If you’re planning on traveling to the Grand Canyon, you’ve got to make time in your itinerary to see both the North and the South Rim! Let’s be honest – how many times do you think you’ll travel to the Grand Canyon in your life? If you’re like most people it’s probably going to be a one-time thing, so you might as well take the extra couple of days and see both sides!

Planning a trip to the Grand Canyon requires a lot of patience – particularly on the South Rim.  I booked all my room reservations over a year in advance, and I booked all of our activities in Page, AZ  about six months in advance!  That kind of prep work isn’t for everyone, but it certainly pays off when you have accommodations that are within sight or walking distance from the Rim!

This post will highlight tips on planning a trip to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, but for those of you interested in the South Rim I will be writing a detailed post on planning a trip there as well.

But let’s be honest, the North Rim is (in my opinion) the crown jewel of the Grand Canyon! It’s hard to believe that only 10% of Grand Canyon visitors make it to the North Rim, but according to the National Park’s website, this is the case!

Lodging  

You don’t have many options when it comes to Lodging.  If you are determined to stay in the Park, there are two options that await you: The Grand Canyon Lodge or the North Rim Campground. Of course, there are other campgrounds, they just aren’t in the central Hub-bub of the North Rim.

The Grand Canyon Lodge

Tips for Booking:

• Book nine months to a year in advance to ensure you get the dates you need for your trip!
• This Lodge is NOT connected with the South Rim, who is booked through Xanterra.  They are their own entity.
• The Grand Canyon Lodge offers three different Cabin types as well as Motel rooms.
• The North Rim is only open seasonally (May-October), so plan accordingly!

The Lodge itself is not home to rooms but rather the restaurant, lounge, patio, deli, bar, and a gift shop.  A stone’s throw away to the northwest leads you to all the rustic yet cozy cabins.  Some are right on the Rim while others are not.  We happened to book early enough to get a cabin on the Rim, but what that meant is we were the last row of cabins.  (I say we “happened” to book early enough as if I didn’t put in a lot of planning and effort to do so!)  We were definitely within walking distance to Transept trail (which is on the Rim) but couldn’t actually have a view due to all the thick foliage.  Still, it was nice to be on the last row to feel a little seclusion amongst the close-knit cabins!  All the cabins are within easy walking distance to the Lodge and its parking lot.

North Rim Campground 

• Open May through October
• Tent and RV camping but no hookups.  There is, however, a dump station and a water refill station
• Reservations are recommended as campsites fill up fast
• The North Rim Campground is not what I would consider an “easy walking” distance to the Grand Canyon Lodge.  It’s about a 1.5-mile walk, so unless you don’t mind walking three miles roundtrip anytime you want to visit the Lodge, I’d drive to the parking lot next to the Visitor Center.

Honorable Mention: Kaibab Lodge  and Demotte Campground

I thought it would only be fair to include these two places, even though I only drove by them.  They are both about 5-7 miles away from the Park Entrance, and about 18 miles away from the actual North Rim.  This information is for those of you who really want to include the North Rim in your trip but are unable to find reservations for your dates.

Convenience/Grocery Stores:

The North Rim is certainly an isolated spot.  Once you leave Jacob’s Lake (a small town in its own right) you won’t be seeing anything resembling a grocery store or convenience store until you near the Park entrance.

North Rim Country Store

This will be the first store you come across on Highway 67 after Jacob’s Lake, and as previously mentioned, it’s very near the Park entrance.  We didn’t go into the store, so I can’t tell you from experience what it has in comparison to the General Store inside the Park, but it might be nice to stop in and take a look around just so you know what your options are.  This store is also located very near Kaibab Lodge and Demotte Campgrounds.

North Rim General Store

Conveniently located less than a couple of miles away from the Grand Canyon Lodge, we were able to stock up on our milk and chocolate milk addictions whenever we wanted! It’s located in the North Rim Campground area, and unless you just like 3 mile round trip hikes I would go ahead and drive there.

