ALL HIKERS

GRAND CANYON PLACE NAMES

- A -

Originally the area between the Colorado and Little Colorado Rivers and the Grand Wash Cliffs.  It currently refers to the area between Pima Point and Mohave Point on the Hermits Rest Route.

Agate Canyon

Canyon near the east Tonto Trail between Sapphire Canyon and Slate Creek named by the U.S. Geographical Survey in 1903.

5,251' western Grand Canyon ridge named after a Havasupai family.

The Alligator

A low ridge with stubbed boulders named by Emery Kolb because it resembled the back of an alligator.

Alsap Butte

7,494' butte named in 1930 for John Alsap, an early promoter of the Salt River Valley.

Angels Gate

6,400' butte below Wotans Throne named by writer, George Whartan James.

Stone section with a window in it at Cape Royal.

Apache Point

6,322' point lying above Elves Chasm named after the Apache Indians.

6,252' feature named by Francois Matthes in 1902.

7,100' vista on the Walhalla Plateau.

Spur between Stone Creek and Galloway Canyon named by Frank Bond because it looked like an arrowhead.

Canyon north of the Colorado River between Hance Rapids and Sockdolager Rapids mined by John Hance in early 1900s for asbestos.

Creek named for ancient eastern Hopi pueblo.

4,961' point just north of Coronado Butte named for Emma Burbank Ayer, the first non-native woman to enter the Canyon on the Hance Trail in 1885.

- B -

Creeks pouring into Marble Canyon named after Mormon pioneer Jacob Hamblin who shot a badger along its banks.  According to the story he took the badger to another creek and put it on the fire to boil.  In the morning, instead of stew, the alkali in the water and the fat from the badger resulted in a kettle of soap.

6,525' point named after A. F. Banta, chief scout for General Crook's command at Fort Whipple, and who claimed to have discovered Meteor Crater.

4,699' butte above Nankoweap Creek named after a Navajo leader.

Intermittent stream below the basalt cliffs north of Tanner Rapids named by Frank Bond.

Tourist camp at the Grand Canyon built by William Wallace Bass.

Ridge on the west side of Bright Angel Trail so named because its appearance was like a ship commonly seen during the Spanish-American war.

6,400' point on the Powell Plateau named after Edward Fitzgerald Beale, a naval officer, who pioneered the use of camels for the military in the southwest.

7,600' point northeast of Bass Canyon named after one of the original knights of the round table.

Narrow canyon off Stephen Aisle named by Frank Bond.

Creek west of Hermit Creek named after Louis D. Boucher, a French-Canadian prospector and hermit who arrived in the Canyon in 1891.

Creek near Lyell Butte with numerous boulders.

7,000' ridgeline that is the northern boundary for Grand Canyon National Park.

6,525' point just east of Point Imperial named for Army officer and Medal of Honor recipient, John Gregory Bourke.

4,720' point on the north side of the Clear Creek Trail named for G. Y. Bradley, a boatman with the first Powell expedition.

8,107' peak east of Vista Encantada on the Cape Royal Road named for Arizona special agent and legislator, Peter R. Brady.

7,553' bluff just north of Zoroaster Temple on the north side of the Clear Creek Trail named by Clarence Dutton.

Overlook on the Hermit Trail just below Lookout Point named by Emery and Ellsworth Kolb due to the high winds frequently encountered there.

6,603' Knoll between the Bill Hall Trail and the Esplanade named for mountain man, James Bridger.

North Rim creek named by John Wesley Powell in 1869 during his geographical survey.

7,203' butte between Haunted Canyon and Ribbon Falls named by Henry Gannett, a surveyor for Clarence Dutton.

Canyon on the North Bass Trail named for a prominent Havasupai guide.

- C -

Eastern point of Walhalla Plateau on Cape Royal Road named by Clarence Dutton.

The southern most point of the Walhalla Plateau named by Clarence Dutton.  The Angels Window is here.

Point on the South Rim overlooking the confluence of the Colorado River and Little Colorado named by Clarence Dutton.

4,459' butte west of the Colorado River adjacent to Cape Solitude named by surveyor, Charles Walcott.

6,281' butte on west side of the Tanner Trail named for Lieutenant Lopez de Cardenas.

6,221' butte between Turquoise Canyon and Sapphire Canyon.

Cave of the Domes

Cave located just off the northwest side of Horseshoe Mesa.

7,057' cedar covered hill viewable northeast of Desert View.

6,540' point just west of South Bass Trailhead named for Chemehuevi Indians of Lower Colorado River.

5,401' butte just west of Phantom Canyon named by George Wharton James for its resemblance to the Great Pyramid of Cheops.

Remote waterfall in Clear Creek Canyon discovered and named by Emery and Ellsworth Kolb in 1908.

6,200' point just northwest of Cape Final on the Cape Royal Road named for Juan Chiavria.

Chikapanaga Mesa

4,433' mesa in western Grand Canyon.

Chuar Butte

6,394' butte just west of the confluence of the Colorado River and Little Colorado.  It is the site of the worst air tragedy in Grand Canyon history.  In 1956 two airplanes crashed in midair here, killing all 128 people.

