36 hours at the Grand Canyon North Rim with Kids

Our family of five visited the Grand Canyon North Rim in July 2024 during our epic out west road trip. With nearly 7,000 miles to cover and family responsibilities in LA, we didn’t stay long. But our two-night, one-day trip to this less-frequented part of the national park turned out to be just right. We enjoyed a mix of camping and lodge stays, driving and hiking, fancy and make-do meals. Here’s what we did.

The North Rim beats the South Rim in the Summer

In case anyone is unaware, the southwest US desert is an OVEN in the summer. Temperatures during our drive across southwestern states topped 115 degrees Fahrenheit. These conditions pushed us to pick the North Rim as our Grand Canyon stop over the South Rim. At 8,000 feet above sea level, North Rim temperatures consistently track 5-10 degrees cooler than those at the South Rim, which sits about 1,000 feet lower.

The North Rim’s altitude and wetter conditions contribute to a totally different ecosystem. Driving in from Utah, we left the a red and orange desert rock landscape as we entered the park. Trees got taller and denser and opened out into subalpine meadows. We felt like we had left the southwestern US and somehow ended up in Patagonia! As much as we have traveled, it still stuns us how much elevation changes the landscape.

Besides being cooler, the North Rim is also way less crowded, receiving about 10% of the Grand Canyon’s total annual visitors. That sealed the decision for us.

Keep in mind that the North Rim is only open May 15-October 15 for overnighters. It is open for day use through the end of November, if snowstorms don’t shut it down earlier.

Night 1: North Rim Campground

We rolled into the Grand Canyon North Rim campground at about 7 pm, after a grueling 11-hour drive from Denver (it was gorgeous, though!). Make reservations as early as possible. We made ours about 6 weeks in advance on recreation.gov and could only find a spot for one night, rather than the two we originally planned. This turned out to be fine, though, as we instead booked a cabin at the Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge for the second night.

Upon reaching the campsite, we piled out of the Honda Pilot, stretched our cramped legs, and hightailed it in the direction of the canyon. We had to make the most out of the waning daylight! The North Rim Campground sits along one of the side canyons called The Transept. Each campsite is fine location-wise, though reserve extra early if you want to have one of those closest to the canyon.

It is an understatement to call the canyon “Grand.” Vertigo hit us on our first glimpse through the trees. We sidled up to the precipitous canyon plunge with jelly legs and many, many warnings to the kids. This included dark reminders about a documentary that Matt’s sister recently watched about selfie deaths in the canyon.

After testing our bravado along the edge, we took a short walk along the Transept Trail that borders the campground before heading back to set up our tent. Dinner was whatever we rummaged from our car snacks and leftovers. Following that, we took a jaunt by flashlight over to the General Store at the campground entrance to scope out provisions and the gift shop. One book especially caught our morbid attention: Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon. I briefly thought about getting it but then thought better. I had enough tragic things to think about already. I was, however, compelled by our five-year-old to buy a 1,000-piece Grand Canyon puzzle. (We completed it eventually! It was the hardest we ever finished. And of course, we lost a piece in the process and later found it after we had taken the puzzle apart and donated it. Figures).

Morning 1: Transept Hike and Lodge Breakfast

All campers over age 30 should use sleeping pads, in my humble opinion. We did not, and suffered. The hard, lumpy ground woke everyone early. But an early rising is not without gifts. We sighted a Steller’s Jay and a few shy deer close to our tent, before they bounded away.

With all morning to kill, we decided to take the Transept Trail from the campground to the Grand Canyon Lodge, about a mile one way. The morning was cool and refreshing and the boys bounded along the path. Our second child, who will not be named, called out a favorite phrase in our Star Wars-loving family, “This is the way!” except that he tripped over a root before he said it all. Now the incident is lodged in our family lore, which we rehash regularly, “This is the–” SPLAT!

We had hoped to hike the famed quarter-mile Bright Angel Point Trail when we reached the Lodge, but alas it was closed for renovations. We had to settle for some pictures at the overlooks around the Lodge, which were still stunning. And we treated ourselves to a breakfast buffet at the Lodge (very overpriced, but a fun experience in the glass-windowed dining room overlooking the canyon). Then we hiked back to camp.

P.S. We wanted to sign up for the 1-hour mule tour along the rim, but our youngest hadn’t reached the 7-year-old age minimum. Maybe next time…

Day 1: Drive and Brief Hikes along Cape Royal Road

Though the North Rim is cooler than the South, it still got HOT. We took the 23-mile Cape Royal Road and made short stops along the way, so as not to spend too much time out in the sun. It turned out to be a great way to spend the day, with some driving and some hiking, and beautiful views all along the way. Some of our stops:

Point Imperial: highest point on the North Rim with views to the Painted Desert, Marble Canyon, and eastern Grand Canyon.

Vista Encantada: another lovely viewpoint.

Roosevelt Point: we took the trail along what the pocket map called a “secluded woodland loop.” There must have been a fire since the map was printed, because this trail was very much exposed and not wooded. We managed to walk the loop in about ten minutes in the scorching sun.

Walhalla Glades Pueblo: Across from the Walhalla Overlook, this was an interesting spot to see the remains of a native settlement and imagine what life was like for people living off the land here centuries ago.

Cape Royal Trail and Angels Window: a fun hike around some rock formations. We also joined a ranger-led presentation on water use along the Colorado River. We learned about some of the challenges of water distribution in this part of the country, worsened by climate change. We split up into groups and discussed which types of water use were more important: recreation, agriculture, household, etc. The final answer – they all are, and we should work together to conserve water and make sure it’s around for future generations to enjoy! We definitely recommend joining a ranger-led program if your schedule happens to line up with one.

Because we snacked through lunch, we had an early dinner at a humbler establishment than the Lodge (which you had to reserve for dinner anyway). Deli in Pines across the drive from the Visitor Center had more affordable fare. We got a couple brisket sandwiches and a meatball sub, which came with sides.

Another note: water in the North Rim is supplied by springs fed by the Colorado River. There is a point outside the Visitor Center where you can refill bottles. The water tastes great!

Around sunset, we made our way to the stone patio that wraps around the lodge to join many others who were sitting in the Adirondack chairs lined up along the wall and enjoying the view.

Night 2: The Grand Canyon Lodge Cabins

Overnight, we stayed in a family cabin at the Grand Canyon Lodge, costing us $230 total for a cabin with two rooms and a bathroom. One room had a queen bed while the other had a double and two bunk beds, so our family of five fit perfectly. It was certainly pricier than the campground, but after a night of roughing it we didn’t mind splurging for some softer beds.

And that was it! The next morning we headed out bright and early to continue our epic drive from Chicago to Long Beach, California.