The park has three gated entrances -- two on the South Rim and one on the North Rim. The one that's most convenient from Flagstaff, Williams, and Phoenix is the park's South Entrance Gate, 1 mile north of Tusayan on Highway 64. Traffic occasionally backs up here during peak hours in high season (May to Sept). Many travelers from Flagstaff, as well as those from points east, prefer entering the South Rim area through its East Entrance Gate, near Desert View, 28 1/2 miles west of Cameron on Highway 64. From Flagstaff, the drive to the East Entrance is about 8 miles longer than to the South Entrance.
The gate to the North Rim (210 highway miles away from the South Rim) isn't convenient to anywhere, except perhaps the small store, motel, and gas station at Jacob Lake, which is 30 miles north on Highway 67. The North Rim itself is 14 miles south of the gate. The closest real town is Fredonia, 71 miles north on Highway 89A. Visitors can also access parts of the park via Forest Service dirt roads.
