge requires caution. The drop-off is immediate at several points along the overlook, with no fence or protective barrier. This is standard at most South Rim viewpoints but worth mentioning for visitors with children or those unfamiliar with unguarded canyon rim edges. Keep at least three feet from the edge at all times and supervise children closely. See the Grand Canyon safety and planning guide for full rim safety protocols.

Best Times and Crowd Patterns

Navajo Point is rarely crowded at any time of year. The lot of 20 vehicles is sufficient for the traffic it receives — which is almost always a fraction of the adjacent Desert View Watchtower crowd. Morning is the strongest time for the eastward-facing view: the canyon walls across the gorge catch direct morning light and the Painted Desert to the northeast is illuminated clearly. Sunrise from Navajo Point gives you the unique shot of the Watchtower lit in dawn light to the east while the canyon below fills with shadow and early color.

Midday is perfectly fine at Navajo Point — the lack of crowds means there's no competitive pressure for rim positions as there is at Mather or Hopi Point. Afternoon and sunset are workable but less dramatic than sunrise for the eastward geometry; the Watchtower silhouette to the east is backlit at sunset rather than front-lit as in morning. If you are visiting Desert View Watchtower for sunset, add Navajo Point as a brief five-minute stop on your drive east — you'll arrive at the Watchtower with context and comparison that makes the tower experience more meaningful.

The viewpoint is accessible year-round via private vehicle on AZ-64. Winter conditions apply December through February — the road can be snowy or icy and there are no services at Navajo Point itself. The nearest facilities year-round are at Desert View 1 mile east: restrooms, general store, and seasonal snack bar. The Lipan Point overlook 1.2 miles west has no facilities either — Desert View is the service hub for this entire east-corridor section of the park.

Navajo Point in a Desert View Drive Day

The most natural pairing is Navajo Point with Desert View Watchtower — they are one mile apart and together take less than two hours including the tower climb. Approach from the Village heading east: stop at Navajo Point first for 15 to 20 minutes to take in the panorama and the Watchtower silhouette on the skyline, then continue one mile to Desert View for the tower, gift shop, and full facilities. This sequence avoids doubling back and puts the bigger attraction second when you are already warmed up and acclimated.

Further west on Desert View Drive, Lipan Point at 4.5 miles is the next major stop — broader panorama, visible river bend, Unkar Delta archaeology. Grandview Point at 12 miles west is the dramatic promontory stop for the east corridor. A full Desert View Drive day covering all four of these stops — Watchtower, Navajo, Lipan, Grandview — is a realistic and satisfying six-to-eight hour itinerary from the Village and back.

For visitors entering via the east entrance from Cameron or Page, Navajo Point makes an excellent first canyon-rim stop. You pay at the Desert View entrance gate, drive one mile to Navajo Point, get your first unobstructed South Rim view at the highest accessible elevation on the rim, then return one mile east to the Watchtower for the full architecture and facilities experience. Starting at Navajo gives you a quiet, unmediated first view before the crowds and structure of Desert View orient your experience around the tower. Use the travel planning guide to build your full east-corridor day.