Papago Point, Grand Canyon National Park

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Grand Canyon National Park > South Rim > Viewpoints > Papago Point

Ridge above the end of Seventymile Creek

The walk westwards from Pinal Point to Papago (also known as Hollenback) Point could either be along the cliff edge or (slightly shorter) cross-country through the woodland, passing by a small limestone summit at 7,367 feet then on to the far northwest corner of the plateau. Papago Point ends with two semi-detached rocks, gradually being eroded away from the main rim, and for the best views it is worth climbing to the furthest one. This requires first scrambling over a narrow neck below two steep ravines that drop away to north and south, then descending the cliffs at the far side, to the base of an isolated flat-topped pillar about 10 meters across, then finally scaling the left side to the summit.

Papago has some of the best views anywhere on the South Rim, all the better for having no-one else around. As with Pinal Point, many miles of the Colorado are visible - west towards Bright Angel Creek, due north across Hance & Nevills Rapids, and, in the east, over Unkar Creek, Tanner Canyon, and all the way to the straight section of the river beneath the Palisades of the Desert. Directly below the point are the two large drainages of Papago Creek and Seventyfive Mile Creek, with many other ravines to the west including colorful Red and Mineral canyons. The North Rim has a group of large buttes beneath Cape Royal, centered on Krishna Shrine and Vishnu Temple.

The walk from Papago Point back to the parking area (see the description for Pinal Point) is just less than a mile, across level ground along the west rim of the plateau then veering east as the road approaches.

Next Points
West: Zuni Point
East: Pinal Point

View to the southwest

Antler

South Rim Viewpoints

Yuma
Pima
Mohave
Hopi
Powell
Maricopa
Grandeur
Yavapai
Mather
Yaki
Shoshone
Grandview
Moran
Zuni
Papago
Pinal
Lipan
Navajo
Desert View