Clement Powell Butte

6,360' butte just southwest of Ribbon Falls named for a cousin of John Wesley Powell, who participated in Powell's second Canyon expedition.

Cochise Butte

6,530' butte northwest of the confluence of the Colorado River and Little Colorado named for the famed war leader of the Apache Indians.

Coconino Plateau

Broad, wide plateau south of Grand Canyon Village named by biologist, C. Hart Merriam.

Cocopa Point

6,600' south rim point north of the Dripping Springs Trail named for Cocopah Indians.

Cogswell Butte

4,545' butte in Surprise Valley named for Raymond A. Cogswell.

Colorado River

The main river flowing through the Grand Canyon.  Its name means "reddish" in Spanish.

Colter Butte

7,256' butte east of Vista Encantada on the North Rim named for James G. H. Colter.

Comanche Point

7,073' point east of Tanner Rapids.  Originally named Bissel Point after an officer of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad.  The U. S. Geographical Board renamed it after the Texas Indian Nation.

Confucius Temple

7,081' butte north of Boucher Rapids and Slate Creek.

Conquistador Aisle

Dark chasm on south side of the Colorado River near mile 121.

Cope Butte

4,538' butte just north of the Cathedral Stairs on the Hermit Trail named for Edward D. Cope.

Coronado Butte

7,162' butte on the west side of the upper New Hance Trail named for Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, the Spanish Governor of the province of Nueva Galicia who explored the area in 1540.

Crazy Jug Point

A North Rim point east of Monument Point named for the shape of a sandstone found nearby.

Cremation Creek

Creek below Lyell Butte and east of South Kaibab Trail.  It was believed by Emery Kolb that this ancient ash pit contained human remains.

Crystal Creek

Creek on the north side of the Colorado River opposite Slate Creek named for its clear water.

- D -

Dana Butte

5,031' butte north of Hopi Point named for American geologist, James Wright Dana.

Darwin Plateau

Plateau west of Ruby Rapids named from Charles Darwin.

Dead Horse Mesa

Flat mesa north of Sinyella Rapids.

Demaray Point

4,800' point north of the Clear Creek Trail named for Arthur E. Demaray, director of the National Park Service in the 1950s.

De Motte Park

Large natural meadow on the northern border of the Canyon's North Rim.  It is sometimes called V. T. Park after a nearby ranch.

Desert View Point

7,450' point at the eastern edge of the park named for its sweeping view of the Painted Desert.

Deubendorff Rapids

Rapids at mile 132 named for S. S. Deubendorff.

Deva Temple

7,339' bluff southeast of Cottonwood Camp named by surveyor Clarence Dutton after the mythological wife of Shiva.

Diamond Canyon

Lying just west of the park near mile 225 near Diamond Creek.  Named by Lieutenant Joseph Ives.

Diana Temple

6,400' butte between Topaz Canyon and Slate Creek named for the Roman Goddess of the Hunt.

Dirty Devil River

River that empties into Lake Powell above Glen Canyon.

Dox Castle

4,780' pillar east of the North Bass Trail named for Virginia Dox, a pioneer lady visitor to the Canyon.

Drummond Plateau

Plateau east of Elves Chasm named for Willis Drummond, who assisted John Wesley Powell in the preparation of his reports.

Dunn Butte

5,721' butte east of Clear Creek named for William H. Dunn, who left the first Powell expedition and was murdered by Paiute Indians.

Duppa Butte

6,692' butte west of Kwagunt Valley named for Darrell Duppa, an early booster of the Salt River Valley area.  He proclaimed that a "Phoenix-like" city would spring to life.  He was probably responsible for the name sticking to the new city, Phoenix.

Dutton Point

7,520' point on the Powell Plateau west of the North Bass Trail named for Clarence E. Dutton.

Ehrenberg Point

6,880' point east of Vista Encantada named for mining engineer, Hermann Ehrenberg.

Elaine Castle

7,420' feature near Shinumo Creek named for Lancelot's lover, Elaine of Astolat.

Elves Chasm

Nearly tropical area with ferns and orchids at mile 116.5.  Named so for the many travertine formations within it that must have been mined by elves.

Mount Emma

7,702' peak in the Toroweap area named for John Wesley Powell's wife, Emma.

Enfilade Point

Promontory point above mile 124.

Escalante Creek

Creek just east of Neville Rapids and 75 Mile Creek named for Francisco Silvestre Velez de Escalante, a Spanish born Franciscan missionary.

Espejo Butte

Butte overlooking Tanner Rapids and Palisades Creek named for Spanish conquistador, Antonio de Espejo.

The Esplanade

A smooth rock platform of the Supai Formation named by Clarence Dutton for a public walkway in New York City's Central Park.

Evans Butte

6,372' butte east of Bass Canyon named for Welsh cartographer, Richard T. Evans.

Evolution Amphitheater

Area west of Bass Canyon lying between Huxley Terrace and Spencer Terrace.

