大峡谷北缘

大峡谷北缘印象

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  Vladimiramirela

  I have seen the Great Canyon in pictures and movies for many times before… but nothing prepared me for the real thing. We visited the North Rim last fall and in my own impressionable opinion, I felt right on top of the world. I also felt like being a part of it too, and lucky to be there and see it with my eyes. Words cannot describe the immensity, the greatness and the beauty of the Great Canyon. It is something definitely worth the trip, something worth seeing at least once in a lifetime!The fee payable at the entrance is reasonable and the road takes you to all the main viewpoints. Upon entering the park, remember to pick a map and the local paper to make sure you are not missing any important attractions. The first stop will most likely be at the Grand Canyon Lodge, located almost on the rim of the canyon. Close by there is a picnic area around the parking lot, which I highly recommend for a lunch under the pine trees, with canyon views. The most accessible view point nearby is the Bright Angel Point. The trail is an easy half-mile round trip walk from the Grand Canyon Lodge, with canyon views often on both sides.You should also take the scenic drive to Cape Royal, about 37km (1h) from the Lodge. The drive along Cape Royal Road is amazing in itself. Stop at Point Imperial, the highest vantage point in the park, and then continue to Vista Encantadora, Roosevelt Point and Walhalla Overlook. At the end of the road, take the 0.6 mile walk on a paved path to Cape Royal for a spectacular panoramic view of the canyon. You can see the Angel's Window from different points of view, also, you can spot the rapids of Colorado River down, below. There are quite a few easy trails, appropriate for less mountain-trained or less physically prepared people. Just drive around, pull over in the designated parking, take a few steps and enjoy the wide vista. The full trip to Cape Royal, including all stops, takes about half day.

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  Walterman99

  The only problem with the North Rim is half the year it is closed due to heavy snowfall. The North Rim is much nicer and has less people than the south. They have cool nights in summer. There are scenic meadows, rolling hills, and tall trees there.

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  gracey_j2015

  We arrived at the north rim just as the sun was going on. We climbed up on some rocks (other tourists were gasping at how crazy they though we were) to wait for the clouds to break, but, sadly, the never did. We did get some good photos but as we were driving away, I decided we had to get that amazing shot. I pulled the car over on the drive out and hiked through some woodland and found a secluded area with overhanging rocks. We climbed out as far as we could and finally got those incredible views. Absolutely breathtaking. It is a tad surprising when you get greenery and nothing but trees and forest at the north rim, as you only seem to see desert photos of the Grand Canyon. Well worth a visit. The hotel has some amazing views too, and the North Rim is definitely the quieter and less tourist-y of the 2!

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  buyersrmi

  to start a Rim to Rim Hike The North Rim is a great place to start off at.Stay over night in a cabin to get an early start at 5 AM. The North Rim View is so Different then the South Rim. The Climb down is fairly steep and your First chance for water and rest is at the Ranger station. a must see is Rainbow Falls. another place for a rest stop and a snack. then onto Phantom Ranch.

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  sc120

  We were here the end of November on a whim. We were heading from Zion to the South Rim. We knew that lodging/food services by that time were closed but I found it difficult to tell if the park itself was also closed. Initially we were told that the whole road was closed (by a ranger in Zion) As we drove by the turnoff to route 67 we realized it was still open. There was light snow in areas but the roads were fine. Since most people thought it was closed, it was quiet. I would have loved to stay longer but we had to get back on the road. This was the first time in the North RIm and now after getting a taste, I definitely want to go back.

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  tripaddvisor

  Having already visited the South Rim, we decided to add a trip to the North Rim, which wasn't originally part of our road trip schedule. The North Rim has a different character to the South and is less over-run by visitors; highly recommended.

