Once you’ve found your way to the North Rim—the more remote, less visited side of Grand Canyon—you’ll want to spend at least three days exploring its trails, forests, and overlooks. Highway 67 is the only road to Bright Angel Point, the heart of the North Rim, and it is open to travelers from after the snow melts in spring until the first major winter snowfall, which can occur anytime between October through December.

Officially, the North Rim section of Grand Canyon National Park is open May 15–October 15, but it’s Mother Nature, not the Park Service, who really calls the shots. Though the Park Service closes the lodge and other facilities at the North Rim on October 15, you can visit or camp until the first snowfall closes Highway 67.

In fall, aspens and maples put on a colorful show, with bursts of gold and red among the North Rim’s mixed boreal forests. In late spring and summer, carpets of blue lupine and other wildflowers scent the forest with heady perfume. Even in midsummer, nights can be cool, so bring some warmer clothes, as well as a jacket for afternoon showers. The Arizona monsoon rolls north in early July and lingers until mid-September, bringing brief, localized thunderstorms with possible lightning and heavy rain.

Summer is the busiest season in Grand Canyon, and lodging is limited, but the North Rim is never as crowded (or hot) as the South Rim. Plan early and make reservations to avoid disappointment.

The ideal jumping-off point for exploration is Bright Angel Point, with accommodations at the lodge or the campground. Most activities and services are centered here, from food to ranger programs to hiking trailheads. The nearest lodging and campground outside the park are 18 miles away, a manageable drive if Grand Canyon Lodge and North Rim Campground are full.

In that case, look for lodging at Kaibab Lodge (18 miles), Jacob Lake (45 miles), Fredonia (75 miles), or Kanab (82 miles). You may find yourself commuting to Bright Angel Point, but what a commute—Highway 67 passes through meadows surrounded by forest, where deer graze morning and evening, and dark skies are studded with stars at night.

Plan on a day at Bright Angel Point for touring the historic lodge, hiking nearby rim trails, shopping, and taking in a ranger program. Drink plenty of water and get used to the high elevation and low humidity. Set aside at least half a day for Cape Royal Drive, with a side excursion to Point Imperial. Along this paved, winding road, several trailheads direct hikers to the highest point on both rims, from the short, easy Roosevelt Point Trail to the more ambitious Ken Patrick Trail.

Descending even a short way into the canyon will reward you with a more intimate perspective on the North Rim’s geological layers and life zones. Temperatures rise quickly, and the sun is intense at this elevation, so you’ll want to start early in the morning to experience the North Kaibab Trail, traveling either on foot or by mule. On summer afternoons, shadier rim hikes like the Widforss Point Trail are better options.

Alternatively, you might want to spend a day exploring beyond Bright Angel Point, traveling to Toroweap or Point Sublime, or into neighboring Kaibab National Forest. Many dirt forest roads are suitable for passenger cars, while some are best explored in a high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle. Stop at the park’s visitor center at the rim, or at the national forest visitor center in Jacob Lake, for maps and information about road conditions before venturing off the highway.