Excalibur

7,051' serrated rise east of the North Bass Trail.

Fan Island

5,085' butte northwest of Burro Canyon so named because it resembled an unfolded hand fan.

Fairview Point

7,600' point on the East Rim offering a view of the Painted Desert.

Shaded canyon at mile 168 with a perennial spring that feeds many maidenhair ferns.

4,748' butte above Hakatai Rapids named for John Fiske.

Forster Canyon

Canyon between Fossil Rapids and 120 Mile Creek named for William Forster, one of the first Anglos to see Elves Chasm.

Fossil Canyon

Canyon near mile 125 named for the many fossils found there.

Freya Castle

7,288' butte southeast of Cape Royal named for the Norse Goddess, Freya.

Galahad Point

7,800' point west of Point Sublime named for the purest of heart of all the knights of the roundtable.  Galahad was the son of Lancelot and Elaine.

Galloway Canyon

Canyon east of mile 134 and Middle Granite Gorge.  Named for Nathan Galloway, a Canyon trapper.

Garden Creek

Small creek running along the Bright Angel Trail past Indian Garden to the Colorado River.

Gatagama Point

5,800' point east of Olo Canyon and Chikapanagi Point named for a Havasupai family living nearby.

Gawain Abyss

Canyon below Shinumo Amphitheater named for a knight of the roundtable who fought the Green Knight.

Geikie Peak

5,005' peak between Sapphire Canyon and Slate Creek named for Sir Archibald Geikie, a Director of the Geological Survey of the United Kingdom.

Grand Scenic Divide

The division between the Tonto Platform and upper Granite Gorge to the east named by William Wallace Bass.

Grandview Point

7,400' point that marks the Grandview Trailhead.  Named by John Hance.  Peter Berry used this trail to mine copper from Horseshoe Mesa below.

Granite Gorge

Canyon between Tapeats Creek and Bonita Creek named by John Wesley Powell during his 1869 expedition.

Grapevine Canyon

Canyon between Boulder Creek and Cottonwood Creek that may have been named for the wild grapes growing along the Tonto Trail.

Great Thumb Mesa

Large plateau west of Deubendorff Rapids named by Frank Bond because it resembled a large thumb.

Great Unconformity

In geological terms, an unconformity is a discontinuity in stratification: an old layer of rock is overlain by a younger one without the expected depositions representing the intervening years, usually because those depositions have been eroded away.  Named by John Wesley Powell in 1876 to describe huge lacunae in the geological record of the Grand Canyon.

Greenland Spring

Water source on the Walhalla Plateau near the Cape Royal Road named by Mormon ranchers.

Guinevere Castle

7,257' butte west of Point Sublime named after King Arthur's wife.

Gunther Castle

7,189' butte west of Kwagunt Valley named after a king in Germanic mythology.

Hakatai Canyon

Canyon on the north side of the Colorado River between Copper Canyon and Walthenberg Canyon.  William Wallace Bass operated an asbestos mine here in the early 1900s.  The name is the English translation for the Hualapai word for the Colorado River.

Hall Butte

5,530' butte north of Sackdolager Rapids named for Andrew Hall, a boatman on John Wesley Powell's 1869 expedition.

Hance Creek

Creek east of Horseshoe Mesa named for John Hance, one of the first settlers at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Hancock Butte

7,683' butte south of Point Imperial named for William A. Hancock, who was Phoenix's first sheriff and later Assistant U. S. Attorney.

Hansbrough Point

Point off Marble Canyon named for Peter Hansbrough, a member of Robert Stanton's 1890 expedition who drowned at 25 mile rapid.

Hattan Butte

5,954' butte east of the North Kaibab Trail and north of Zoroaster Temple named after Andrew Hattan, a cook for John Wesley Powell's second expedition.

Haunted Canyon

North Rim canyon east of the North Kaibab Trail.  Its name is associated with nearby Haunted Creek.

Havasu Canyon

Canyon near Havasu Rapids in the Havasupai Reservation.

Hawkins Butte

4,000' butte north of Grapevine Rapids named for W. R. Hawkins, a cook for John Wesley Powell's first expedition.

Mount Hayden

8,372' rise below Point Imperial named after Charles Trumball Hayden, an Arizona pioneer who established a flour mill and ferry near Tempe.

Hermit Basin

Area west of Hermits Rest named for Louis D. Boucher, who had a home at Dripping Springs and was called the "Hermit" by longtime residents.

Hillers Butte

5,895' butte between Phantom Canyon and Ribbon Falls named after John K. Hiller, a photographer on John Wesley Powell's second expedition.

Hindu Amphitheater

4,072' depression on Crystal Creek northeast of Slate Creek named by Clarence Dutton.

Holy Grail Temple

6,703' butte west of the North Bass Trail originally named Bass Tomb after William Wallace Bass by Virginia Dox, the first white woman to descend the Canyon at this place.  Bass' ashes were scattered over this area in 1933.

Hopi Point

South Rim point on the Hermits Rest Route originally named Rowes Point after local cattleman, Sanford Rowe.  The Board of Geographical Names later named the point after the Hopi Indians of northeastern Arizona.

