View of Deva, Brahma, and Zoroaster Temples as seen from Grand Canyon Lodge
The North Rim is Open for "Dawn to Dusk" Day Use - Through Nov. 30, 2018. More...
North Rim "Shoulder" and Winter Seasons
North Rim restaurants, lodging and all visitor facilities are open May 15 through October 15 of each year.
Grand Canyon Lodge, food services, general store, North Rim Campground, Canyon Trail Rides, Visitor Center and park ranger programming have closed for the winter.
Between November 1st and December 1st, the North Rim is open for "dawn to dusk" day use with limited services. However, if snow closes highway 67 before December 1, the park will also close.
To camp in the North Rim Campground during the winter season (between November 1, and May 14) backcountry reservations are required. During this time the campground switches to primitive use with walk-in only sites with no running water. To obtain a backcountry permit, contact the South Rim Backcountry Information Center at grca_bic@nps.gov or 928-638-7875.
All North Rim operations will close for the season at 8 am on Saturday, December 1, 2018 (or earlier if snow closes State Highway 67.) It is not possible to drive vehicles to the North Rim during the winter. However, hikers, snowshoers and cross country skiers will be able to enter the North Rim through the winter months, with valid backcountry permits. Personal snowmobiles are not permitted inside the park.
If visiting the North Rim after October 15, please plan ahead and prepare your food and water for the day, purchasing these items will be extremely difficult on site.
After October 15, please prepare for winter travel with sudden and adverse driving conditions on Highway 67 and throughout the park. Snow, ice or rain can be encountered during this time. The self-serve gas station, with diesel, will remain available but will only accept credit or debit cards as long as the road is open. Please call Arizona Highway Information to check the condition of the road, 888-411-7623.
The North Rim reopens for the season on May 15 of each year.
On the patio of Grand Canyon Lodge
Introduction
Lodging and restaurants are open May 15 through Oct. 15. Grand Canyon Lodge has Closed for the Winter.
A worthwhile trip for those who enjoy the road less traveled, the North Rim, or "other side" of Grand Canyon is visited by only 10% of all Grand Canyon visitors.
- The North Rim is over 8000 feet/2438 m. in elevation
- There is one lodge, Grand Canyon Lodge. - and one campground, operated by the NPS.
During winter months, the North Rim closes due to snow.
The North Rim Visitor Center is adjacent to Grand Canyon Lodge
The hike across the canyon from South Rim to North Rim is 21 miles (34 km). However, driving from the South Rim to the North Rim by automobile requires a 4.5 hour drive of 220 miles (354 km). Driving directions to the North Rim.
The North Rim Visitor Center, located adjacent to the parking lot for Grand Canyon Lodge and Bright Angel Point, provides park and regional information, maps, brochures, exhibits, and a bookstore.
During the season, the Visitor Center is open May 15 through October 15 from 8 am to 6 pm daily. The North Rim Visitor Center is Closed for the Winter, and will reopen on May 15, 2019.
Public restrooms and outdoor exhibits are located behind the building.
Interior of North Rim Visitor Center. Left: exhibit area; right: Grand Canyon Association bookstore and gift shop.
Left: main entrance to Grand Canyon Lodge. Right: walking the trail out to Bright Angel Point from the lodge.
Bright Angel Point
For classic North Rim views, start at the Grand Canyon Lodge patio, then walk the paved trail out to Bright Angel Point.
From the main parking area it is a relatively short, easy walk to Lodge itself. The lodge is wheelchair accessible.
From the lodge the paved, 0.5 mile (0.8 km) round-trip trail leads out the spine of the ridge to Bright Angel Point. This trail is steep in places, with drop-offs and stairs, but provides dramatic views into Roaring Springs and Bright Angel Canyons.
Front and back sides of the North Rim Pocket Map and Services Guide. Click on the image to download as an accessible PDF file (2.2 MB)
Left: view of Mt. Hayden from Point Imperial, highest overlook in the park at 8,803 feet (2,683 meters). Right: view from Cape Royal across to Wotan's Throne.
North Rim Scenic Drive
Point Imperial and Cape Royal are reached via a winding scenic drive. The trip to both points, with short walks at each and several stops at pullouts along the way, can easily take half a day.
Point Imperial, the highest point on the North Rim at 8,803 feet (2,683 meters), overlooks the Painted Desert and the eastern end of Grand Canyon. Here the canyon transforms as the narrow walls of Marble Canyon, visible only as a winding gash, open dramatically to become "grand." Layers of red and black Precambrian rocks, not visible at Bright Angel Point, add contrast and color. Part of the viewpoint is accessible.
Cape Royal provides a panorama up, down, and across the canyon. With seemingly unlimited vistas to the east and west, it is popular for both sunrise and sunset. The sweeping turn of the Colorado River at Unkar Delta is framed through the natural arch of Angels Window. Look for the Desert View Watchtower across the canyon on the South Rim. This popular viewpoint is accessible via a paved, level trail.
There is something about the North Rim of Grand Canyon that invokes a sense of solitude and serenity. This is a place that invites you to slow down, to ponder, to feel your own innate creativity, and to fall in love with landscape.
