Grand Canyon hosts Full Moon Rise Gathering on 24 November

Grand Canyon hosts the Full Moon Rise Gathering at Yavapai Point Amphitheater in Grand Canyon Village on 24 November 2026. The evening programme places astronomer Amy Sayle beside the South Rim as the full Moon rises over the canyon.

Full Moon Rise Gathering reaches Yavapai Point on 24 November

The Full Moon Rise Gathering begins at 4.45pm and ends at 6pm on 24 November 2026. Grand Canyon Conservancy lists Yavapai Amphitheater as the venue, while the National Park Service places the programme at Yavapai Point Amphitheater, 100 yards east of Yavapai Geology Museum.

The programme is led by Dr Amy Sayle, the park’s Astronomer in Residence for 2026. The official description centres on sunset, moonrise and an evening spent discovering the night sky. The National Park Service gives the expected Moon-rise time as 5.11pm, within the scheduled gathering. The organiser’s event listing for 24 November confirms the date, venue and programme.

The event is part of a wider series of astronomy activities at the South Rim. The National Park Service calendar also lists astronomy talks and outdoor sky programmes in November and December, with weather-related cancellations possible for outdoor activities. Its night sky programme identifies Dr Sayle and the Yavapai Point location for the 24 November gathering.

The South Rim setting turns astronomy into a place-based event

Grand Canyon Village sits on the South Rim and functions as the main activity and transport centre for that part of the park. The Visitor Center and Mather Point area connect with the South Rim shuttle network, while Yavapai Point and the geology museum form a separate stop within the same developed rim area.

The canyon itself is carved by the Colorado River and reaches an average depth of 1.6 km. Grand Canyon National Park was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1979. Those geological and cultural dimensions give the November programme a precise setting: it is not a general astronomy event in a nearby town, but a night-sky gathering at a named overlook within the national park. The National Park Service explains the canyon’s scale in its basic park information.

The organiser also notes that water conservation measures remain in place after the August 2026 flash flood, and that some Inner Canyon areas and park lodging remain closed. The Full Moon Rise Gathering is listed at the South Rim venue rather than in one of those affected lower areas, so its location is distinct from the continuing Inner Canyon restrictions.

Visiting Grand Canyon: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Full Moon Rise Gathering takes place on 24 November 2026 from 4.45pm to 6pm at Yavapai Point Amphitheater in Grand Canyon Village.
• The programme is an evening astronomy gathering with Dr Amy Sayle and is scheduled around the Moon rising over the canyon; outdoor activities can be cancelled for poor weather.
• Grand Canyon Village is on the South Rim, and the Visitor Center area connects with free park shuttle buses serving the village and nearby viewpoints.
• Yavapai Point Amphitheater is 100 yards east of Yavapai Geology Museum, according to the National Park Service programme listing.

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Frequently asked questions about Grand Canyon

When does the Full Moon Rise Gathering take place at Grand Canyon?

It takes place on 24 November 2026 from 4.45pm to 6pm at Yavapai Point Amphitheater.

Where is Grand Canyon and how do you get there?

The event is in Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim, where the park operates shuttle buses around the village and nearby viewpoints.

What is Grand Canyon?

It is a Colorado River canyon within Grand Canyon National Park, which was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1979.