You may have visited the Grand Canyon, but have you made it up to the less-frequented North Rim? If not, I would highly suggest adding it to your bucket list because the experience is worthy of its own road trip! The views, the drives, the hikes, and the Grand Canyon Lodge are all breathtaking and truly unlike any other place you’ll go.
The North Rim is only visited by about 10% of all visitors to the Grand Canyon. We visited the North Rim during our 12-day family road trip, and had such a blast. While the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is beautiful, accessible, and great for ticking off your list of National Parks to visit, the North Rim is much less overrun with tourists and ultimately feels like a more authentic experience. Here are our tips for you to make the most of your visit!
We respectfully acknowledge that the land in and around Grand Canyon National Park - North Rim is the stolen and occupied land of the Southern Paiute and Pueblos peoples.
Trip Purpose
Camp along the less-frequented North Rim of the Grand Canyon along our Southwestern family road trip. Bonus: visit on a moonless night for ideal stargazing!
DESTINATION: Grand Canyon North Rim; “In the original languages of the land, the Grand Canyon is called Hagavđe Jikmi: (Hualapai), Wikatata (Havasupai), Mat K’i:la (Yavapai), Ongtupqa (Hopi), Tsékooh Hatsoh (Navajo), Ge da’cho (Western Apache), Chimik’yana’kya (Zuni), and Piapaxa ‘Uipi (Southern Paiute).” –The Decolonial Atlas
AGE(S) OF THE KID(S): 4 years
SUGGESTED LENGTH OF STAY: At least a day to make your long drive (or hike!) worth it!
TIME OF YEAR: We visited at the end of the season (the North Rim is only open mid-May through mid-October). It was already quite chilly but still beautiful!
BASE COST
- Campground/accommodations: ~$25+/night per tent site
- Park entry: $35/vehicle, or use your America the Beautiful pass ($80 annually)
- Gas or Transportation
Add-Ons:
- Meals (if not bringing your own)
- Incidentals
Top tips to have the best visit to the North Rim
Getting There
The North Rim is a 220-mile/4.5-hour drive from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. This is just a tad less than the length of the drive from any of the nearby major cities with airports (Las Vegas, Flagstaff, Phoenix, etc.).
Conversely, you could hike the 21 miles from the South Rim to the North Rim, but I’ll wait until my kid is older to attempt that myself!
Before You Go
- Especially during peak season, make reservations for accommodations in advance
- Plan your hikes and activities
What We Packed
- Standard camping essentials
- Standard diaper bag essentials
Top Recommended Activities/Suggested Itinerary
Make a Pit Stop in Kaibab National Forest
Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Grand Canyon National Park is flanked on both the north and south by Kaibab National Forest. As we drove to the North Rim, we couldn’t help but admire the beautiful greenery and magical aspen trees glimmering in the sun and wind!
Hike Bright Angel Point
Estimated Time: 1 hour
Bright Angel Point Trail (blog post forthcoming!) is a one-mile out-and-back paved trail on the North Rim that gives you more than 180-degree views of the Canyon below.
Hiking with a little person can be a bit nerve-wracking, especially for grandparents who may not be used to hiking with your little one 😀 The trail narrows at some points and the drop-off is steeeeeep, but as long as you hold hands with your littles, you will enjoy the grand views!
Drive Cape Royal Road
Estimated time: 2-3 hours
At 23 miles, the Cape Royal Road (blog post forthcoming!) is the perfect candidate for a nap drive, if you can time it with your little one’s sleep schedule. We clocked in 2.25 hours round-trip, stopping to admire various viewpoints along the way (the drive is 1.5 hours round-trip with no stops). Our favorite views were:
- Encantada
- Walhalla (including a viewpoint from a short walkable trail)
- Angel’s Window
Picnic Along the Rim
Estimated time: 1-2 hours
We didn’t get to do this ourselves, but I couldn’t help but look longingly at the picnic tables lined along the Rim, wishing we had time to enjoy a picnic lunch to admire the canyon below and across!
Catch a Sunrise or a Sunset
Estimated time: 1-2 hours
There is not a bad place to watch the sun rise or fall from the North Rim. We opted to hike to Bright Angel Point (see above) about 1.5 hours before sunset to catch the different ways the light hit the canyon along the scenic hike.
Rangers at the North Rim also provide recommendations of ideal viewing locations: sunrise at Cape Royal, Bright Angel Point, and the Grand Canyon Lodge Veranda, and sunset at Point Imperial, Bright Angel Point, and the Grand Canyon Lodge Veranda..
