Is it worth the effort to explore the North Rim Grand Canyon National Park? How much can I do in 1-day? I would have to say a resounding YES! It was so perfect, hardly overrun with people. The North Rim has 90% less visitation than its southern cousin. You can make your own adventure by setting your own pace to see only what you want to see. I know that writing about it will make it less of a secret, however; we wanted to share our experience here.
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Important Update: North Rim of the Grand Canyon Closed Due to Wildfire
Due to the ongoing effects of a devastating wildfire, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is currently closed for the 2025 season. The fire, which caused significant damage, has destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge and surrounding infrastructure. While this is a tragic event for the park and its visitors, efforts are underway to assess the damage and begin recovery.
If you’re planning a trip to the Grand Canyon, please be aware of this closure and make alternate plans for visiting the South Rim or other areas of the park. For the latest information on the closure and any possible reopening, check the official Grand Canyon National Park website or contact the park directly.
Our thoughts are with the park staff, local communities, and all those affected by this disaster.
Overview of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon
The canyon views are spectacular from every vantage point. One tremendous advantage is it has cooler in evenings because of the higher elevation. Though lesser-known, the Grand Canyon’s North Rim is equally stunning as its South Rim counterpart. The North Rim differs completely from the South Rim. The trails don’t seem to have the same crowds, and I personally feel the trails are more diverse. I think partly because of its location on the edge of the Kaibab National Forest; you see lots more wildflowers and wildlife.
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The North Rim is 1000 feet higher than the South Rim. Therefore, temperatures can be a tad cooler on the North Rim, especially in the mornings. Planning your trip to explore the north rim in advance will leave you prepared for a grand adventure! Families who want to stay inside the park or for whom this trip might be a once-in-a-lifetime event would be wise to plan and book a year or more in advance.
Explore the Grand Canyon North Rim – What Know before you go
- Seasonal Access: The North Rim is typically open from mid-May to mid-October because of heavy snowfall in winter. Roads and facilities close during winter months, so plan accordingly.
- Operating Hours: The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is open to visitors from May 15 through October 15 each year. Visitor Center Hours: Open daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM during the season. Off-Season: From October 16 through November 30, the North Rim is open for day use only. No lodging or food services are available during this period.
- Entrance Fees: Standard Grand Canyon National Park entrance fee applies ($35 per vehicle, valid for 7 days). America the Beautiful accepted. This pass gains your entry into all the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands at a cost of $80 per year. Well worth the price!!
- Limited Services: Fewer facilities than the South Rim—lodging, dining, and visitor services are limited and often require advance booking.
- Pets: Leashed Pets: Pets are allowed on the Bridle Trail (Greenway) that connects the campground to the park entrance. Pets are not allowed below the rim, on inner canyon trails, or in park buildings.
- Bring all-weather gear. You really should have walking or hiking shoes as most trails are a combination of loose sand/dirt. Having a quality trekking stick can help on the steeper section of the trail.
- It is advisable to refill your water bottles with cold purified spring water at the taps, either at the North Rim Lodge and the Visitor’s Center, before embarking on any hike. A downloadable map with trail information is always a good idea.
TIP: Remember, this is high altitude and a dry climate, so pace yourself.
North Rim Grand Canyon Travel Guide – Getting There Made Easy
- The North Rim is more remote—expect longer travel times from nearby towns and airports. Best accessed via highways 67 and 89A.Traveling from Bryce Canyon to the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park takes approximately five hours. Take UT-12 to the intersection US-89, passing Kanab to continue in US-89A to Jacob Lake. Take AZ-67 to the North Rim.
- From Las Vegas, take I-15 N to AZ-389 E and right on US 89A-S, take 89 into Kanab. Kanab is 80 miles from the North Rim of the Canyon. At Jacob Lake, right on AZ-67 S to the end.
- From the South Rim Grand Canyon-take AZ-64 towards Cameron. Left on US-89 N to US-89A N in Bitter Springs. Continue on US-89A N. Drive to AZ-67 S in North Rim.
- The road to the North Rim remains open until it is closed by snow or until December 1st
Exploring Jacob Lake—A Gateway to the North Rim Grand Canyon
Jacob Lake offers a range of convenient services, making it a great stop before heading to the North Rim. Be sure to fuel up, stock up on groceries, and gather any last-minute camping supplies here. If you don’t have a reservation at the North Rim Lodge, you’ll find restaurants, motels, and rental cabins available in Jacob Lake. Outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate the area’s hiking trails, mountain biking paths, and excellent birdwatching. For those looking to stay outside the park, Jacob Lake is a comfortable and scenic alternative.
