Beautiful North Rim
by Robert Bales
Title
Beautiful North Rim
Artist
Robert Bales
Medium
Photograph - Photo
Description
A view of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon as the sun is breaking though the clouds with the San Francisco Peak in the background.
The journey from the south rim to the north rim of the Grand Canyon takes about 5 hours but is very scenic, involving a 215 mile route that descends from the pine-covered Coconino Plateau near the canyon into the flat, empty but very colorful Painted Desert in the Navajo Indian Reservation, up US 89 past the Echo Cliffs, across the Colorado River near Lees Ferry, then south alongside the Vermilion Cliffs, before climbing steeply into the Kaibab National Forest and to the small community of Jacob Lake. Basic visitor services are available here - a gas station, lodge, campground, general store and restaurant. From the village, AZ 67 provides the only paved route to the north rim. As with US 180 approaching the south rim, the road passes through lush Alpine meadows and forests of fir and pine for 50 miles (part of the Kaibab Plateau), with only occasional signs of development. The road has recently been designated the Kaibab Plateau - North Rim Parkway, and the NPS has installed many informative notices at laybys along the route.
The north rim has two main viewpoints towards the east, reached by the side road. One is Point Imperial, the highest in the park at an elevation of 8,803 feet, which apart from the canyon, here relatively shallow and less branched, also overlooks large areas of the Painted Desert and the Navajo Reservation. The second is Cape Royal (7,865 feet), perhaps the best of the north rim sites. The cape is 20 miles from AZ 67, right at the end of the road which becomes rather narrow and twisting over the last couple of miles as it runs along a steep sided ridge. There is a large carpark and a short nature trail leading to the point, where the ground drops away steeply in most directions affording superb views east, south and west along the Grand Canyon. Nearby is the short path to Cliff Spring.
Uploaded
November 4th, 2015
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Viewed 1,137 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 04/22/2024 at 4:03 PM
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Comments (22)
Ann Horn
Absolutely stunning capture, Robert. The subdued tones due to the cloud cover is great!!! f/l
Al Andersen
Wonderful capture! Love the lighting and color. The North Rim is well worth the extra travel time.
Lucinda Walter
Congratulations! Your beautiful work is featured in the FAA group "Beauty of Arizona" l/f
Beto Machado
Almost a painting, North Rim is a place that we have to visit. Incredible capture Robert!
Robert Bales replied:
It sure is a great place and I hope you make it some day!! Thanks for the nice comments!!