Horseshoe Mesa

The mesa below Grandview Point that Peter Berry mined for copper.

Horn Creek

Creek west of Indian Garden named for Tom Horn, an Army scout in the Geronimo campaign who later served as a Yavapai County deputy sheriff under Buckey O'Neill.

Horus Temple

6,080' butte north of Salt Creek Rapids named for an Egyptian mythological demigod.

Hotouta Canyon

Canyon named for Tom Hotouta, the son of Havasupai Chief Navajo.

House Rock Creek

Creek at mile 17 on the Colorado River named by Mormon pioneer, Jacob Hamblin.

Howlands Butte

5,571' butte northeast of Lonetree Canyon and Clear Creek named for Oramel and Seneca Howland, brothers who left the first John Wesley Powell expedition and were murdered.

Hualapai Plateau

The flatland west of Grand Canyon National park named for the Hualapai, meaning pine tree mountain people.

Hubbell Butte

6,740' butte east of Vista Encantada named for Lorenzo Hubbell, a famous trader on the Navajo Reservation.

Mount Huethwali

6,281' rise west of the South Bass Trail meaning White Tower in Havasupai.

Hutton Butte

6,704' butte west of Kwagunt Valley named for Oscar Hutton.

Huxley Terrace

Terrace between Evolution Amphitheater and South Bass Trail named for Thomas Henry Huxley, an English cleric and philosopher.

Indian Garden

Campground on Bright Angel Trail at around 3,800' named by writer and traveler, George Wharton James.  The spot used to be called Angel Terrace.

Isis Temple

7,012' bluff west of Phantom Creek and Haunted Canyon named for the Egyptian nature goddess, Isis.

Ives Point

Point east of Fossil Canyon and north of 120 Mile Creek named for Lieutenant Joseph Christmas Ives who led an expedition to complete the first systematic survey of the Canyon region.

Jeffords Point

6,547' point east of Roosevelt Point on the Cape Royal Road named for Tom Jeffords, an Army scout who was instrumental in negotiating peach with Cochise's band of Apaches.

Jicarillo Point

West rim point above Sapphire Canyon named for the Jacarillo Apache tribe of New Mexico.

Johnson Point

5,100' point west of the North Kaibab Trail and north of the Box section named for Frederick Johnson, a park ranger who drowned above Horn Creek in 1929.

Jones Point

5,300' overlook east of the North Kaibab Trail and Johnson Point names for S. V. Jones, a mathematician-surveyor on John Wesley Powell's second expedition.

Jumpup Canyon

North Rim canyon on Kanab Creek.

Juno Temple

6,896' butte northeast of Cape Final named for Juno, queen of the gods and wife of the sky god, Jupiter.

Jupiter Temple

7,081' wooded slope southeast of Cape Final.

Kaibab Plateau

9,000' plateau on the North Rim is the world's second highest plateau.  The name comes from the Paiute for "mountain lying down."

Kanab Canyon

Canyon at mile 143.6 named by John Wesley Powell after the Paiute word for willow, one of the abundant trees here.

Kolb Natural Bridge

Sandstone arch below Point Imperial named for Emery Kolb by Senator Barry M. Goldwater in 1953.  It is also called Kolb Bridge and Kolb Arch.

Komo Point

Point east of Cottonwood Camp named for a Paiute family who lived nearby.

6,115' bluff northwest of Neville Rapids named after the Hindu deity, the dark avitar of Vishnu.

Kwagunt Valley

Valley south of Nankoweap Canyon named by John Wesley Powell for a Paiute Indian.

Lancelot Point

7,688' point near the headwaters of Shinumo Creek named for Arthur's favorite knight.

Lava Canyon

Narrow canyon at Mile 65 named for its volcanic rock.

Lava Cliff Rapids

Named by Claude Birdseye, these once formidable rapids are now under water backed up by Hoover Dam.

Lava Falls Rapids

At mile 179, considered by many to be the toughest rapids on the Colorado River.

Le Conte Plateau

Plateau on the Tonto Trail between Ruby Canyon and Turquoise Canyon named for geologist, Joseph Le Conte.

Lees Ferry

At the confluence of the Paria and Colorado Rivers at river mile zero, named for John Doyle Lee.

Lindbergh Hill

Hill between north park boundary and North Rim Lodge named for aviator, Charles A. Lindbergh.

Lipan Point

Just west of Desert View on the South Rim, it is the trailhead for the Tanner Trail and named for the Lipan Apaches of Texas.  It was formerly named Lincoln Point after the American president.

Little Colorado River

River at the east end of the Beamer Trail, also called the Colorado Chiquito and Rio de Lino.

Lookout Point

Point just west of the Hermit Trail between Santa Maria Springs and Breezy Point.

Lyell Butte

5,368' butte just west of Grapevine Creek named for English geologist, Sir Charles Lyell.

Maiden's Breast

Rock formation near Maricopa Point named by George Wharton James for the female body part it resembles.

