Bright Angel Point

You’ll get a North Rim edition of The Guide at the entrance station on the drive in. Park at the end of the road, near Grand Canyon Lodge, and follow the paved foot trail to the tip of Bright Angel Point, an easy half-mile round-trip walk taking about 30 minutes. Shells and other fossils can be spotted in the outcrop of Kaibab limestone on your right, just after a stone causeway. Roaring Springs Canyon on the left and Transept Canyon on the right join the long Bright Angel Canyon far below. John Wesley Powell’s 1869 expedition camped at the mouth of this canyon, and Powell later gave the name Bright Angel Creek to its crystal-clear waters. Listen for Roaring Springs coming out of the depths on the left and you’ll see where the springs shoot out of the cliff. A pumping station at the base supplies drinking water to both North and South Rims. Roaring Springs makes a good day-hike or mule-ride destination via the North Kaibab Trail. The volcanic summits on the horizon to the south are, from left to right, O’Leary, San Francisco Peaks, Kendrick, and Sitgreaves. Red Butte, on the right and closer, preserves a remnant of the Moenkopi Formation under a lava cap.

Grand Canyon Lodge

The grand old lodge of logs and stone dates from 1937. The patio, Sun Room, dining room, and lobby all make popular gathering places. Many North Rim visitors get their first breathtaking view of the Canyon through the massive windows of the Sun Room; in a corner you’ll see a bronze statue of the famous burro “Brighty of the Grand Canyon,” along with photos and stories about him. Rub his nose for good luck.

Mule Rides

You can ride trails along the rim or head partway down the North Kaibab Trail. No overnight trips are offered. Rim rides cost $30 for one hour to $55 for a half-day (minimum age seven); half-day trips down the North Kaibab Trail to the tunnel run $55 (minimum age eight), and full-day rides to Roaring Springs are $105 including lunch (minimum age 12). Requirements for riders are similar to those for South Rim trips, including proper riding attire (long pants and wide-brimmed hat), good health, fluency in English, and weight not over 200 pounds (91 kg) for the North Kaibab or 220 pounds (100 kg) for the rim rides. Call ahead or make reservations with the mule rides desk in the Grand Canyon Lodge lobby (928/638-9875 lodge, 435/679-8665 residence, www.canyonrides.com). Rates include a shuttle from the lodge to the trailhead.