Hike
Estimated time: 2-4 hours
Aside from Bright Angel Point (mentioned above), choose to hike any of the NPS-recommended trails: Transept Trail, Widforss Trail, or the portion of the North Kaibab Trail that leads to Supai Tunnel.
Enjoy a Hot Meal at Grand Canyon Lodge
Estimated time: 2-4 hours
Built in the 1930s, this lodge (blog post forthcoming!) located along the North Rim is grand and stately, in and of itself. Sitting on the Lodge veranda with a cup of hot cocoa or a hot toddy and staring up at the stars was a great way to unwind after a long day!
Where to Eat
Grand Canyon Lodge
$20+/person
You can choose to be seated in the restaurant (dinner reservations are required) or order take out from the restaurant to enjoy to-go or on the patio where seating is first-come-first-served. The menu has changed since our visit, but we would recommend the elk chilli (~$9/bowl). Their vegan and gluten-free options are unfortunately limited.
Deli in the Pines
~$10/person
Pick up snacks, hot dogs, and pizza from the Deli in the Pines. This to-go counter usually is much quicker than waiting on dinner from the Lodge.
Roughrider Saloon
~$10/person
Did we mention there’s a BAR?! The saloon is a cafe by day (they use an automatic button-operated coffee machine, beware) and a full bar by night. According to the bartender it was bustling up until the early evening with hikers from the South Rim, but who had since gone to bed!
Lots of Teddy Roosevelt and hunting decor, to be expected.
Where to Stay
Camping
Grand Canyon North Rim
~$18/night
There is one campground at the North Rim operated by the National Parks Service. Reserve sites at recreation.gov.
Kaibab Camper Village
~$25/night
We stayed at Kaibab Camper Village in Fredonia, which, even at 44 miles/an hour’s drive from the North Rim, is some of the closest accommodations available outside of the park itself. This was a decent option when the Grand Canyon Lodge and North Rim campsites were full.
The campground itself was nice and full of trees with some open space on the sites on the edges (great for stargazing). However, it didn’t make for the most comfortable experience–at least one of the attendants drove around a golf cart that sported a thin blue line flag, and at the check-in office they did not mask indoors (which we soon found out would be typical of our drives through Arizona). The staff was very nice, but if ever we return to the North Rim, I would rather support businesses that feel more aligned with my values.
Other camping options
~$25/night
Dispersed camping in Kaibab National Forest, as well as other campgrounds outside of the National Park, are also great options for a stay near the North Rim.
Lodging at Grand Canyon Lodge
~$150+/night
Other than camp, the Lodge is the only other place to stay on the North Rim. Reservations open a year(!) in advance. The lodge offers motel rooms (the cheapest option) and cabins. The booking website has a handy “View Availability” feature for each room-type, and as of this writing, rooms were still available in August 2022.
Itinerary Ideas
What we did (6-8 hours)
- Stop along the road in Kaibab National Forest to admire the aspen trees
- Arrive at North Rim from Kaibab Camper Village
- Drive Cape Royal Road
- Hike Bright Angel Point Trail during golden hour/sunset
- Eat dinner and stargaze at Grand Canyon Lodge patio
- Drove back to Kaibab Camper Village
If you have 2-4 hours
Option 1 (suggested by rangers at the North Rim)
- Hike Bright Angel Point
- Hike any of the other recommended trails
- Drive Cape Royal Road
Option 2
- Hike Bright Angel Point
- Drive Cape Royal Road
- Have a beer or bite to eat at Grand Canyon Lodge
If you have 1-2 hours
Option 1 (suggested by rangers at the North Rim)
- Hike Bright Angel Point
- Hike Transept Trail
Option 2 (suggested by rangers at the North Rim)
- Drive Cape Royal Road
Option 3
- Hike Bright Angel Point
- Have a beer or bite to eat at Grand Canyon Lodge
Wishlist for our Next Visit
- Stay at the Grand Canyon Lodge
- Picnic along the rim
I would definitely consider returning to the North Rim sometime in the future. While not the most accessible destination, the amazing views, amenities, and potential for relaxation would more than make up for it!
Have you ever visited the North Rim of the Grand Canyon with your family? What was your favorite memory from your visit?
Angelica (she/her) is of Cebuano(Pilipinx)-descent and was born and raised in Huchiun Ohlone territory (the East Bay Area--pay your Shuumi Land Tax!), where she also now resides with her partner and their toddler. She loves to spend her time sipping on boba and dirty chai lattes (sometimes together), and eating pescetarian goodies at BIPOC-owned cafes and restaurants.
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