Grand Canyon North Rim May 27-31

which spaces have the best views?
Click to expand...

The best campsites with views on the north side of the Grand Canyon are NOT in the National Park, they are dispersed sites in the National Forest that border the Park, they are close to the North Entrance of the Park and they have superior views.

View from North Rim Forest Service dispersed campsite
northrim.jpg


On much of the north side of the Grand Canyon the National Forest goes right up to the rim, and you are allowed to drive right up to the rim and camp.
 
There are no hookups at the North Rim, unless you are a Campground Host.

There are only a few sites with any views, and they have a surcharge for the view. And an easy walking trail goes between the campsite and the view anyway.

I plan on hiking to some excellent views (Uncle Jim Point, Widforss Point) and down into the canyon for the best experience.

The North Rim is quite different from the South Rim. No TV, limited CellPhone service, no movies, no bowling alley, and best of all - limited crowds. There is a small, well equipped store, dump station, showers and laundry facilities and plenty of nature.

For being able to drive out and see the canyon, the South Rim has better views. For getting away the North Rim has few equals.

Mike
 
I enjoyed it two years ago. Especially camping outside the entrance on off the FS road.

Are you going to Toroweap too?

steve :c3:
 
Would love to join you, but Nadine and I are heading the opposite direction and camping at Carlsbad Beach in California the following week. Have a great time!
 
It's been 15 yrs but as I remember the road out to Pt. Sublime wasn't too bad. A bit rutted but not really much 4wd. You need a backcountry permit to camp there. Other spots outside of the park where you don't need a permit are the E. Rim overlook and any of the points along the Rainbow Rim trail on the west side of the Kaibab Plateau. Fire Point and North Timp are nice but the best is Locust Point with which is in the middle of the trail with lots of great dispersed camping. If you like to mtn bike you can do an 18 mile out and back to the south on one day and 18 to the north the next day.
 
I am taking my Big Buffalo to the AZ Strip about this time with some other couples (not SMB's) except me. We plan on going from Oak Grover on the west end to the Kanab Creek Canyon on the east end. Our main criteria is to stay as far south as possible. We want to visit all the main overlooks to the west of Kanab Creek. West to east, Twin Points, Kelly Point, Whitmore Rabids overlook, Toroweep, SB Point and Knanb point. We plan on a week minimum.
BillPa1
 
Here's a few old updates from our trip last Oct.

We met a couple at Kanab Point who had a permit for Point Sublime but couldn't get there because of a large tree across the road. That's probably been cleaned up by now.

The road to Kanab Point is easy but have a current map. My old paper maps and 20yr old GPS maps were hopelessly wrong.

A very nice park ranger, Tod, helped us get unlost. I asked him about SB Point and he said that the road was open but very brushy. He said we'd leave a good bit of paint on the bushes if we could even make it at all. We didn't try.

Wilderness permits are required for all undeveloped North Rim spots within park boundaries and can be picked up in St George, or Pipe Springs or at North Rim HQ. We didn't have one, but Tod the ranger let us go on in if we promised to go get a 'retroactive permit' when we left. The chances of running across another ranger that nice are pretty slim.
 
Thanks for the info! We may check out the North Rim this summer, but unfortunately not as early as you are going. We can't leave the East side of the States until early June. Anyway, I'll be anxious to see pics and hear stories!

:u1:
 
Ford_6L_E350 said:
I've made my reservations for those dates. Anybody want to meetup there?

Plenty of sites available. Go to the site:

http://www.recreation.gov/welcome.do

And search for North Rim Campground and Camping and Lodging. When the list of available sites comes up, click on one for a map.

Mike
Click to expand...

Are you camping in a dispersed area or a campground? The A's are playing the Yankees that weekend but we are thinking of arriving on Tuesday.
 
For Jstanley: Can you provide any more direction to the north rim dispersed sites?

For the folks who have been to Toroweap: Would you recommend attempting the road in 2WD?
 
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