The Grand Canyon & Northern Arizona - American Southwest - page 553

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Tips

An Important Note

Visitor facilities at the North Rim are open only from mid-May to mid-October.
From mid-October to November (or until snow closes the road to the North Rim),
the park is open for day use only. The campground may be open after mid-Octo-
ber, weather permitting.

EXPLORING THE PARK
While it's hard to beat the view from a rustic rocking chair on the terrace of the Grand
Canyon Lodge, the best spots for seeing the canyon are Bright Angel Point, Point Impe-
rial, and Cape Royal. Bright Angel Point is at the end of a half-mile trail near the Grand
Canyon Lodge, and from here you can see and hear Roaring Springs, which are 3,600
feet below the rim and are the North Rim's only water source. You can also see Grand
Canyon Village on the South Rim.
At 8,803 feet, Point Imperial is the highest point on the North Rim. A short section
of the Colorado River can be seen far below, and off to the east the Painted Desert is
visible. The Point Imperial/Nankoweap Trail leads north from here along the rim of the
canyon. However, this area was burned in a forest fire in 2000.
Cape Royal is the most spectacular setting on the North Rim, and, along the 23-mile
road to this viewpoint, you'll find several other scenic overlooks. Across the road from
the Walhalla Overlook are the ruins of an Ancestral Puebloan structure, and, just before
reaching Cape Royal, you'll come to the Angel's Window Overlook, which gives you a
breathtaking view of the natural bridge that forms Angel's Window. Once at Cape Royal,
you can follow a trail across this natural bridge to a towering promontory overlooking
the canyon.
Once you've had your fill of simply taking in the views, you may want to get out and
stretch your legs on a trail or two. Quite a few day hikes of varying lengths and difficulty
are possible. The shortest is the .5-mile paved trail to Bright Angel Point, along which
you'll have plenty of company but also plenty of breathtaking views. If you have time for
only one hike while you're here, make it down the North Kaibab Trail. This trail is 14
miles long and leads down to Phantom Ranch and the Colorado River. To hike the entire
trail, you'll need to have a camping permit and be in very good physical condition (it's
almost 6,000 ft. to the canyon floor). For a day hike, most people make Roaring Springs
their goal. This hike is 9.5 miles round-trip, involves a descent and ascent of 3,000 feet,
and takes 7 to 8 hours. You can shorten this hike considerably by turning around at the
Supai Tunnel, which is fewer than 1,500 feet below the rim at the 2-mile point. For a
relatively easy hike away from the crowds, try the Widforss Point Trail.
If you want to see the canyon from a saddle, contact Grand Canyon Trail Rides
( & 435/679-8665; www.canyonrides.com), which offers mule rides varying in length
from 1 hour ($40) to a full day ($165).
EN ROUTE TO OR FROM THE NORTH RIM
Between Page and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, US 89A crosses the Colorado
River at Lees Ferry in Marble Canyon. The original Navajo Bridge over the river here
was replaced in 1995, and the old bridge is now open to pedestrians. From the bridge,
which is 470 feet above the Colorado River, there's a beautiful view of Marble Canyon.

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