HikeArizona.COM

I am not very familiar with the North Rim -- visited there once as a car-traveling, shorts-and-sandals tourist about ten years ago.

A friend of mine and I would like to backpack the North Rim for 4-5 days, maybe 20-40 miles total, maybe in September next year.

We want to pretty much stay out of the Canyon -- preferring to walk and stay on the high, flat ground around the edge of it. We'll be totally self-sufficient as far as food and water are concerned.

A loop would be best, but if there is a way we can park in one place (say, at the North Rim Lodge), catch a ride to our starting point, and hike back to the car, that would be a good alternative. Not having seen any trail maps yet, I don't know if this is possible.

I am having a hard time finding extensive information about trails that would accommodate such a trip. I also need some general information about such matters as weather, availability of water, critters we might encounter, facilities along the trails, and such.

I'd love to converse with a site member about these things, and maybe get info on a good, comprehensive book that covers everything about the North Rim like the AMC guides do about the Appalachian Trail. I'll also need topo/contour maps.

Also, is there anything similar in the Vermillion Cliffs area?

Thank in advance for you for your help.

Links that might interest you...
http://hikearizona.com/location_g.php?z ... 0&CM=0&M=3
You can switch the map type over to MyTOPO for detail or the non mapped version is
http://hikearizona.com/interestDEX.php? ... 4&SUB_ID=0&

Beginners Guide Article

Flash Map

Map you can carry

Entrance Fees

Permits

I'm not certain but don't think there's shuttle services trail-to-trail on the North Rim. Perhaps others know of some good loops on the North Rim.

Pariah River Canyon is a flat 4-5 day backpack that starts in Utah and ends at Lee's Ferry. You'd need a permit for it, I believe.

How about the Powell Plateau? Not the extremely difficult circumnavigation of it below its rim, but a hike around the top of it? There is a trail, and one spring. At least, that is what I recall reading about it. There would be no facilities at all, however. It is a pine-forested table-land with views of the Canyon from its rim.

See Hiking Grand Canyon National Park, a Falcon Guide, by Ron Adkison. There are quite a few guidebooks, but I find this one is the easiest to use.

The only shuttle services right now is from the lodge to the Kaibab TH only or from the north to the south rim...

Hiker Shuttle
A shuttle to the North Kaibab Trailhead is
available twice daily in the morning. Cost: $7.00
per person; Sign up at the Grand Canyon Lodge
front desk. The shuttle picks up passengers
in front of the lodge at 5:45 a.m. and 7:10 a.m.
Reservations are recommended 24 hours in
advance.
Rim-to-Rim Transportation
Daily transportation between the rims is provided
by Trans Canyon Shuttle. The shuttle departs the
North Rim at 7:00 a.m. and arrives at the South
Rim at 11:30 a.m. It departs the South Rim at
1:30 p.m. and arrives at the North Rim at 6:30 p.m.
Reservations are required: (928) 638-2820.

Wow, friends, thanks for all the tips. I'll keep posted. A great start for me.

Hello Firstofthe7th,

I'll second the suggestion to check out Ron Adkison's 'Hiking Grand Canyon National Park.' He covers the North Rim Trails---the book is about 13 years old so double check with the for updates. http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/t ... osures.htm

September at the North Rim can get plenty cold. I did a Rim-to-Rim and wanted to spend a night on the North Rim---I also wanted to go as light as possible on gear since the Inner Canyon is still comfortable. You guessed it---I froze my arse when the temp dipped into the teens. Thank heavens for my spaceblanket! LOL.

Powell Plateau is a good hike---there are still a few mature Ponderosa pine that haven't been logged off or allowed to burn. Lots of deer and mountain lion.

Check back in and let everyone know how it went.