Malagosa Canyon

Narrow canyon in the eastern park named for Pedro de Malagosa, a sergeant in Cardena's detachment.

Mallery Grotto

Cave in the El Tovar Amphitheater named for Garrick Mallery, a specialist in Native American pictography. 

Manu Temple

7,181' bluff between Ribbon Falls and Haunted Canyon named for Manu, the legendary Hindu lawgiver.

Manzanita Point

Point just northeast of Cottonwood Camp named for the manzanita bushes growing nearby.

Marble Canyon

Canyon ending at mile 61.5 named by John Wesley Powell in 1869.

Marcos Terrace

Broad terrace above Explorer's Monument north of Elves Chasm named for Fray Marcos de Niza.

Maricopa Point

Just east of Powell Point on the Hermits Rest Route named for the Maricopa Indians of central Arizona.

Marion Point

5,300' rise above Nankoweap Canyon named for John H. Marion, a Prescott publisher.

Marsh Butte

4,721' butte near the Tonto Trail between Boucher Creek and Slate Creek named for O. Charles Marsh, a Yale professor of paleontology. 

6,200' bluff west of the North Bass Trail named for the Order of Freemasons.

One of the better viewing points on the South Rim named for Stephen T. Mather, the first director of the National Park Service.

Extremely narrow canyon above Upset Rapids named for a Havasupai family.

6,280' overlook above the Colorado River in the Hualapai Reservation named for Edwin D. McKee, a distinguished student of Grand Canyon geology.

6,997' feature southeast of Point Sublime named by Clarence Dutton for Meng Tse, who codified the Confucian laws.

Merlin Abyss

Canyon in Shinumo Creek east of the North Bass Trail named for the famous sorcerer of the King Arthur legends.

Mescalero Point

Point northwest of Dripping Springs above Topaz Canyon named for the Mescalero Apaches.

Millet Point

7,206' point between the Bill Hall Trailhead and Monument Point named for Frank Millet, a noted landscape artist who died when the Titanic sunk.

Mimbreno Point

6,603' point northwest of Dripping Springs above Topaz Canyon named for the Mimbres Apaches.

Modred Abysss

Chasm in Shinumo Creek east of the North Bass Trail named for Modred (also spelled Mordred), who murdered King Arthur.

Mohave Point

Overlook just west of Hopi Point on the Hermits Rest Route named for the Mojave Indians.

Monadnock Amphitheater

Hollow northeast of Ruby Canyon and Ruby Rapids named for the technical term for a vestigial hill left after a plateau has been scraped away by erosion.

Montezuma Point

Point overlooking Royal Arch Creek named for the last emperor of the Aztecs.

Monument Creek

South Rim creek running into Granite Rapids named by John Wesley Powell.

Mooney Falls

One of the falls in lower Havasu Canyon named for Daniel W. Mooney, who fell to his death there in 1880.

Moran Point

One of the South Rim points between Grandview Point and Lipan Point.  It is named for Thomas Moran, one of the great artists of the Grand Canyon.

5,251' western Grand Canyon ridge named after a Havasupai family.

Mount Emma

7,702' peak in the Toroweap area named for John Wesley Powell's wife, Emma.

Mount Hayden

8,372' rise below Point Imperial named after Charles Trumball Hayden, an Arizona pioneer who established a flour mill and ferry near Tempe.

Mount Huethwali

6,281' rise west of the South Bass Trail meaning White Tower in Havasupai.

Mount Spoonhead

5,677' butte just east of Rattlesnake Canyon named after a Havasupai Indian.

Mount Wodo

5,130' peak east of Cataract Creek named for a Havasupai family who lived on its slopes.

Muav Canyon

5,000' foot pass that divides the North Rim from Powell Plateau.  It comes from the Paiute word meaning "divide."

Naji Point

8,090' point just east of the Cape Royal Road named for Naji, one of the sons of the Apache leader, Cochise.  It is also referred to as Uncle Jim Point.

Nankoweap Canyon

Canyon near Nankoweap Rapids named by Francois Matthes in 1927.  It comes from a Paiute word that may mean "place that echos."

Navajo Point

7,461' point on the east drive, the highest point on the South Rim, named after the nearby Indian nation.

Nautiloid Canyon

Small canyon at mile 34.8 that contains fossil remnants of sea creatures related to squids and octopuses. 

Neal Spring

Water source at the head of Bright Angel Canyon named for William Neal, an Arizona cattleman and mine operator.

Newberry Butte

5,104' butte north of Hance Rapids and Cottonwood Creek named for John S. Newberry, chief medical officer for the Ives expedition.

Newton Butte

5,912' butte above Boulder Creek named for physicist, Isaac Newton.

Novinger Butte

6,922' butte southeast of Mount Hayden named for Simon Novinger, an early settler of the Salt River Valley area who spent much of his life searching for the Lost Dutchman Mine in the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix.

Obi Point

7,920' point east of Wall  Creek from the Paiute word for a local pinyon pine.

Ochoa Point

Overlook northwest of Tanner Rapids named for Estevan Ochoa, a mayor of Tucson.