North Rim Grand Canyon Travel Guide: Stop at Kaibab Plateau Visitor Center First
At the intersection of Highways, US 89A and AZ 67 in Jacob Lake, Arizona. The center is the perfect stop to eat a picnic lunch. Sitting quietly at the picnic area, we watch for the Kaibab squirrels! They only find these squirrels in the North Kaibab region. The squirrel entirely depends on Ponderosa pines for food and habitat. Their tufted ears and fluffy whitetails make the Abert’s easily identifiable. The first thing you notice at the Kaibab Plateau Visitor Center is the amazing scent of Ponderosa pine in the air. Very nice, high-quality, and reasonably priced gifts are available in the gift shop. Before leaving the Visitor Center to inquire about road conditions and fire conditions that may affect your drive.
The drive from Jacob Lake to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon takes about an hour and is incredibly beautiful. Keep in mind after Jacob Lake, there are limited services available.
Explore the Kaibab National Forest
From Jacob Lake, the road rises dramatically to 9000 feet. This the Kaibab Plateau-North Rim Parkway. The hour drive is through a dense, mixed conifer forest. The forest was a lush evergreen until a few miles down the road. Here we could see where the Castle Fire had burned after a lightning strike. Fire plays a vital role in maintaining ecosystem health. Still, it was sad seeing so many trees charred for miles. The landscape had new green growth coming up.
The 1.6 million-acre Kaibab National Forest encompasses part of the largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest in the United States. It extends from both the north and south rims of the Grand Canyon. Elevations range from 5500 to nearly 10500 feet and include a variety of trees, including ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, aspen, blue spruce, oak, pinyon pine, and juniper. The Kaibab, which the Paiute Indians called “the mountain lying down,” changes from life zones of the Sonoran desert zone at one extreme to the frosty climate of the sub-alpine zone nearer the canyon.
See Little Park Meadows-Bison Herd
Just before you enter the park gate, you round a turn and look over a large, flat valley of grass named Little Park Meadows. It is like looking at the Ponderous (Bonanza) TV show. For miles you see the grass prairie and the herd of bison that wander this valley. The House Rock Bison herd has an estimated population size of 400 to 600 individuals. In the early 1900s, Charles “Buffalo” Jones introduced the herd to the area. Traffic jams happen along the road as cars stop to watch the herd’s movements. Rangers monitor the herd’s activities and move crowds along. Watching the little red dogs play was the highlight of the afternoon.
Exploring the Grand Canyon North Rim
The North Rim boasts breathtaking vistas of the canyon, with a different perspective from the South Rim. The layers of rock are even more colorful here, and the Colorado River appears like a thin ribbon far below.
Scenic Drive Along Cape Royal Road—Must-See Stops on the North Rim
Be sure to take the 23-mile scenic Cape Royal Road drive. The road is a paved two-lane with many switchbacks. You drive through Cottonwood, Ponderosa Pines, and Spruce forests as you make your way to the canyon rim viewpoints. Wildlife is abundant on the North Rim.
Along the road, you’ll notice scarring in the forest from massive wildfires in 2007 and 2009, which killed nearly all the large ponderosa pines. It will take a lifetime for these trees to fully regenerate.
My advice for each viewpoint is not to rush—take your time to enjoy the scenery. I recommend allowing about 45 minutes to drive to Cape Royal at the end of the road. Along the way, you’ll pass spectacular vistas, including Walhalla Overlook, Roosevelt Point, Vista Encantada, and Point Imperial.
Picturesque Point Imperial
About 5 miles in, you’ll reach a Y-intersection. To the left is Point Imperial Drive, which leads to Point Imperial, the park’s highest overlook at 8,803 feet. To reach it, bear right and drive 3 miles uphill. There is ample parking, clean pit toilets, and picnic tables.
The overlook is just a 0.1-mile short trail with guardrails. From here, you’ll enjoy vast, expansive views of the canyon. Walking along the trail provides a broad panorama of the northeast side of the Grand Canyon of Bryce, the cliffs and plateaus beyond, Navajo Mountain and Lake Powell to the east, and the Vermilion Cliffs and Grand Staircase-Escalante to the north.
Along the switchbacks, we noticed a dead rattlesnake on the road. I could see how the driver couldn’t avoid it, but I still felt bad for the snake.
Vista Encantada Viewpoint
There is a small pullout on the right towards Roosevelt Point on Cape Royal Road. This is a suitable spot to stop and have a picnic lunch. There are picnic tables where you can sit and enjoy the enchanting views of fir trees on the canyon rim. If you plan to hike, be sure to have a refillable water bottle to quench your thirst in the heat. In the summer, the hot, dry air can take its toll if you don’t hydrate. The overlook at Vista Encantada provides views of the Walhalla Plateau.
