Best of Grand Canyon’s North Rim

Grand Canyon Lodge [1]: The original Grand Canyon Lodge burned to the ground in 1932 and was reconstructed in 1936. The lodge’s wide-open terraces overlook the canyon, and you can peer all the way across to the South Rim’s Grand Canyon Village.

Point Imperial and Mount Hayden [2]: From the highest point on either rim at 8,800 feet, you can see Mount Hayden, Saddle Mountain, the Painted Desert, and the eastern end of Grand Canyon.

Cape Royal Drive [3]: A 23-mile drive leads to Cape Royal Point, a rim overlook offering one of the finest views of the canyon. Take the short trail to the North Rim’s southernmost point, pausing to gaze through Angel’s Window, a natural stone arch.

Toroweap [4]: If you have a high-clearance vehicle and a taste for adventure, this lonely spot beckons. Sheer cliffs drop away to Lava Falls [5], one of the canyon’s gnarliest rapids, 3,000 feet below.

Bright Angel Point Trail [6]: Most park services at the North Rim are located on Bright Angel Point, the rocky peninsula between Roaring Springs Canyon and Transept Canyon. You can walk along a paved trail to the very tip of Bright Angel Point. The trail is a mere half mile, but the views alone will take your breath away.

North Kaibab Trail [7]: Beginning two miles north of the lodge, this trail leads hikers and mule riders into the canyon’s depths. Descend even a short distance down the trail and you will see how the canyon’s vegetation and rock layers change with elevation.