Visiting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon

Entrance, Lodging, Trails and Visitor Fees at North Canyon Rim

Apr 23, 2009

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon offers great views and natural beauty without the tourist traffic; know where to stay, how to get there and what to do at the North Rim.

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon, located in north western Arizona, is more remote than the heavily visited South Rim and is only accessible between mid-May and mid-October each year; although only 10 miles separate the North and South Rim, as the crow flies, by road the trip is 220 miles (about 5 hours drive) on remote stretches of road. From Flagstaff, the journey involves driving nearly as far north as Page, before turning west onto Highway 89A and crossing Marble Canyon at the Navajo Bridge and driving up to Jacob Lake.

How to Reach the North Rim of the Grand Canyon

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is reached by driving 30 miles south on Highway 67 from Jacob Lake; Jacob Lake is located on Highway 89A, close to the state of Utah border. Jacob Lake is the last place to fill up on gas (and other small conveniences) before entering the North Rim Grand Canyon National Park; once inside the National Park, there is only one gas station located on the North Rim.

Entrance and Visitors Fees for the Grand Canyon North Rim

There is a visitors fee to enter the Grand Canyon National Park at the North Rim; currently, these fees are $25 per private vehicle or $12 per person on foot, motorcycle or bicycle. Once paid, the fee is good for 7 days (for both the Grand Canyon North and South Rim) but there are no refunds for bad weather. There are additional fees for camping (currently $18 - $25 per night).

Lodging on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon

Accommodation options are limited (and booked up well in advance) but if on a budget, the North Rim campground is a great way to see the North Rim; the only other other North Rim accommodation option, inside the National Park, is the Grand Canyon Lodge. There are limited accommodation options outside of the North Rim National Park at Jacob Lake and back country permits are required for camping within the National Park, away from the North Rim Campground.

Visitor Services at the Grand Canyon North Rim

Visitor services include the North Rim Visitor Center, North Rim Lodge, bookstore, rest rooms and restaurant facilities, all located next to the parking lot on Bright Angel Peninsula. Additional facilities of a general store, showers and gas station are located near the North Rim campground nearby.

Trails at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon offers many trails for hiking, impressive views and beautiful wilderness. Trails are of varying difficulties and include Bright Angel Trail, Transept Trail, North Kaibab Trail, Uncle Jim Trail, Ken Patrick Trail, Cape Royal Trail, Point Imperial Trail and Roosevelt Point Trail; weather and trail conditions should be checked before setting out.

Grand Canyon North Rim Elevations

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is 1,000 – 1,500 feet higher in elevation than the South Rim and rises to over 8,000 feet in elevation; Bright Angel Point is 8,255 feet in elevation and Point Imperial is 8,803 feet in elevation. Consequently, it is possible to suffer altitude sickness at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon; altitude sickness can occur at heights over 8,000 feet.

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon offers less tourist traffic, more wilderness and excellent views of the Grand Canyon; although the Grand Canyon North Rim is more difficult to reach in distance and longer to reach in time than the South Rim, the drive may well be worth it for those visitors who enjoy solitude with natural beauty.

The copyright of the article Visiting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona Travel is owned by Sharon Falsetto. Permission to republish Visiting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.