Historic Roosevelt Point
The next pullout on the road is on the left. Roosevelt Point Trail is a 0.3-mile loop at an elevation of 8,470 feet. Walking the trail is easy and relaxing, with beautiful wildflowers lining the path to the rim. Looking east, you get a view of the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado Rivers.
Roosevelt Point is named after President Theodore Roosevelt, who once said:
Walhalla Overlook See the River
The overlook is at a low elevation on the North Rim and provides a superb view of the Unkar Delta. At Walhalla Overlook, there is a paved pull-out on the east side of the road for parking. There is an unpaved path that leads to recent excavations unearthed from ancient dwellings known as Walhalla Glades Pueblo. They inhabited this area from 1050 to 1150.
Across the road is the trailhead for the Cliff Springs Trail. It is a short 1.1-mile downhill hike through a small ravine that passes an ancient Puebloan granary. The trail is boulder-strewn, but the hidden spring that emerges from the small alcove is sweet! The spring water provides a source of water for wildlife and mosses. Because it is not well marked, it is difficult to see where the actual trail ends. You can continue further, but we turned around after seeing the spring. I love hikes too little hidden surprises like this one!
Cape Royal & Look through the Angel’s Window
Cape Royal is the southernmost viewpoint on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. At the end of the road, park in the gravel lot and take the 0.6-mile round-trip trail to the overlook. This viewpoint offers the most spectacular panorama of the Grand Canyon.
From here, you can see prominent peaks such as Freya’s Castle, Vishnu Temple, and Wotan’s Throne. Looking east, the Colorado River and Unkar Delta come into view, completing a breathtaking landscape.
Nature truly humbles us! Words hardly capture the awe of standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon, gazing out over a landscape shaped by countless centuries. The Colorado River carved this immense canyon, which averages 4,000 feet in depth along its 277-mile length, reaches 6,000 feet at its deepest, and spans 15 miles at its widest.
Be sure to take the side trail to Angels Window, a natural arch that frames a portion of the Colorado River 5,000 feet below and 6 miles away, offering a perspective that is both intimate and monumental.
Hike to Bright Angel Point
The trail starts at the Visitor Center parking area and is an easy half-mile round trip from the lodge. There is a steep 200-foot elevation gain, reaching a final elevation of 8,161 feet.
That said, if you’re afraid of heights, this trail can be intimidating. Narrow sections have sheer drop-offs on both sides, and strong winds can make it feel even more precarious. I made it to the point by clinging to the rocks and keeping my eyes away from the drops—but the view at the end is absolutely worth it.
To the west, Bright Angel Point overlooks the end of The Transept, with Oza Butte rising prominently and Manu Temple just beyond. To the south, the vast Bright Angel Canyon stretches out, bordered by a jagged ridge topped with three peaks named after Hindu deities: Deva Temple, Brahma Temple, and Zoroaster Temple. The Walhalla Plateau, flat and expansive, dominates the eastern view.
On a calmer day, you might even hear Roaring Springs, 3,100 feet below the rim. On the return, taking the left fork leads you below the lodge, offering marvelous views for those who prefer not to tackle the trail all the way to the point.
North Rim Visitor Center
The Visitor Center is open daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM (May 15 through October 15). Visitors can pick up park maps and other information at the ranger desk. The gift shop offers an amazing selection of merchandise, and you can also grab a schedule of Ranger-led tours and activities. The interactive displays are informative—especially for those interested in the park’s geology. Public restrooms are located at the back of the building.
Canyon Mule Tour
Consider booking a mule ride—you can choose either the 1-hour Rim Ride or the 3-hour Supai Tunnel Ride.
- The 1-hour ride mostly follows forested trails away from the rim, so canyon views are limited.
- The 3-hour ride takes you into the canyon along narrow trails, offering panoramic views along the way. You’ll stop at the Supai Tunnel, which has freshwater fountains and restrooms, before turning around for the ride back.
Mule rides into the canyon are less crowded and less strenuous than hiking, making them a great way to experience the canyon while saving your energy for the return.
Explore the Grand Canyon North Rim – Prospects to Consider Staying in the Park
We stayed one night in the hotel. The rooms include one queen-sized bed, a small refrigerator, and a private bathroom. We had originally booked a cabin, but a schedule change required adjusting our reservation. Some cabins offer canyon views, but the hotel rooms do not. Parking is conveniently located across the street from the hotel.
The North Rim was bustling during the day with numerous tour buses, but by evening it becomes peaceful and quiet. The veranda of the lodge is a perfect spot to enjoy an adult beverage while sitting in Adirondack chairs right next to the rim, taking in the stunning scenery. While visiting, don’t forget to rub the statue of Brighty’s nose, the famous little burro immortalized in Marguerite Henry’s book Brighty of the Grand Canyon.
