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The Grand Canyon's Two Best Kept Secrets |  |
Everyone goes to the South Rim. But did you know
you can visit the spectacularly beautiful North Rim as well?
And at both rims, you can stay in Rooms With A View.
The North Rim borders the Kaibab National Forest, and can be reached in less than 8 hours from Las Vegas.
And it's cooler, less crowded, and more beautiful than the South Rim!
Accommodations
Accommodations at the North Rim are limited – the Grand Canyon Lodge and cabins (open May 15 - Oct 15) and the North Rim Campground are the only two places to stay within the park itself. Other options are Kaibab Lodge, 5 miles from the park, and Jacob Lake Inn, 44 miles away. Both have rustic cabins and a campground.We stayed at one of the Rim View Cabins at the Grand Canyon Lodge. See How To Book.
Dining
We weren’t overly enamored with the Lodge dining room, and one night opted for the pizza and sandwich carryout nearby – the only other place to eat at the North Rim!Note: Cooking outdoors is prohibited.
Caution: Call at least a week in advance for dinner reservations at the lodge. We called a few days ahead and couldn’t get anything before 9:30 p.m!
Wildlife Sightings:
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Chipmunks - If you’re in one of the cabins, keep an eye out for chipmunks on and around the porch. Normally extremely shy, they scampered freely over our porch, and we had great fun setting out a buffet for them - grapes, small pieces of apple, crackers, and pretzels. (Note: this is not strictly legal - feeding them is strongly discouraged. |
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Mule deer – we sighted them several times from the road. They look like regular deer, but they’re gray and have mule-like ears. |
What To Do at the North Rim
From the Grand Canyon Lodge, walk the short (.5 mile one way) trail to Bright Angel Point. Mule Rides. We rode mules about a third of the way down the canyon on the North Kaibab Trail - a lot of fun and more than a little scary going around the hairpin turns! |
| Because of the Kaibab forest, there are trees and lots of vegetation, so it’s much nicer than riding down Bright Angel Trail at the South Rim. Plus we booked the day before we rode – they told us you need to reserve two years in advance at the South Rim! We took a half-day trip, and day trips to Roaring Springs are also available (although not when we were there due to repairs on the trail.) |
 Drive eleven miles to Point Imperial, the highest point at either rim. Walk part of the Ken Patrick trail along the rim (this trail goes 10 miles to the N. Kaibab trailhead parking area). |
 Drive to Cape Royal (twenty three miles from the lodge, but about twelve from Point Imperial). Take a short walk on a paved road to Angel’s Window, a giant hole in the ridge. |
Cautions:
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Bring sweatshirts or sweaters. It warms up nicely during the day, but it can get quite chilly at night. |
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Unlike the South Rim, which is open all year, the North Rim is open only from May 15 to October 15. |