Grand Canyon is Open. South Rim hotels in Tusayan are open for business.
Grand Canyon South Rim to Monument Valley Flights
Trade a 3½-hour high-desert drive for a ~1 hour flight. This scenic point-to-point leg lifts off the South Rim, crosses the eastern Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert, and the Navajo high country, and descends among the towering buttes and mesas of Monument Valley — landing at the storied Goulding's airstrip on the valley floor.
See the connectionDrive Versus Fly
The math, side by side. South Rim to Monument Valley, one way.
Drive It
- Route ~3h 30mSouth Rim → US-89 → US-160 (Tuba City, Kayenta) → US-163
- Terrain Painted Desert & Navajo Nation high country; few services en route
- Notes A long, scenic drive across the reservation between two parks
Fly It
- Check-in ~30 minAt the South Rim Terminal, near the park entrance
- GCN → UT25 ~1 hrHigh-wing Vistaliner over the eastern canyon & the Painted Desert
- On arrival Land at Goulding's airstrip on the valley floor, among the buttes
The Connection, Hour by Hour
A short scheduled leg — fit it between a South Rim morning and a Monument Valley afternoon.
Outbound · GCN → UT25
Also runs · UT25 → GCN
The Reverse Leg · Monument Valley → South Rim
The same connection runs the other way — the buttes, the Painted Desert, and the canyon, from the north.
Headed the other direction? The connection also flies Monument Valley (UT25) → Grand Canyon South Rim in about an hour — climbing off the valley floor and back over the Painted Desert and the Little Colorado to land near the park entrance, a fraction of the 3½-hour drive.
It's the same scenic point-to-point service, flown the other way. Travelers building a Southwest loop often fly one direction by air and arrive overland the other, or chain the leg with the Page, West Rim, and Boulder City connections.
Reverse leg · UT25 → GCN
Tour Packages
Fly the leg on its own, or as part of a Monument Valley ground tour.
What You See From The Cabin
High-wing Vistaliner — every seat next to a window. Multilingual narration.
The South Rim Edge
The flight lifts off the Coconino Plateau with the canyon's South Rim and Grand Canyon Village falling away beneath the wing.
Little Colorado Gorge
The turquoise Little Colorado threads its slot-like gorge across the Painted Desert as the route turns northeast off the canyon.
The Painted Desert
Banded badlands of red, mauve, and grey roll out across the Navajo Nation high country — the vast, empty heart of the Colorado Plateau.
The Buttes of Monument Valley
The Mittens, Merrick Butte, and the great sandstone monoliths rise from the valley floor as the Vistaliner descends to Goulding's airstrip.
The Drive Alternative, Leg by Leg
If you're committed to the wheel — here's the route, mile by mile.
Grand Canyon South Rim → Monument Valley (by car)
The Two Airports
Your departure & arrival, side by side.
The closest airport to the South Rim — 1 mile from the National Park's south entrance and about 8 miles from Grand Canyon Village and the main viewpoints. State-of-Arizona owned; the South Rim Terminal is one of Scenic's four bases, so the Page leg connects straight from your canyon morning.
A private one-way-in airstrip at historic Goulding's Lodge, on the valley floor among the buttes. The runway climbs uphill toward a 700-foot mesa, so aircraft land to the south and take off to the north — a dramatic approach. No fuel or services; landing is by prior arrangement with Goulding's. The lodge, trading post, and Monument Valley tours are a short walk away.
What's At Monument Valley When You Land
Land on the valley floor — the Mittens, the tribal-park loop, and Goulding's, all close by.
Monument Valley is a Navajo Tribal Park, on Navajo Nation land — it is the Navajo people's valley, not a national park. The scenic 17-mile loop and the backcountry require a tribal-park entry fee, and the side roads and overlooks beyond the loop can only be visited with a Navajo guide. Goulding's airstrip is private, and flying over the tribal park itself requires a separate Navajo permit. Follow posted rules and your guide's instructions.
What Sets Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines Apart
Heritage, fleet, and the credentials behind the flight.
Frequently Asked
Tap any question to expand.
Make it a two-park day
A short scenic leg connecting the Grand Canyon South Rim and Monument Valley, on Vistaliner and Cessna Caravan aircraft. Reservations daily 6 AM – 10 PM Pacific.