By Glenn B. Jenks
The Grand Canyon is without a doubt one of, if not the, most visited site in the State of Arizona. Whenever I am there I hear the symphony of foreign languages as people stand in awe of this majestic piece of nature.
I am surprised, however, at the number of native Arizonans who have never been to the Canyon. In fact, I am the father of one such person. It isn’t that these people don’t want to see it. It is just something they take for granted that some day they will get there. I know that when I lived in Philadelphia for the three years I was in seminary I was the same way as regards the great sights in that city. Finally the week before I was to move to another city I ran down to at least see the Liberty Bell.
Of those who do visit the Canyon by far the majority go to the South Rim. It is closer and access is easier. I on the other hand go to the North Rim whenever I go to the Canyon. Yes, it takes longer to get to the North Rim, but for me, it is well worth the effort and time to go to the North Rim.
The North Rim is quite different from the South Rim. For one, the North Rim is about 1000 feet higher in elevation. It is located on a plateau, and unlike the South Rim that is almost a straight line one can stroll along, the North Rim is a series of promontories that project out into the Canyon. These promontories allow you to experience the canyon with a 240 or more degree vista, instead of the 180 degree vista at the South Rim.
North or South Rim, the Grand Canyon is something I never tire of. Many times I have spent a week just photographing from the North Rim. When I do I rediscover that every day, even every hour I can look at the the same view and it is a whole new experience. In this article I want to share some of the beauty of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
The View at Imperial Point.
A view from the North Rim Lode Patio of late afternoon light moving up a side canyon.
A close up of the peak on the mountain that is in the photograph shown above.
A major storm moves across the North Rim.
Few people know about the beautiful forests of Aspens that grow near the North Rim.
Along one of the back roads on the Kiabab Plateau near the North Rim is the sign pictured above. “Say What????”
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