Plenty of RVers have been to Grand Canyon National Park. But chances are, they’ve only been to the South Rim. Not many “go the extra miles”—both in the literal sense and in the preparation sense. Here’s a heads up. While the South Rim is open year-round, access to the North Rim is limited—reopening this year on May 15. Should you make the North Rim part of your RV experience?
North Rim and South Rim—poles apart
Though both rims are only miles apart (as the raven flies), the difference between the upper (North) and lower (South) rims is worlds apart. The South Rim is far more easily accessed from civilization, and hence far more popular—and populated. Folks come in from Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Flagstaff in short order.
The South Rim is, indeed, “touristy”—with postcard views, shuttle buses that will take you to all the popular spots, and “plenty of everything” that a tourist could want. It’s no surprise that about 90% of the park’s visitors make their Grand Canyon adventure on the south side. If you have a family, or you’re making a first-time visit, then the South Rim might be your calling.
Hold onto your oxygen concentrator!
But hold onto your hat—and your oxygen concentrator—if you make the North Rim part of your destination planning. While much of the South Rim is at 7,000 feet (which can be challenging for folks with some respiratory conditions), the North Rim’s 8,000-foot elevation can make a huge difference.
Not only is the elevation higher, getting there is more challenging. The North Rim is more remote, and you’ll basically need to come in from the Utah side. But if you’re looking for seclusion and quiet, remember, only about 10% of the park’s visitors ever make it up there. At a higher elevation, the park is decidedly cooler. The lay of the land is different, too. More forests. Far more rugged. And the views—Well, they’re just different, too.
Hiking is great—But there’s plenty more
If you’re into hiking, the North Rim is your choice. Look up these trails for greater detail. Even the names are exotic: North Kaibab, Cape Royal, Point Imperial. If you hike, be prepared with the essentials for your safety—and your survival. Help is a lot farther away than down on the South Rim.
We’re not hikers—maybe we’ll take that up in the future—but we love the North Rim. We’ve left the rig in camp and driven many miles. It’s a photographer’s paradise—the views are awesome—and not in the generic, overused sense. In some cases, they truly make your jaw drop.
But be prepared to look after yourself. You’ll have far fewer “choices” in the one lodge restaurant. Instead of the bustle of the so-called iconic South Rim, the North Rim is more of a Henry David Thoreau experience.
Here’s an official rundown on this season’s opening from the Park Service
The North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park will open on Thursday, May 15, at 6 a.m. to mark the official start of the 2025 season. Grand Canyon Lodge and Grand Canyon Trail Rides will also commence their 2025 seasonal operations on this date.
Visitor services, including the campground, Grand Canyon Conservancy bookstore and the Backcountry Information Center, will open at 8 a.m. Rangers will be available daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to provide information, trip planning assistance, and Park Ranger Programs at the Roaring Springs Overlook Kiosk through October 15. Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim operations, including lodging, groceries, retail, food and beverage services, shower and laundry, and the gas station, will also open May 15. The lodge dining room will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with reservations required for dinner service. The last day of the 2025 season for most commercial services will be October 15, 2025.
The Bright Angel Point Trail on the North Rim leading to Bright Angel Point will be closed for construction for the entirety of the 2025 season. The trail will be closed to all pedestrian traffic as National Park Service (NPS) personnel replace asphalt, move large rocks, and operate equipment in these areas. This closure is necessary for the protection of staff and visiting public during an extensive repair effort to the Bright Angel Point Trail.
Need reservations?
Overnight lodging reservations for North Rim facilities may be made by contacting Aramark Destinations at 877-386-4383, or by visiting their website at grandcanyonnorth.com. For information on Grand Canyon Trail Rides, call 435-679-8665 or visit their website at www.canyonrides.com.
Reservations for the North Rim Campground must be made by calling 877-444-6777 or online here. Campground reservations outside of the park at Demotte Campground, located on the Kaibab National Forest, can be booked online here.
The North Rim will be open for day use until November 30, 2025, or until the first major snowstorm if prior to that date.
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You absolutely need a relatively short, AWD/4wd toad/truck when visiting the North Rim. The trail to Bright Angel Point was already closed when we were there last fall. Cape Royal is 23 miles from the visitor center/lodge and has narrow pavement and switchbacks, so bike riders be warned. Plus the NPS does not allow any vehicles longer than 22′ on that “scenic drive”. So even some Class Bs camper vans may be too long for that road. And the 17-mile Point Sublime road is a primitive dirt road.
Finally, you will be facing south when taking photos, so sun angle is critical. That makes those “golden hour” photos more important than they are on the South Rim!
I park my RV at the Kaibab Camper Village, Jacob Lake. FHUs.
Thank you for the information, Russ and Tina. Don’t plan to ever visit the Grand Canyon, but if I do, you have convinced me that it will be the north rim. The bit about only ten percent of all visitors going to the north rim was compelling. Have a great day and safe travels!
We’ve been visiting both Rims for 30+ years, mostly annually for the last 20-ish. We love both Rims. At NR, we prefer to stay in the park CG, we have a small TT but have camped in tents and popups. It’s handy to walk to the Rim, my husband can start some of his hikes from the CG. SR is definitely busier, but we’ve learned how to cope. Again we camp in the park, either dry camping in Mather or in trailer Village. We meet folks on every visit who are surprised at the altitude.
North rim! Camped there 3 times. NO hookups at all so count on solar or your gennie but the gen is allowed only 4 hours a day, two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening. No cell service or internet connectivity and I believe there’s a 40′ limit ‘combined’ on rigs. They do have potable water to fill your tank (or jugs) and a dump station. But the scenery and beauty there far exceeds the small inconvenience of no hook ups. Hope to go back someday.
All cell service is from SR, so there are spots where it is possible. The back patio of the Lodge is pretty good. Last fall, the odd thing was I actually got phone calls and texts in our site, one evening when my husband ended up hitting SOS on his inReach. He was on an unmaintained trail (with a permit) and lost the trail. With some texting back and forth to SAR, he didn’t need rescuing, just spent the night on the trail instead of his intended spot. Otherwise, no consistent service in our sites, and we know not to depend on it.