Located just 10 miles across from the South rim, getting to the north rim is not so easy. The trip around the canyon is 215 miles long so don’t expect to see both rims in the same day. The north rim is approximately 8,000 feet in altitude so temperatures here are cooler both in summer and in winter. In the winter, snow can close access to the north rim altogether so the park closes in mid-October and reopens in mid-May. You can find lodging, restaurants and shops at the Grand Canyon Lodge and the north rim area. The park is not as commercial or as busy as the south rim so you will have much fewer crowds here. The easiest to access viewing point is Bright Angel Point where you can hear the water from Roaring Springs 3,000 feet below. You can hike at Bright Angel Point and see some awesome views of the canyon below.

Take the park drive and stop at Point Imperial, the highest elevation in the park at 8,803 feet in altitude.   Head back to the road and take the fork to Cape Royal located 23 miles from the Grand Canyon Lodge. Be sure to stop at Vista Encantadora, Roosevelt Point and Walhalla Overlook.  When you get to the Cape Royal lookout, you will have to walk to the viewing points but the views are well worth the half mile walk. At Cape Royal,  you get an impressive view of the Colorado River and the valley below. On your walk back, be sure to take the marked path to your right to see Angel’s Window. Angel’s Window is an unusual, natural arch rock formation that sits on a large rock ledge with a viewing platform on top.  From Angel’s window, you also have great views of the canyon and surrounding rock formations.  Take the Cliff Springs Trail that leads off just opposite the Angel’s Windown overlook for a 2 mile round-trip hike. You can see the ruins of the Anazazi granary along this trail.