Olo Canyon

Canyon at mile 145 between Kanab Creek and Matkatamiba Canyon from the Havasupai word meaning horse.

Canyon at mile 140 named by Claude Birdseye also called Neighing Horse Canyon.

6,071' butte on the South Kaibab Trail below Cedar Ridge named for William Buckey O'Neill, Yavapai County Sheriff and one of Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders killed in the Spanish American War during the assault on San Juan Hill.

Osiris Temple

6,637' butte northeast of Boucher Rapids named for Osiris, the Egyptian mythological god of the underworld.

Ottoman Amphitheater

Depression north of Clear Creek named for the Ottoman Empire of Turkey.

Oza Butte

8,065' butte near Upper Upper Ribbon Falls named for the Paiute word meaning narrow necked basket.

Paguekwash Point

5,663' point west of Olo Canyon named for the Paiute word meaning fishtail.

Palisades of the Desert

A range of 5,000' cliffs running from Cape Solitude to Comanche Point that separate the Painted Desert from the eastern Grand Canyon.

Terrace above Matkatamiba Canyon and below Mount Akaba named for a Havasupai family.

Panya Point

Point above Putesoy Canyon and Cataract Creek named for a Havasupai family.

Papago Point

South Rim point west of Lipan Point and Pinal Point named for the Papago Indians of southern Arizona.  This point is also called Hollenbeck Point.

Parashant Canyon

Far western park canyon from the Paiute meaning "much water" or "elk hide."  The named is also spelled Parashont and Parashunt.

Parissawampitts Point

Point above Tapeats Creek on the North Rim from the Paiute phrase meaning "place where the water bubbles."

Pattie Butte

5,306' butte between Cremation Creek and Lonetree Canyon named for James Ohio Pattie, a member of an 1824 beaver trapping group.

Paya Butte

Point above Matkatamiba Canyon named for Lemuel Paya, the tribal spokesman for the Havasupai during negotiations over their reservation boundaries.

Peshlakai Point

6,200' point above the Palisades of the Desert named for an important modern Navajo silversmith.

Phantom Ranch

Phantom Ranch was designed by Mary Jane Colter and opened in 1922.  It sits at the bottom of the Grand Canyon near the Colorado River, Bright Angel Creek, and the North Kaibab Trail. 

Pima Point

Rim overlook point just east of Hermits Rest on the Hermits Rest Route named for the Pima Indians of southern Arizona.

Pinal Point

South Rim point just west of Lipan Point named for the Pinal Apaches of south central Arizona.

Pipe Creek

Creek between Bright Angel Trail and South Kaibab Trail named for a meerschaum pipe with a fake date carved in it left by Ralph Cameron on the trail as a joke.

Piute Point

South Rim point between Turquoise Canyon and Sapphire Canyon named for these North Rim Indians (properly spelled Paiute).

Point Centeotl

South Rim point above Elves Chasm.

Point Huitzil

South Rim point near Royal Arch Creek.

Point Imperial

8,803' North Rim point overlooking Mount Hayden is the highest point in the Grand Canyon.

Point Retreat

3,000' rise in Marble Canyon named by Robert Stanton.

Point Sublime

Point north of Slate Creek named by Clarence Dutton in 1880 as one his favorite places.

Poston Butte

6,469' butte east of Vista Encantada named for Charles Debrille Poston, known as the "father of Arizona."

Powell Plateau

North Rim plateau just east of the North Bass Trail named for John Wesley Powell.

President Harding Rapid

Rapid named by Claude Birdseye in 1923 after learning of President Harding's death.

Putesoy Canyon

Canyon on Cataract Creek near Lee Canyon named for a Havasupai family.

Redwall Cavern

Limestone cavern at mile 33 named by John Wesley Powell.

Ribbon Falls

Falls southwest of Cottonwood Camp named by Francois Matthes.

Roaring Springs

Springs north of Cottonwood Camp that flow from the mountain, are piped, and transported to the South Rim.

Roosevelt Point

North Rim overlook on the Cape Royal Road named for President Theodore Roosevelt.

- S -

Saddle Mountain

8,424' saddle west of Nankoweap Canyon named by Claude Birdseye.

Santa Maria Springs

Spring on the Hermit Trail named by Mary Jane Colter to honor the Virgin Mary.

Sapphire Canyon

Canyon on the east Tonto Trail between Turquoise Canyon and Agate Canyon.

Schellbach Butte

6,034' butte east of Haunted Canyon and Phantom Creek named after Louis Schellbach, chief naturalist at Grand Canyon National Park from 1941 to 1957.

Scylla Butte

3,844' butte just west of Slate Creek near the Tonto East Trail named after the sea monster of the Straits of Messina, whom Heracles slew in this classical legend.

Separation Rapids

Rapids near mile 239 now silted in by the formation of Lake Mead.  This is where the Howland brothers and William H. Dunn separated from the original Powell expedition, climbed to the North Rim, and were killed by Indians.

Shaler Plateau

3,400' mesa near the Tonto East Trail just west of Turquoise Canyon named for Nathaniel S. Shaler, Harvard geology professor who argued for Darwinian evolutionary theory.

