North Rim, North Rim, North Rim!!!
Written: Oct 08 '02 (Updated May 18 '06)
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Pros: Much quieter than the South rim. Awesome views!!
Cons: Out of the way, add a few other National parks a few hours away
The Bottom Line: They don't call this place Grand for nothing.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: Grand Canyon National Park |
WHERE WE WENT
As a side trip from Las Vegas last year My wife and I took our kids to three National Parks. We visited the North rim of Grand Canyon, went two hour north north-east to Bryce Canyon, and then headed back to Las Vegas via Zion National Park. Yesterday I reviewed the beautiful Bryce Canyon. Today I will tell you a bit about our trip to The North Rim of Grand Canyon.
My wife and I have been to the South Rim before. It was very exciting and awe inspiring. It was also very crowded. The North Rim of Grand Canyon is pretty much out of the way. No big cities nearby.
OUR TRIP THERE
The eight of us hopped into our rented minivan with all our gear, no camping gear, just clothes for a week. We left Las Vegas and the temperature was 102 and climbing. As we continued east the temperature climbed to 112 degrees. Of course we are in our car with the A/C on so no problems. Hours later, as we started getting closer to the North Rim area, we started climbing the approaches to the Kaibab Plateau. As we climbed we watched the temperature gauge in the car start to drop. It went from 112 back to 100, and then into the 90's . It continued dropping down to the 80'a then the 70's! This was one of the few debates I won with my wife. I told her to be sure to bring jackets and sweatshirts for this trip. We did bring them but she thought I was crazy. That was a win for me, One of very few.
The temperature actually went down to 48 degrees that night. This plateau takes you up to over 8,000 ft above sea level. This keeps the area quite cool. The North Rim is about a thousand feet higher than the South rim just 14 miles south as the crow flies. It is also cooler because of this. This is a very different height than Death Valley National Park. We went through there on our way to Las Vegas a previous year. Man, was it hot!!
We continued climbing. The views from the plateau were awesome. Be sure to pull over for these sights. We haven't even got to the canyon yet. We continued onto rt67. This is a long and lonely last piece of road to the park. When about five miles north of the park property look up on your right and you will see a meadow that slopes up to a lodge nestled in ponderosa pines. This is the Kaibab Lodge. We stayed there. It was a great second choice. The rooms were clean, comfortable, and had a great view where we could see deer at night. The lodge also has some great food. They have a huge room with a big stone fireplace. Thats the waiting and lounge area. Right off that is the dining room with fantastic and hearty Mexican and American meals at good prices. This place appeals to adults and kids alike. Very rustic. It is also the closest place to the park. We booked a month ahead and just got in. You must book well ahead to stay here. There are some other places to stay in Fredonia and Kanab but they are a distance away. I suppose if you are in the area for one day it's ok but if you are staying it's a bit far going back and forth each day.
INTO THE PARK
Though it is just five miles from the park entrance you still have an additional eighteen miles to the rim of the canyon. Driving this road is very interesting. In May of 2000 there was a fire. At first it was a controlled burn and then it got out of hand. Winds of over 80 miles per hour pushed the embers to other areas and the fire burned for weeks. As you drive on the only road that goes in and out be sure to observe the new growth along with the forests of Ponderosa pines, Douglas firs, and aspens. There is a twenty dollar access fee that is good for seven days at that park. If you are visiting other parks be sure to get National Parks Pass for Fifty dollars. It is good at most parks for one year.
THE LODGE
At last, we made it to the rim. Go to the Grand Canyon Lodge. Go inside and be amazed at one of the best looking of all the National Park systems lodges. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built in the 1920's burned down in 1932 and then rebuilt again. The views from it are fantastic. Be sure to have a meal there, in fact you must! The food is great, served well with friendly staff, and like I said the views...........!! You look right down at Bright Angel Canyon from there!
This lodge is a great place to stay. The problem is it's always booked. You must make arrangement months in advance.
We were late so we missed out. We were happy at the other place but the lodge, right on the edge of the rim is heaven! There is a desk in the lodge where you can get info on Ranger guided walks and programs. These are always terrific.
