North Rim Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon's South Rim is a popular tourist hub. If you want to get away from the crowd or try something new for a change, then check out the North Rim Grand Canyon. It's only about five hours drive away from the South Rim and the best part about the journey is the rare opportunity to savor the scenic view along the 215 mile route.

The descent through the pine-covered plateau is a journey in itself as you get rare glimpses of the Grand Canyon's fascinating flora and fauna. Once at the bottom, the sight that greets you is flat, empty desert, but with such colors it almost hurts the eyes. The Navajo Indian Reservation crawls across the wide expanse, stopping where the US 89 route begins and continues on to Lees Ferry and past the Vermillion Cliffs.

Here, you begin the steep climb into Kaibab National Forest unto the small town of Jacob Lake where you can take AZ 67, your paved route to the North Rim Grand Canyon.

Attractions

The top attractions of North Rim Grand Canyon are definitely its various viewpoints. Once you get to the park entrance at an elevation of 8,824 feet above sea level, look around for a side road that leads you to many of these viewpoints. The main highway leads you right to the North Rim Grand Canyon Lodge and the visitor center, but if you want to make a brief stopover to appreciate the beauty of this natural wonder, then the side road it is.

After you've had enough communing with nature for awhile, continue on to the Lodge. Note that unlike the overdeveloped South Rim, North Rim Grand Canyon has few facilities, but what is there is more than sufficient to give you that feeling of home right in the midst of the great outdoors.

Your options for accommodations include a campground with 83 sites, plus some log huts that are scattered at various points around the neighboring forest. If you want to partake more of the visual feast, there is a short paved trail from the lodge. It goes to the North Rim Grand Canyon's most popular observation point, Bright Angel Point. For awesome overlooks of Roaring Springs and Bright Angel canyons below, this is where you should be.

Another way to appreciate these sights of the North Rim Grand Canyon is through the North Kaibab Trail, which runs right through these canyons. This trail is excellent for hiking enthusiasts as this is the only maintained path into the canyon if you are coming in from the North Rim Grand Canyon.

For something more remote and grandiose, head on over to Point Sublime on your 4WD drive vehicle. The viewpoint offers fantastic view right on the edge of a sheer cliff. Here, you can gawk at the narrowest section of the canyon and even catch a glimpse of busy South Rim over 4 miles away.