Shanub Point

5,200' point just west of Paguekwash Point from the Paiute word meaning "wild dog."

Sheba Temple

4,990' butte northeast of Asbestos Canyon named after the biblical land of Sheba.

Shinumo Altar

Rise on the east Marble Platform named by Frederick Dellenbaugh.

Shiva Temple

7,570' butte just west of Haunted Canyon, the largest of the North Rim buttes, named by Clarence Dutton for Shiva, the mythological destroyer of worlds.

Sieber Point

Point named for Al Sieber, who served as chief of scouts during the Indian Wars.

Siegfried Pyle

7,922' mesa on the east side of the Walhalla Plateau named for Siegfried, the mythical prince who stole the treasure of Nibelungen.

Sinking Ship

7,344' South Rim butte just northwest of Buggeln Hill named by R. R. Tillotson, park superintendent in the 1930s.

Canyon and butte in western Grand Canyon named for a prominent Havasupai leader.

Point on the South Kaibab Trail just north of O'Neill Butte where the trail starts to switchback down quickly.

Creeks named after Mormon pioneer Jacob Hamblin shot a badger along its banks.  According to the story he took the badger to another creek and put it on the fire to boil.  In the morning, instead of stew, the alkali in the water and the fat from the badger resulted in a kettle of soap.

Sockdolager Rapids

Rapids at mile 79 just west of Hance Canyon named by John Wesley Powell for a boxer's knockout punch.

Solomon Temple

Terrace below Powell Plateau named by the U. S. Geological Survey.

Spencer Terrace

Terrace north of Lake Powell named for Herbert Spencer, a proponent of Social Darwinism who also coined the phrase "survival of the fittest."

Mount Spoonhead

5,677' butte just east of Rattlesnake Canyon named after a Havasupai Indian.

Stanton Point

6,240' point northwest of 127 Mile Creek named for Robert Stanton, who surveyed the Grand Canyon for Denver, Colorado Canyon, and Pacific Railroad planning a railroad that was never built.

Stephen Aisle

Section of the Colorado River between miles 117 and 119 named for Estevanico, a Moorish traveler.

Stone Creek

Creek at mile 132 named for Julius Stone, a manufacturer of firefighting equipment who duplicated John Wesley Powell's journey through the Canyon.

Sturdevant Point

Point north of Phantom Canyon named for Glen E. Sturdevant, the first naturalist of Grand Canyon National Park, who drowned near Horn Creek in 1929.

Sullivan Point

Rise near Point Imperial named for J. W. Sullivan, a prominent Prescott Valley rancher.

Sumner Butte

5,126' butte just east of the Box section of the North Kaibab Trail named for John C. Sumner, a hunter and trapper for John Wesley Powell.

Surprise Valley

3,600' valley near Deer Creek "accidentally" found by E. O. Beaman, the photographer on Powell's second expedition, hence the name.  For some unknown reason, the U. S. Geological Survey moved the map location around 1960 to its current inaccurate location between Deer Creek and Thunder River.

Swilling Butte

6,785' butte west of Kwagunt Valley named for John Swilling, sometimes called "the father of Phoenix" for his early development of the area.

The Tabernacle

4,830' rise north of Solomon Temple and northwest of Escalante Creek named for a portable altar such as the one Moses carried into the wilderness.

Tahuta Point

6,400' point in the Havasupai Reservation named in 1925 for a then living Havasupai leader.

Tanner Canyon

Canyon at Tanner Rapids named for Seth B. Tanner, a Mormon pioneer who ran a trading post at Moenkopi and staked claims to several mines along the Colorado River.

Tapeats Creek

North Rim creek below Thunder River named by John Wesley Powell for Ta Pits, a Paiute Indian who showed him the creek.

Temple Butte

5,308' mesa north of Carbon Rapids surprisingly named as a butte.

Thompson Canyon

North Rim Canyon on Highway 67 just north of the North Kaibab Trailhead named for Charles Thompson, who operated V. T. Ranch.

Thor Temple

6,741' butte just west of Cliff Spring and Cape Royal named by George Wharton James because it looked like a hammer.

Thunder River

One-half mile long river between Surprise Valley and Tapeats Creek that is the shortest river in the world.

Tilted Mesa

Sloping formation west of Marble Gorge named by cartographer Francois Matthes.

5,785' point north of Lee Canyon named for a Havasupai family.

Point just west of Widforss Point named for a Hopi mythological figure who traversed the Canyon on a cottonwood log.  Tiyo Point was once named Jupiter Point.

South Rim point southeast of Elves Chasm named for the Toltec Indians of Mexico.

East-west trail traversing much of the Canyon south of the Colorado River named for the Tonto Apaches of north-central Arizona.

Topaz Canyon

Canyon on the Tonto Trail near Boucher Creek named by the Board of Geographical Names in keeping with naming canyons in this area after precious stones.

Topocoba Hill

Rise off Havasu Canyon from a Havasupai word meaning "hilltop water source."

