Close by, the Widforss Trail is a 9.3-mile (out-and- back) hike offering not only canyon views but strolls through aspen thickets and ponderosa pine forests. Panoramic views reward hikers that go to the furthest point. Although these places are all within walking distance, most overlooks and trailheads are 10 to 20 miles away from the lodge on the adjacent peninsula. At Point Imperial overlook, a tall spire atop a towering dome faces row upon row of red rock castles and cathedrals flanked with nature’s flying buttresses. It’s as if a gigantic podium awaits a monarch to address his subjects. Gnarled trees frame the views and weathered logs that have split with age reveal the timelessness of this majestic place. Their gradual decay over decades is a mere blink of an eye compared to the millions of years it has taken to carve these gargantuan stone walls. In the distance, flat desert land lies beyond twin peaks, its smooth surface gouged by the Little Colorado River as though a giant stick was dragged across a sand beach. Walhalla Overlook is equally inspiring with a landscape of colossal curving step pyramids set upon crooked fingers of land. In between, creeks and washes feed the Colorado River, helping it chisel the desert crevasses. A short path leads to the remnants of an ancient Indian ruin, and we were fortunate to catch a ranger talk about the site. Surprisingly, most of the ruin’s stones were removed in the 1920s to build Grand Canyon Lodge, so what’s left is just a two- stone-high outline of where the building stood 900 years ago. Further on, Angel’s Window is an opening high up in a natural rock wall, and just beyond that, at the end of this scenic drive, Cape Royal has a near mile long groomed gravel path to the tip of the peninsula that offers sensational canyon views on both sides. While driving the paved Cape Royal Road to these overlooks is a comfortable way to see the wonders of the North Rim, there are many dirt roads that go right to the edge and offer true solitude. Although passenger cars can drive most of these roads, we took our Polaris RZR side-by-side on our excursions and loved the remoteness and feeling of discovery that each journey gave us. Aptly named Point Sublime, located about 16 miles west of US-67, was our favorite off-road adventure. The forest floor was carpeted with a beautiful tapestry of purple lupine wildflowers and lush green
In addition to curving step pyramids, fluffy clouds may or may not bring frequent thunderstorms.
GRAND CANYON NORTH RIM
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE FALL 2024 | 13
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker