Forget Death Valley, This National Park's Scenic Drive Boasts Towering Canyon Overlooks

America boasts a healthy roster of scenic road trip routes that immerse motorists in the country's natural wonders. The West alone has tons to choose from, including California's Death Valley Scenic Byway, which winds through the desert park's iconic dunes and badlands. But none can top the drama of Desert View Drive, a 23-mile stretch of Arizona's State Route 64 crammed with towering canyon overlooks.

Desert View Drive runs right through Grand Canyon National Park, connecting Grand Canyon Village and the park's east entrance. The highway is tucked against the southern rim of the mile-deep chasm whose wonders the explorer John Wesley Powell once said "cannot be adequately represented in symbols of speech, nor by speech itself." The crevice is 277 miles long and up to 18 miles wide, and, at its bottom, flows its prehistoric creator, the Colorado River.

In the 19th century, Powell led a pioneering expedition through the bottom of the Grand Canyon, dwarfed by monumental red rock palisades. (Think Death Valley's Golden Canyon, but with much higher walls.) Today, Powell's route is popular among backpackers, hikers, and even paddlers chasing the most thrilling places to go whitewater rafting. But to get a sense of the Grand Canyon's true magnitude, you've got to see it from the top. And cruising Desert View Drive, the only public road on the south rim, is the smoothest way to do it.

Desert View Drive is a road made for rest stops. To this one stretch of highway, the National Park Service has added six designated viewpoints, each with a parking lot, which are perfect for stretching one's legs and snapping stunning landscape photos. Of these, Navajo Point is the highest — at 7,461 feet — while Duck on a Rock stands out for its mallard-beak formation. Experienced hikers will want to stop at Grandview Point, which doubles as the starting point of Grandview Trail — a steep, rugged descent into the canyon. If you're looking for a less strenuous way to stretch your legs, stop at the Shoshone Point trailhead earlier on for an easy mile-long walk to a great view.

The 23-mile stretch of road also boasts four picnic areas with tables, situated amidst Ponderosa pines. In addition to the six developed viewpoints, Desert View Drive has five unmarked pull-offs — from which visitors can observe further dramatic vistas. Keep your eyes peeled for the big-eared, white-tailed mule deer that populate Grand Canyon National Park.

Along the eastern portion of Desert View Drive is a Native American archaeological site called the Tusayan Pueblo — one of 6,000 such sites in the park. The ruined houses that make up Tusayan Pueblo were built in the 12th century by ancestors of the Hopi and Pueblo peoples of Arizona and New Mexico. From April to October, the site is open to visitors: You can walk a short, educational trail around some of the bygone houses, then pick up a handcrafted gift at the Native American Artisan Market onsite.

If you're not already nearing the Grand Canyon on a cross-country national park road trip, you can catch a flight to the region, then rent a car or catch a bus to Grand Canyon Village. The nearest airport is Arizona's Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG), about 90 miles away, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) is about 220 miles away.

The national park's free shuttle buses only cover the Desert View Drive's western tail. If you don't have your own wheels to drive the whole thing, snag a ticket for a Desert View Tour. The 3.5-hour bus ride stops at multiple viewpoints along the way.

After a long day of sightseeing, hiking and picnicking, travelers in need of a good night's sleep can book a room at one of many inns in Grand Canyon Village. For a unique overnight right on the rim of the canyon, try the El Tovar Hotel, an architectural gem deemed a National Historic Landmark. If you end your road trip on the other side of Desert View Drive, try booking a spot at Desert View Campground, located at the route's easternmost developed area. Its 49 campsites are available to reserve between April and October. From Desert View, visitors can admire the Colorado River as it bends north through the canyon, as well as the Desert View Watchtower, an iconic seven-story stone structure designed in the 1930s.