Toroweap Point

6,203' point north of Saddle Horse Canyon from the Paiute word meaning "dry wash."

Tovar Terrace

Terrace named for Pedro de Tovar for whom the El Tovar Hotel on the South Rim is named.

Towago Point

Point over Matkatamiba Canyon named for a Havasupai family.

Tower of Ra

6,129' butte northeast of Boucher Rapids named for Ra, the Egyptian sun god.

Tower of Set

6,012' butte north of Salt Creek Rapids named for the chief Egyptian god of war.

The Transept

Canyon that crosses the North Kaibab Trail at Cottonwood Camp.

Travertine Canyon

Canyon on the east Tonto Trail southwest of Hermits Rapids so named for the abundant calcium carbonate deposits in the area.

Trinity Creek

Small stream at mile 92 that takes its name from the Christian godhead of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Tritle Peak

8,388' peak north of Roosevelt Point on the Cape Royal Road named for F. A. Tritle, territorial governor of Arizona from 1881-1885.

Tuna Creek

Creek northwest of Slate Creek from the Spanish name for the fruit of the prickly pear.

Turquois Canyon

Canyon on the Tonto Trail west of Sapphire Canyon.

Tusayan Ruin

Anasazi ruin on the South Rim near Desert View.

Tyndall Dome

4,879' butte northwest of Bass Canyon named for John Tyndall, an English naturalist who helped advance evolutionary theory in his country.

Uncle Jim Point

8,240' point southeast of the North Kaibab Trailhead near the Uncle Jim Trail named for Uncle Jim Owens, one of the Canyon's many hermit prospectors.

Unkar Creek

Creek west of Cardenas Canyon and Unkar Rapids from the Paiute word for "red stone."

Upset Rapids

Rapids north of Matkatamiba Mesa where Emery Kolb overturned his boat during a 1923 expedition.

Vaseys Paradise

Green stretch of shorline at mile 32 named by John Wesley Powell for Vasey, a botanist friend of his.

Venus Temple

6,281' butte southeast of Cape Final named for the Roman mythological goddess of love.

Vesta Temple

6,240' butte near the head of Boucher Creek named for the Roman mythological goddess of hearth.

Vishnu Temple

7,529' butte south of the Angels Window at Cape Royal named by Clarence Dutton after the redeemer aspect of the Hindu godhead.

Vista Encantada Point

Point on the Cape Royal road from the Spanish word meaning "enchanting view."

Vulcans Throne

5,102' remnant of an ancient volcano north of the river at mile 177.

Walcott Butte

Butte named for Charles D. Walcott, Director of the U. S. Geological Survey after John Wesley Powell.

Walhalla Plateau

North Rim plateau named by Francois Matthes after the legendary mountain fortress of the noble Norse dead.

Wallace Butte

5,209' butte just west of the South Bass Trail named for the English naturalist, Alfred Russell Wallace.

Walthenberg Canyon

Canyon north of the river at mile 112 named for John Waltenberg, a colleague of William Wallace Bass.  The misspelling of his name remains a decision of the Board of Geographic Names.

Watahomigie Point

Overlook near Havasu Canyon named for a Havasupai family.

Wescogame Point

Point west of Cataract Creek named for a Havasupai family who lived nearby.

Wheeler Point

Point below Powell Plateau named for George Montague Wheeler, an Army officer who surveyed the Grand Canyon region in the 1860s and 1870s.

Whites Butte

4,860' butte near Travertine Canyon and the Boucher Trail named for James White, a prospector who went through the Canyon on the Colorado River in 1867.

Widforss Point

North Rim point named for Gunnar Mauritz Widforss, one of the most famous Canyon painters who took up residence at the North Rim.

Mount Wodo

5,130' peak east of Cataract Creek named for a Havasupai family who lived on its slopes.

Woolsey Point

Point north of Point Imperial named after King S. Woolsey, an Arizonan with a checkered reputation.

Wotans Throne

7,633' wooded mesa southwest of Cape Royal separated from the North Rim by the forces of erosion.

Yaki Point

7,260' point of the South Rim that is the trailhead for the South Kaibab Trail named for the Yaqui Indians.

Yavapai Point

One of the main South Rim viewing points from the Paiute word meaning "sun people."

Yuma Point

South Rim overlook above the Boucher Trail named for these Arizona-California Indians.

Yumtheska Point

Point southwest of Beaver Falls named for a Havasupai family who lived nearby.

Yunosi Point

Point southwest of Mooney Falls and Havasu Falls after the wife of Havasupai Chief Hotouta.

Zoroaster Temple

7,123' butte north of the Clear Creek Trail named in honor of a Persian religious leader.

Zuni Point

South Rim point just east of Moran Point named for the Zuni people of western New Mexico.
 

Grand Canyon Place Names by Gregory McNamee published by Johnson Books, 1997.
Grand Canyon National Park Map # 207 published by National Geographic, 1987.
Grand Canyon National Park Map published by Sky Terrain, 2001.
U. S. National Parks West topographical software, version 2.00, published by MapSource.

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