Dining Experiences

Believe it or not, you will have some different dining options while staying in the North Rim! We ate at the Deli more than once and had breakfast in the Lodge’s Restaurant every morning.  The food was really good, the prices in the Deli weren’t bad, and they were knowledgeable about gluten and cross-contamination!! I have an actual allergy to gluten and I won’t lie, I stocked up on gluten-free bread and PB&J just in case I couldn’t eat anything while we were there! The great thing is none of that was necessary and I had no issues whatsoever! Here’s a list of your dining options:

The Main Lodge Dining Room

The food was delicious in the Restaurant inside the Lodge! We had breakfast there, which I definitely recommend over dinner!  I’m sure dinner is great, but dinner requires reservations (breakfast is not as crowded so we never needed reservations), and at night you can’t see anything out the windows! We had a bright and beautiful view of the North Rim while enjoying our breakfast, and I definitely recommend it!

The Deli in the Pines

For lunch and dinner, we usually grabbed a bite at the Deli in the Pines.  It was affordably priced and had great chili! The staff was really nice and again, knowledgeable about gluten free.  There is not a link other than the one provided for the Main Lodge Dining Room above.

Order food on the Patio

I’m pretty sure this is the same kitchen with a more limited menu for the patio, but seriously, you have to sit on the patio one night, watching the sunset and eating dinner.  Life just doesn’t get any better!!

The Coffee Shop and Roughrider Saloon

Baked goods, breakfast burritos and coffee await you at the coffee shop in the mornings, and for those with more of an “adult taste” the Roughrider Saloon is your place! It’ll make you feel like you’ve stepped into the Old West!

Hiking

There are a variety of trails offered at the Grand Canyon’s North Rim! We only had time for one trail since we spent just one full day there,  but there are certainly enough for several days worth! We chose the Transept Trail because it was conveniently located to our cabin and the Lodge, and because it was relatively flat and an easy distance.

Click here for a full list of hiking trails on the North Rim

Attractions

Go on a scenic drive:

Point Imperial and Cape Royal: From the Lodge, you’ll soon see signs on your right for this scenic drive! We drove the whole thing and spent a pleasant morning seeing the Grand Canyon from various angles!! We stopped at almost all the main attraction spots and turnouts.

Point Sublime Road: Seeing as how we rented a mini-van to accommodate our party of 5 and a half, we didn’t really have the recommended vehicle to go down this rough road.  If I visit again I probably will rent a different vehicle so I can access it! Ending at Point Sublime, this road can be biked or driven, but it should be noted it’s a rough road!

Stop in at the Visitor’s Center:

There’s a great photo op right outside the Visitor Center that you can’t miss! We walked around the Visitor’s Center and bought our souvenirs.  It’s located right next to the Grand Canyon Lodge.

Mule Rides:

The North Rim offers mule rides into the canyon! Make sure you book early if you’re interested in taking the easy way into the Canyon!

General Tips for Visiting

• Try and visit in an off month.  Although the North Rim is not nearly as crowded as the South Rim, it still is more crowded in the summer months. Now I know what you’re thinking: “Isn’t it only open May through October??” Yes! But what I mean is try and visit in May, September or October.  We went in September and the weather was heavenly!
• Dress in layers! Nights in the desert see a large drop in temperature as soon as the sun goes down.  I would not doubt needing a jacket at night even in the summer months.
• Most forums suggest flying into Vegas if just visiting the North Rim.  We flew into Phoenix, but we started at Page and ended at the South Rim, so it made sense for us.
• Make time for a sunrise! It’s breathtaking.
• Get to the patio on the Lodge about an hour and half before sunrise to get a seat right on the edge of the Rim! Nothing more amazing than sitting on the edge with your feet up watching the sunrise and eating delicious food!

I can’t tell you enough how wonderful the North Rim is! It’s so worth adding to your Grand Canyon itinerary – and I almost guarantee it will be your favorite between the North and South Rim!

Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think! Have you been to the North Rim? Which side did you like better??

Until next time!