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Nearby Towns | Nearby Attractions | Scenic Drives | Area Activities
The northwest section of Arizona is geographically fascinating. In addition to the Grand Canyon, it’s home to national forests, national monuments, and national recreation areas. Towns, however, are small and scattered. Many of them cater to visiting adventurers, and Native American reservations dot the map.
Nearby Towns
Towns near the canyon’s South Rim include the tiny Tusayan, 1 mile south of the entrance station, and Williams, the “Gateway to the Grand Canyon,” 58 miles south.
Tusayan has lower-priced lodging than within the Park, basic amenities, and an airport that serves as a starting point for airplane and helicopter tours of the canyon.
The cozy mountain town of Williams, founded in 1882 when the railroad passed through, was once a rough-and-tumble joint, replete with saloons and bordellos. Today it reflects a much milder side of the Wild West, with 3,300 residents and more than 25 motels and hotels. Wander along the main street—part of historic Route 66, but locally named, like the town, after trapper Bill Williams—and indulge in Route 66 nostalgia inside antiques shops or souvenir and T-shirt stores.
The communities closest to the North Rim—all of them tiny and with limited services—include Fredonia, 76 miles north; Marble Canyon, 80 miles northeast; Lees Ferry, 85 miles east; and Jacob Lake, 45 miles north.
Fredonia, a small community of about 1,050, approximately an hour’s drive north of the Grand Canyon, is often referred to as the gateway to the North Rim; it’s also relatively close to Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks in Utah. Marble Canyon marks the geographical beginning of the Grand Canyon at its northeastern tip. It’s a good stopping point if you’re driving U.S. 89 to the North Rim. En route from the South Rim to the North Rim is Lees Ferry, where most of the area’s river rafts start their journey. The tiny town of Jacob Lake, nestled high in pine country at an elevation of 7,925 feet, was named after Mormon explorer Jacob Hamblin, also known as the “Buckskin Missionary.” It has a hotel, café, campground, and lush mountain countryside.
Visitor Information
Contacts
Kaibab National Forest, North Kaibab Ranger District. | 430 S. Main St. | Fredonia | 928/643–7395 | www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab.
Kaibab National Forest, Tusayan Ranger District. | 176 Lincoln Log Loop | Grand Canyon National Park | 928/638–2443 | www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab.
Kaibab Plateau Visitor Center. | U.S. 89A at Hwy. 67 | Jacob Lake | 928/643–7298 | www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab.
Nearby Attractions
Lees Ferry.
About 5 miles northeast of the town of Marble Canyon, where Echo Cliffs and Vermilion Cliffs intersect, is Lees Ferry. Considered “mile zero” of the river—the point from which all distances on the rivers system in the Grand Canyon are measured—Lees Ferry is where most of the Grand Canyon river rafts put into the water. Huge trout lurk in the river near here, and there are several places in the area to pick up angling gear and a guide.
This spot, one of the last areas in the mainland United States to be completely charted, was first visited by non–Native Americans in 1776, when Spanish priests Fray Francisco Atanasio Domínguez and Fray Silvestre Velez de Escalante tried, but failed, to cross the Colorado. In March of 1864, Mormon frontiersman and missionary Jacob Hamblin made the first crossing by raft. The site was named after John Doyle Lee, who constructed the first ferry to cross the Colorado here in 1872 (and who later was arrested and executed in connection with the Mountain Meadows massacre in Utah). Mormon efforts to establish colonies in the area generated high ferry traffic through the 1890s. It became part of the Honeymoon Trail, a gateway to Utah for young couples who wanted their Arizona civil marriages sanctified at the Latter-day Saints temple in St. George. The place was a ferry crossing until 1928, when the first Navajo Bridge was built over Marble Canyon.
After Lees Ferry, there isn’t another vehicle crossing point on the Colorado River until you reach the Hoover Dam (although two footbridges cross the river near Phantom Ranch). Lees Ferry, at thePariah Canyon junction just 15 miles below Glen Canyon Dam, has for thousands of years offered one of the best places to cross the deep gash of the Grand Canyon. Today, the town, the Lonely Dell Ranch Historic District, a small, sad cemetery, and a scattering of historic buildings offer a glimpse of frontier life. But most people journey to Lees Ferry to get onto the river. Commercial raft trips take off from the boat ramps, and fly-fishing guides regularly shuttle people upstream to the base of Glen Canyon Dam. | Off U.S. 89A | Marble Canyon | Free | Daily.
Vermilion Cliffs National Monument.
West of the town of Marble Canyon are these spectacular cliffs, more than 3,000 feet high in many places. Keep an eye out for condors; the giant endangered birds were reintroduced into the area in 1996. Reports suggest that the birds, once in captivity, are surviving well in the wilderness. | 435/688–3200 | www.blm.gov/az.
Scenic Drives
U.S. 89.
The route north from Cameron Trading Post (Cameron, Arizona) on U.S. 89 offers a stunning view of the Painted Desert to the right. The desert, which covers thousands of square miles stretching to the south and east, is a vision of subtle, almost harsh beauty, with windswept plains and mesas, isolated buttes, and barren valleys in pastel patterns. About 30 miles north of Cameron Trading Post, the Painted Desert country gives way to sandstone cliffs that run for miles. Brilliantly hued and ranging in color from light pink to deep orange, the Echo Cliffs rise to more than 1,000 feet in many places. They are essentially devoid of vegetation, but in a few high places, thick patches of tall cottonwood and poplar trees, nurtured by springs and water seepage from the rock escarpment, manage to thrive. | Grand Canyon.
