WOW! What a view!

Rad

I travel two ways, by T@B and motorcycle.  This was a motorcycle trip I got back from yesterday.  The North Rim Lodge at the Grand Canyon offers one of the most spectacular dining experiences and views I have ever seen in my life.  There are  beautiful national Park campgrounds right there for our T@Bs.

Old man in a hat, me, enjoying the stunning morning view on the lodge deck.




Truth be told, it is a climb and a long haul to get up there, it is about 9,000' elevation.  We had heavy rain, mid thirty's temps and snow flurries on our climb to the top.

I will be back with Val and the T@B.

Verna

Gorgeous view!

bgualtieri

That is incredible. Totally on my bucket list from here in Phoenix. It's part of why we got our little T@b. I can't tent camp that cold but with my new best friend Alde, this is a possibility!

Nomad

The road to the north rim was still closed for the winter when I was in the area otherwise I would have been there :-(

leenscottfl

The North Rim campground is a circus and normally full. We count on staying at the NF campground deMott (?) just north of the park. Then there is a lot of dispersed camping in the area.

Nomad

I was planning on the dispersed whenever I manage to get back that way. From the pics I've seen you can park right up next to the rim - No sleepwalking advised.

Rad

Hey pxlated 

If it is in the budget, leave that inside kitchen and eat in the 4 star restaurant in the lodge.  The food is incredible and the view is amazing. Reservations are best made way in advance.


pic pinched from the web

Nomad

Rad - Looks like a great place but I'm not good at reservations unless at the very, very last minute - I always had a tight schedule when working so avoiding any now. Trying to be as footloose as I can. There's hardly anything I consider interesting enough to have to plan too far out or stand in line for. Too many other options - if not this, then that :-)
That may change (doubtful) but for sure not this first year out on the road.

leenscottfl

PX that is true. Many great boondocking areas for free. When heading south toward N Rim past the store on left and deMottte  on right. Take next left. Just a few miles from entrance to park. Some right on the edge.

Nomad

lennscottfl - Thanks for the directions - Maybe this fall on the way back to the southern quarter of the country. Northwest quarter coming up.

Rad

If you are old like me admission into the park is free with that great $10.00 lifetime national park pass!

Nomad

Old Grand Canyon story - An old buddy of mine (and fellow pilot) was living in Scottsdale so we decided to take his turbo 210 (Cessna) up and tour Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon - this was before they limited the altitude you could fly in/over the canyon. Decided to stop and take a stretch break at the GC airport. Blew a tire on landing and shut the whole airport down for over 30 minutes while they got the tow out and got us off the runway . Height of the season so the tour operators weren't happy campers :-)

Rad

 It must have been stunning flying low in that canyon; the flat tire,not so much.

Nomad

Yep, very pretty - Monument Vally also.
The flat tire was actually a non event for us, we were going slow enough at that point it didn't really cause a problem except we could no longer taxi off the runway. New tire to. Never did figure out what caused the blow out. Luckily the local mechanic had one so we were out of there 2-3 hours later.

jkjenn

leenscottfl said:

PX that is true. Many great boondocking areas for free. When heading south toward N Rim past the store on left and deMottte  on right. Take next left. Just a few miles from entrance to park. Some right on the edge.

Is this a road stable to tow the T@b over?

ChanW

That's gorgeous. 

Pretty amazing what we have here...

Lisa33

I towed my T@DA over it, Jenn.  You just need to go very slowly. I recall it being about 5 miles to the site pictured here.  It is sites like these that cement my love of dispersed camping!  Unbelievable to have all of that gorgeousness to yourself away from all of the crowds.

Nomad

Lisa - Great shot... And, ya, dispersed is great even if you don't have it entirely to yourself people don't tend to pack in tight like some campgrounds or RV parks.

leenscottfl

Yes jkjenn it is a pretty good dirt road. It is east of the park entrance road. To the west there are other sites that aren't scenic at all and some seem to be pretty much homesteaded. I haven't been there with the T@B but think it is very dooable. Close enough to deMotte campground for water and dump facilities.

leenscottfl

Rad the last time I was there I tried to make reservations and was told I was 2 minutes too late! I showed them my watch that said I had time left and was told too bad they don't go by my watch. Food may be good, I don't know,  but from my experience their customer service is lacking.

leenscottfl

Oh Rad.. when you go there look for the condors. Amazing. 

Rad

leenscottfl said:

Rad the last time I was there I tried to make reservations and was told I was 2 minutes too late! I showed them my watch that said I had time left and was told too bad they don't go by my watch. Food may be good, I don't know,  but from my experience their customer service is lacking.

Well, it was a strange week long trip for my motorcycle buddy and me.  Everyone, from gas station folks to restaurant staff were ridiculously polity and helpful.  We thought we must have passed through some invisible Star Trek time warp and were in some parallel universe filled with overly happy people.  

Back to to the canyon, I have been to both the south rim and the north rim and by far the north rim is far more beautiful and has smaller crowds.

manny

Hey, Rad..  great pics of north rim..  Brings back memories we were there back in 1994.  july..  our camp site was only 50 feet to the edge..  took walks to the lodge.    was there for 4 days..  loved to go back soon since I have my lifetime pass now.  it has really changed now with MORE campers and traffic..  well get back there soon with the tab..        M@anny   2015 tab L-max..