The north rim on the grand canyon was the first stop on our National Park Grand Circle tour. This first stop definitely set the bar high for the stops to follow. A little research will tell you the best time to travel to north rim is March through May and September through November when daytime temperatures are cool and the crowds are thin. We arrived at the rim in chilly October and were rewarded with stunning views, great hiking and even a 4X4 road adventure.
October greeted us with high temperatures in the 40’s and 50’s and lows in the 20’s–yes you heard me 20o F. Although, we were prepared for the cooler daytime temperatures we were not expecting the frigid nights and had to make some modifications in our RV living. First being, unhook the water line every evening to prevent freezing and second, installing a Styrofoam block around the instant water heater each night.
As the less popular grand canyon destination, the north rim has less traffic which means you may self drive the entire park. Driving from our campsite at Jacob Lake we entered the park from the north entrance station on highway 67 and drove east on Cape Royal Road to view Point Imperial, Roosevelt Point, Wahalla Overlook, Cape Royal, and Angels Window. Each of these breathtaking vistas each may be viewed with less than a mile walk round trip.
Driving back to the main drive, we discovered on the map in fine print: “Point Sublime. Four-wheel drive, tow-strap, and saw recommended.” This immediately peaked our interest and we decided to take a detour out to Point Sublime. This turned out to be a 17.8 mile wild ride out to absolutely stunning views. Once back on stable road we finished the day with dinner at the Grand Canyon Lodge followed by an amazing sunset viewed from Bright Angel Point.
North Rim One Day Itinerary
- Scenic drive with short hikes to view: Point Imperial, Roosevelt Point, Wahalla Overlook, Cape Royal, and Angels Window.
- 4X4 Drive to Point Sublime
- Dinner at Grand Canyon Lodge
- Sunset at Bright Angel Point
Map of Grand Canyon North Rim from National Parks Service
Interesting to note are the animal crossing signs we encountered throughout our trip. Everything from deer crossing to prairie dogs. I hate to admit that it did take a scare for the “crossing” part of these signs to sink in. Driving on 67 to the north entrance we passed a Buffalo crossing sign. After dark on the way out well, lets just say that evidently, “crossing” means “roaming”.