U.S. 89A.
At Bitter Springs, 60 miles north of Cameron, U.S. 89A branches off from U.S. 89, running north and providing views of Marble Canyon, the geographical beginning of the Grand Canyon. Like the Grand Canyon, Marble Canyon was formed by the Colorado River. Traversing a gorge nearly 500 feet deep is Navajo Bridge, a narrow steel span built in 1929 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Formerly used for car traffic, it now functions only as a pedestrian overpass. | Marble Canyon.
Area Activities
Sports and the Outdoors
Rainbow Rim Trail.
Rangers say the best bet for bikers heading to the North Rim—and only intermediate and experienced ones should attempt it—is the Rainbow Rim Trail, an 18-mile, one-way trail that begins at Parissawampitts Point at the end of Forest Road 214 and ends at Timp Point on Forest Road 271. This premier trail also includes stops at three other fantastic viewpoints—Fence, Locust, and North Timp—and winds through a ponderosa pine forest and up and down through side canyons, aspen groves, and pristine meadows. In the Kaibab National Forest, the trail is open to hikers, bikers, and horseback riders and stays within 200 feet of its 7,550 feet elevation. | Grand Canyon National Park | 928/643–7395 | www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab.
Fishing
The stretch of ice-cold, crystal-clear water at Lees Ferry off the North Rim provides arguably the best trout fishing in the Southwest. Many rafters and anglers stay the night in a campground near the river or in nearby Marble Canyon before hitting the river at dawn.
Arizona Game and Fish Department.
Fish for trout, crappie, catfish, and smallmouth bass at a number of lakes surrounding Williams. To fish on public land, anglers age 14 and older are required to obtain a fishing license from the Arizona Game and Fish Department, either at their office or online. | Flagstaff | 928/774–5045 | www.azgfd.gov.
Lees Ferry Anglers.
There are guides, state fishing licenses, and gear for sale at Lees Ferry Anglers. | Milepost 547, N. U.S. 89A, HC 67 | Marble Canyon | 928/355–2261, 800/962–9755 | www.leesferry.com.
Marble Canyon Outfitters.
This company sells Arizona fishing licenses and offers guided fishing trips. | 1/4 mile west of Navajo Bridge on U.S. 89A | Marble Canyon | 928/645–2781, 800/533–7339 | www.leesferryflyfishing.com.
Rafting
The National Park Service authorizes 16 concessionaires to run rafting trips through the canyon—you can view a full list at the park’s website (www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/river-concessioners.htm). Trips run from 3 to 16 days, depending on whether you opt for the upper canyon, lower canyon, or full canyon. You can also experience a one-day rafting trip, either running a few rapids in Grand Canyon West with the Hualapai tribe or floating through Glen Canyon near Page.
Arizona Raft Adventures.
Arizona Raft Adventures organizes 6- to 16-day paddle and/or motor trips through the upper, lower, or “full” canyon, for all skill levels. Trips depart April through October. | 4050 East Huntington Dr. | Flagstaff | 928/526–8200, 800/786–7238 | www.azraft.com | From $2,025.
Canyoneers.
With a reputation for high quality and a roster of 3- to 14-day trips, Canyoneers is popular with those who want to do some hiking as well. The five-day “Best of the Grand” trip includes a hike down to Phantom Ranch. The motorized and oar trips are available April through September. | 7195 N. U.S. 89 | Flagstaff | 928/526–0924, 800/525–0924 | www.canyoneers.com | From $1,080.
Grand Canyon Expeditions.
You can count on Grand Canyon Expeditions to take you down the Colorado River safely and in style: evening meals might include filet mignon, pork chops, or shrimp. The 8-day motorized and 14-day Dory trips range from $2,590 to $3,804, and some trips focus on special interests like archaeology and photography. | 435/644–2691, 800/544–2691 | www.gcex.com.
Wilderness River Adventures.
One of the canyon’s larger rafting outfitters, Wilderness River Adventures runs a wide variety of trips from 3 to 16 days, oar or motorized, from April to October. Their most popular trip is the seven-day motor trip. | 2040 E. Frontage Rd. | Page | 928/645–3296, 800/992–8022 | www.riveradventures.com.
Top Picnic Spots Near the Grand Canyon
Bring your picnic basket and enjoy dining alfresco surrounded by some of the most beautiful backdrops in the country. Be sure to bring water, as it’s unavailable at many of these spots, as are restrooms.
• Buggeln, 15 miles east of Grand Canyon Village on Desert View Drive, has some secluded, shady spots.
• Cape Royal, 23 miles south of the North Rim Visitor Center, at the end of Cape Royal Road, is the most popular designated picnic area on the North Rim due to its panoramic views.
• Grandview Point has, as the name implies, grand vistas; it’s 12 miles east of the village on Desert View Drive.
• Point Imperial, 11 miles northeast of the North Rim Visitor Center, has shade and some privacy.