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  anitka43

  I visited North Rim 3 years after I visited South Rim, so I was very interested in how the two of them compare.We only had 1 day at the North Rim, so we couldn't do any of the long or challenging hikes - we had to concentrate on the short trails and drives.If you only want to see the viewing points - 1 day is enough. We were able to drive to all of the viewing points, take a lot of pictures, stop for food and we still didn't feel like we had to hurry to do all of this.When you enter the park, you receive a map and a park newspaper - they are always really useful, because the trails are marked up to date.We did all the main trails on the North Rim map and this is what I liked the most:- Bright Angel Point - it's very easy to get to the viewing point and the view is really nice. I liked this one a lot because you could see the Bright Angel trail on South Rim (I climbed it 3 years ago)- Cape Royal - I think it might be the best viewing point - great place for pictures, very easy to get there, there's also a picnic area so you can eat your meal here if you want to.The only trail that disappointed us a bit was the trail in the burnt forest next to the Point Imperial. We were surprised that it was literally just a walk among some burnt trees and grass. If you are in a hurry, you can skip it.And how does the North Rim compare to the South Rim?1. Views: they are great from both sides. To really appreciate the magnitude of the Grand Canyon you have to visit a few viewing points - the Canyon looks different from different angles. And you can do that on both Rims, so in terms of views the Rims were equal for me.2. Hikes: we hiked only on the South Rim, but there are hiking options on the North Rim as well. For me hiking is the best way to really feel the Canyon - that is the only reason I prefer my South Rim trip, because we did the Bright Angel trail (7 hours round trip).3. Camping: camping sites are on both Rims. There are less places on the North Rim, but if you book in advance (at least a month), it's not a problem. So for me in terms of camping it's a tie as well.Most important take away from my 2 trips: in my opinion, it doesn't matter which Rim you choose. What matters is, whether you decide to go hiking. We hiked on the South Rim and I absolutely loved it. I still remember the Bright Angel trail as one of the best hikes in my life. You really get to know the Canyon, you can see how it changes during the day and the feeling when you finally reach the top on your way back is amazing. When we drove to the viewing points after the hike, we felt like we appreciated them more.On the North Rim, we didn't hike and I liked the views, but I missed the thrill of hiking.To sum up: I love the Grand Canyon on both Rims and I definitely recommend it to everyone to see it at least once in your lifetime :)If you have America the Beautiful pass, North Rim is of course included in it.

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  635chadm

  Most people plan their visit to the Grand Canyon 6 months in advance. We had 6 weeks. We were camping and I wanted to be inside the North Rim park. Having visited the south rim in high school, I wanted to give my children the gift of the North Rim remoteness.It was amazing! Even thought the campground and lodge were filled, it didn't feel crowded. Except at sunset on the deck at the lodge. Then it was full. But it was a charming full that felt like early 20th century touring.We didn't eat at the lodge but the campground store has everything you need to keep your camp larder stocked.NOTE: We experienced a deafening thunderstorm the first night! With the echoes from the canyon it sounded and felt like we were going to get blasted right off the ground. We just hunkered in our tents and rode it out. Make sure your tents are waterproof and you rig the rainfly. Just sayin'! Be prepared. We stayed nice and dry but it took a solid day to dry out the tents on the outside and brush off the mud.Every roadside vista was a marvel and its worth it to drive to all the lookouts on the North Rim. But as I said, even though it was mid-July, there were virtually no crowds, sometimes no one at all, at the overlooks. It was a wonderful way to experience the grandeur of the canyon.TIP: My 8 and 11 year old boys thought it was going to be a straight-walled canyon, one mile deep. There were a little disappointed that it was so wide. They couldn't grasp the scale of what they were seeing. So prep your little ones ahead of time that its not a straight walled canyon but a big, wide gap.

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  148mckennal

  I loved my week on the South Rim so much, I didn't want to leave. Luckily the North Rim had availability. It is a day drive, pleasant though. And the North Rim, has a peace and beauty that is worth the trip. I cant wait to return. They have a long deck with lounging chairs, at the North Rim lodge. You can sun, have a drink, and soak in the canyon view. So glad I went here.

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  Cindi691

  It was a long fairly uninteresting drive from Las Vegas (about 7 hours) but once there, it was everything (and more) of what I imagined. Breathtakingly beautiful. We stayed in one of the cabins at the lodge that was more that sufficient for two. The restaurant was organised and dished up some very tasty food - and did I mention the view?? AWEsome.I loved the wrap around deck, with chairs which delivered amazing views at sunrise and sunset. A short path walk down also offered a great view point for photos. A very special once-in-a-life-time experience.