Sunday Sep 24, 2023 - Kanab UT to Grand Canyon North Rim

Clean laundry and clean bodies after a night in the LaQuinta in Kanab. Hotel breakfast which was not too bad. A big bus tour group was there so they were getting organized while we had breakfast.

We scored a reservation, the last one, at the Grand Canyon North Rim Campground which is only about 80 miles from here so an easy driving day. The road down wasn’t too spectacular and not too busy, with some really pretty alpine meadows, aspens, and pines along the way. When we arrived at the park the very friendly ranger checked us in (another $35 not paid!) and we were too early to check in at the campground, so we took the Cape Royal Road the 23 miles out to Cape Royal. Once there we hiked the Cape Royal Trail out to Angels Window, which is a precarious affair but provides a great view to the canyon.

Then back the 23 miles and we stopped at the campground registration cabin where a nice (and very thorough) older woman checked us in. This campground is laid out to easily get a lot of smaller campers into and out of a small space. Running water, real flush toilets, and dump station. There is also a central place to get a shower and do your laundry. All for $9 with the senior pass.

Since we were still early (we’d picked up an hour when we drove into AZ)  we walked the Transept Trail the one plus miles to the Lodge and Visitor Center. This trail follows right along the rim of the canyon and gives lots of places to stop and see the canyon. We then hiked out to Bright Angel Point for more amazing views.

We ended up at the visitor center, which was small but the women working there were great, and they had a little gift shop. The lodge is right next door and is pretty okay, national park wise, with a killer view from the large outdoor patio or the floor to ceiling windows and leather couches inside. They have a dining room which is generally totally booked, along with a deli where you can get simple food. They also have a saloon where you can buy alcohol. We got a couple of drinks and took them out on the patio overlooking the canyon in the mid-afternoon sun.

We enjoyed the view for awhile and had a great chat with some others sitting nearby, but finally decided to return to the patio just before sunset (6:24) and see what colors came out then. We hiked back to the campground on the Bridle Path, which is also a mile plus, and had a snack to hold us until dinner. We drove the van back to the Visitor Center and got there 30 minutes before the sun went down. What a difference! Beautiful shadows and lots of reds. The moon even made an appearance of the canyon as the sun set.

Back to the campground where we made some supper, washed dishes and off to bed.