TAKE A WALK
Once outside again be sure to get a self guiding trail map. They are in a box by the log shelter near the parking lot. This will get you to the trail leading you to Bright Angel Point. We followed the guide and went to the TRANSCEPT There we listened for the sound of water flowing from a cave 3,000 feet below the rim. Remember you are a mile above the Colorado river. That's 5,280feet! I didn't hear the cascading water but others said they did. I think I was just to busy looking at the mighty chasm. It's beautiful as you notice the changing colours and shadows as the sun moves. The Transcept Trail takes you on a one and a half mile level path. It's pretty easy and has awesome views. Do I have to tell you to bring a camera? Be sure to take pictures with people or objects in it so you get a better feel of the scale of this grand canyon. We sometimes wear bright reds and yellows that look great in photos. Be very careful near the edges. They are unforgiving cause it's a long, long, long way down.
Afterward we went to the gift shop and were actually rained in. It was a fierce thunderstorm. There is nothing like a thunderstorm in Grand Canyon. When we were in the south rim years ago we were in a wild thunderstorm. This one was even better. Everytime the thunder sounds, you hear continuous echos coming from the canyon. It just keeps rumbling. It is very cool. If you happen to be caught outside near the rim you see the flashes of lightning actually below you! I witnessed this the first time on the south rim.
As I always mention in my park reviews, get a passport and COLLECT a park. You can purchase a seven dollar Passport. It does look like one and every time you go to a National Park, Monument, or Historic site get the ink stamp at the park and stamp your book. This is called canceling. The stamp shows the park you are at and the date you are there. It's a great way to build enthusiasm and knowledge of the great heritage of our country. See the link to the reviews of Passport to the National Parks, all you may want to know.
Also ask about the Junior ranger program for kids twelve and under. Most of the parks participate in it.
THE NEXT DAY
That night we went back to the Kaibab Lodge. Ate a great dinner and rested well. The next morning I got up with my daughter and we drove into the park for a sunrise. We were going to a place called Point Imperial. To our disappointment, due to the rain we witnessed the night before, the road was closed. We were able to use the main road to the lodge and we witnessed the sunrise from there. I took a roll of film and shot it all. It was beautiful and ever changing as the sun moved up. We then went back to our lodge, met the rest of the family, had breakfast and returned again to the park.
We did go and trace our tracks back at the park lodge again. We did more site seeing and had lunch at the Grand Canyon Lodge. YUM!! We all enjoyed it and had a table fairly close to the window with a wondrous view.
Outside the lodge on the rim side you will find many small sitting areas to just grab a chair, sit, and take it all in. It didn't seem to me that there was wheelchair access to any of the trails on the North Rim but some of these sitting areas and platforms are very doable.
There are campgrounds in the park at the north rim. Call for info. Overnight back packing is also allowed. There is a ten dollar fee plus five dollars per person per night.I think they put this money in a kitty for expenses so they can find you if you get lost. Be careful it's a big place.
MORE TO DO
Other things available to those with time, money and early reservations are mule trips down into the canyon and rafting down the Colorado River. That is a lifes dream for me. I have to do it some day.
The North Rim is closed pretty much from mid October to May because of severe weather. Check for dates and road conditions.
We ended our stay earlier than we had planned but that gave us more time for Bryce Canyon and area that we enjoyed so much and stayed there for four nights.
Grand Canyon
PO Box 129
Grand Canyon, Arizona.
www.nps.gov/grca
Kaibab Lodge
1800-525 0924
calling this number gets you too the booking agent who is in Flagstaff Arizona. This is the correct number for The Kaibab Lodge on the North Rim.
The Grand Canyon is listed in the book 1,000 Places To See Before You Die. To read about the book and see some of the other listings go to
1,000 Places to See Before You Die
More reviews by popsrocks
.Acadia National Park My favorite National Park !!
Badlands National Park A Black Hills wonder
.Biscayne National Park Great snorkeling
.Bryce Canyon National Park Home of the Hoo Doo
.Death Valley National Park Not so Hot
.Dry Tortugas National Park A unique Island Fort with snorkeling
.Everglades National Park A safari in Florida
Grand Canyon National Park The North Rim
Shenandoah National Park Sky Line Drive
Virgin Islands National Park WOW !!!! But don't tell anyone about it.
Wind Cave National Park an underground wonder!
Zion National Park Amazing diversity!
National Parks PassPort
.Collect National Parks
National Parks System
Our National Parks
A couple of helpful books
National Parks for Dummies A great book for planning a trip
National Geographic Guide to National Parks A good reference book
Frommer's Las Vegas Guide
Mirage Hotel
LAS VEGAS!!!
Flamingo Hotel
Recommended:
Yes
Best time to go: June-August
Recommended for: Anybody
Review Topic: Overview
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