Bright Angel Point, North Rim of the Grand Canyon
My family and I spent this past week in St. George, Utah, and on Friday, we had the opportunity to visit the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. From St. George, it took about three hours to drive there, so we left early in the morning. The last time I tried this trip was many years ago while on my honeymoon. My new bride and I spent two hours driving down to Jacob’s Lake, Arizona, only to discover that the North Rim of the Grand Canyon closes during the winter (we were married in November). This was in the day before you could check things out on the internet ahead of time, so instead of the Grand Canyon, all we really got to see were the polygamist families in Hilldale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona. Needless to say, we made sure the park was open this time around.
The scenery along the route is just incredible, especially the last hour or so as you drive across the Kaibab Plateau and past Jacob Lake in Arizona. The forest is wonderfully dense and surprisingly green, and at times you wonder if you really are in Arizona. After we passed the ranger station, it was still another 25 minutes or so to drive to the Visitors Center. We caught glimpses of the canyon through the trees, but we didn’t get our first good look until we parked and walked into the Grand Canyon Lodge. As you enter the lobby, you can see right through to a large window along the entire back of the lodge, and my teenage son pretty much summed it up when he said: “Wow, look at that!”
Looking across Bright Angel Canyon towards the South Rim Visitors Center
Talk about breathtaking. No wonder Arizona calls itself the Grand Canyon State. There is nothing else like it in the world, and in fact, it is considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and more than one mile deep (6000 feet) at its deepest point. From the North Rim Visitors Center we could not see the bottom of the canyon, but we could just barely make out Grand Canyon Village and the South Rim Visitors Center about 10 miles away as the crow flies.
Yes, the boys really are as close to the edge of the Grand Canyon as they look. My wife was about to faint while I yelled at them to get back. Never trust the judgement of a teenager.
There are a few reasons the North Rim is better than the South Rim. First, the North Rim sits about 1000 feet higher in elevation than the South Rim, so it is not as hot (about 71 degrees the day we were there, while St. George was near 100 degrees that day). Because of the higher elevation (about 8000 feet above sea level), the North Rim also receives more precipitation which results in deeper and longer tributary washes and finger canyons than the south side.
Picnic next to the edge of the Grand Canyon.
The North Rim also has a few more trails to hike than the South Rim, with seven trails that are less than four miles round-trip. We even stopped for lunch at a picnic area just off the roadside that was only a few yards from the edge of the canyon.
A magnificent view of the eastern end of the Grand Canyon from Vista Encantada, situated at 8480 feet above sea level.
Lastly, the North Rim is situated out on a peninsula of the Kaibab and Walhalla Plateaus so you essentially have the Grand Canyon on three sides. If you get the chance, make plans to visit. It is certainly worth the effort and something that everyone should do at least once in their lifetime.
© Copyright 2012 Jeff, All rights Reserved. Written For: Jeffrey Olsen