Grand Canyon Lodge
There’s no real alternative to staying at the lodge if you plan to explore the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Perched on the cliff overlooking Bright Angel Point, the lodge is a National Historic Landmark. It was originally constructed in 1927–28, designed by architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood. After the main building and fire destroyed several cabins in 1932, the lodge was rebuilt in 1937. Built of native stone and timber, the complex was designed to blend seamlessly with the surrounding rocky woodland, creating a distinct sense of place. It’s a stunning structure, with both indoor and outdoor seating that allows visitors to relax while taking in the lodge’s 180° panoramic views of the canyon.
Between October 15 and October 31, the Grand Canyon Lodge and restaurants are closed, but the North Rim Campground remains open with limited services. Between November 1st and December 1st, the North Rim is open for “dawn to dusk” day use with limited services.
Staying in the North Rim Campground
The first thing you notice is the fresh smell of the ponderosa pine. The campground is ideally located near the rim with access to several trails. They spread the campsites throughout the trees, and being at the edge gave a feeling of privacy. The canyon rim is only a short walk to watch the sunset or sunrise. Search for sites well ahead of your visit. They require reservations months in advance by calling 1-877-444-6777 or online recreation.gov.
The campground has a well-stocked general store with everything you could need, including your coffee, fresh fruit and vegetables, camping supplies, Wi-Fi, an ATM… literally everything. The coin-operated showers and laundry facilities are well – maintained. We stopped at the general store to use the Wi-Fi.
Grand Canyon North Rim: Proposed Dining Options
If you stay at the Grand Canyon Lodge, unless you go to the onsite deli or bring your own food, you must eat at the Lodge’s restaurant. There are no other restaurants within 45-miles and for this reason, they advised us when we booked our accommodation at the Lodge to go online a few months ahead of your visit to book dinner reservations.
The Grand Canyon Cookout Experience
This is a “chuckwagon dinner” experience. Guests take a tram to the campground, where a large tent with tables is set up behind the gas station. The buffet-style menu features barbecue chicken and beef brisket, potatoes and sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, beans, veggie stew, biscuits, salad, fruit cobbler, and fresh cookies. Talented entertainers perform songs that celebrate the history of the North Rim. This seasonal cookout runs from June 1 to October 1.
Grab and Go – Deli in the Pines
We had a quick bite to eat in the evening before we arrived. The Deli in the Pines gives you the convenience of grab-and-go. They offer a great selection of sandwiches, pre-made and fresh salads, pizza, elk chili – all kinds of stuff. They also have soft-serve ice-cream, a wonderful selection of chips, energy bars, cookies, fresh fruit, etc. Great for hikers on the trail. They also make great pizza. You can order a whole one just how you like it, or buy a slice off the rack. We grabbed a few slices and headed for the outside veranda to enjoy the sunset.
Grab a Coffee or Drink – Rough Rider Saloon
This is a great place to have a drink at the Grand Canyon Lodge, North Rim. Decorated in the “Old West” Teddy Roosevelt style, they offer a full bar, local craft brews on tap, and a prickly pear margarita. Get a to-go cup and drink your beer on the balcony overlooking the canyon. The saloon was a great place for breakfast: burritos, pastries, muffins, and bagels. There is also an excellent selection of coffees, lattes, and cappuccinos.
Grand Canyon Lodge Dining Room – Best Views Ever!!
We had breakfast in the Grand Canyon Lodge Dining Room. No reservations are required, as it’s first-come, first-served. We skipped the buffet, which was pricey compared to other parks like Zion, and instead ordered a simple egg breakfast from the à la carte menu. The best part? The restaurant’s location is unbeatable—watching the sunrise illuminate the canyon walls in vivid colors made the morning truly unforgettable.
NOTE: The buffet primarily serves patrons from bus tours, so it fills up very quickly. It’s also relatively small, which can make finding a spot challenging during peak times.
Breakfast opens at 6:30 AM, slightly later than in other parks. To secure a good window seat for the sunrise, consider arriving a few minutes early. The ambiance alone makes dining here worth experiencing at least once, as missing the spectacular sunrise views would be a shame.
Final Thoughts on How to Explore the North Rim Grand Canyon in 1 Day
With only one day to explore the North Rim Grand Canyon, you’ll want to maximize your experience. This needs to be added to everyone’s Southwest bucket list itinerary. Remember, this itinerary is just a suggestion. You can tailor it to your interests and preferences. With careful planning and these tips, you can have an unforgettable exploration of the North Rim Grand Canyon in a single day.
Have you xxplored North Rim Grand Canyon? What did you think? Please let us know in the comments below!
