10 million people a year visit the Grand Canyon -- and only 500,000 of them come to the North Rim. One reason could be its easier to get to the South Rim, which is open year-round, than to the North Rim, which is open seasonally from 15 May to 15 October. Other differences are explained here: (
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Besides being more remote than the South Rim, the North Rim is also in our estimation more beautiful and scenic. Something about coming into nature to be overswamped with tourists and traffic is not what Blasterz are about.
From the website: (
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"The Lodge
The beautiful Grand Canyon Lodge at the North Rim was built by architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood and was finished in 1928. Native stone and timber were used to make the lodge with much of the main lodge featuring Kaibab limestone that makes up the cliff at Bright Angel Point. Underwood built 120 cabins surrounding the main lodge then later added 20 more in 1928. The lodge was initially run by the Utah Parks Company, who was also a National Park Concessioner in Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks.
As the lodge flourished when it was initially opened, a devastating fire began in the lodge’s basement which nearly destroyed all of the main lodge and two cabins. In spite of this setback, in 1936 the lodge began being rebuilt. While the original stonework was reused, the lodge was scaled back to ensure it could withstand a strong winter snow that comes to the North Rim. For this reason, the original second story observation tower was not rebuilt however the main Dining Room and Recreation rooms were reconstructed with higher roofs.
The lodge has been in operation since it reopened in 1936. It officially earned designation as a National Historic Landmark on May 28, 1987, forever cementing its place in American History.
The Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most popular National Parks in America with more than five million visitors each year. The history of the Grand Canyon goes back approximately six million years with the Colorado River being the focal point of its creation. Over these millions of years, the Colorado River slowly eroded the land beneath it forming the spectacularly deep canyon that we all know today. The canyon’s average depth is 4,000 feet deep and is 277 miles long, with a wide variety of ecosystems living all throughout the canyon. The Grand Canyon earned recognition as a National Park on February 26, 1919, and was later declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Though the canyon was discovered long before it earned this recognition. In 1776, 236 years after the South Rim of the Grand Canyon was first discovered by settlers, Father Escalante visited the ponderosa covered North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Over time, ownership of the North Rim was heavily negotiated as Arizona and Utah claimed the territory until Arizona earned official statehood on February 14, 1912.
If you ever have the chance to travel into the canyon, you’ll see a wide variety of wildlife (such as Kaibab squirrels, goshawks, porcupines, mule deer, and elk), flora, and Native American petroglyphs at some point during your journey. As one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon is a historical wonder to be explored with a variety of hiking trails available so visitors can explore the canyon for themselves.
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"Dining Room - closed for the season
Dining in the historic Grand Canyon Lodge is truly a memorable experience. Our menu includes regional dishes as well as cuisine from the 1930's. We take pride in utilizing only the freshest and healthiest ingredients. We use "Free Range" poultry products which are antibiotic and hormone free. We observe the Monterey Seafood Watch program for our seafood offerings and serve organic products including delicious salad greens and pasta.
Dinner reservation will be available on-line at grandcanyonforever.com starting February 7th.
If you have questions, please email gnrfbmgr@gcnr.com or call 928.638.8562 or 480.392.5622.
Deli in the Pines - closed for the season.
Coffee available here! Also grab and go sandwiches and salads, hot/cold sandwiches made to order, pizza “whole and by the slice”, soup and chili are available throughout the day as well as all the goodies you need to fill your backpack. For your convenience, all items served in the Deli are available for carry-out. If space is available, deli grab and go meals can also be taken to the dining room during lunch hours, or kick back under a pine and "lunch" in style! The Deli in the Pines is open daily from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm.
Roughrider Saloon - closed for the winter season.
After a long hike in the Canyon, stop by the Roughrider Saloon from for a cold beverage and assorted snack options. The Roughrider Saloon captures the history of the area and should not be missed. Beverages are available "to-go" and make a fine accompaniment on the deck at sunset or by the big fireplace also on the deck. "
We stayed in a private 1930s CCC-built Pioneer cabin 1ess than 1500 feet from the Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim, and it was a wonderful experience. We went to the Lodge for sunrises and sunsets, meals, to sign up for Ranger Talks and get maps. Several hiking trails have their starting points at the Lodge."
Visit Instructions:
Please submit a photo(s) taken by you of your visit to the location (non-copyrighted photos only). GPS photos are also accepted with the location in the background, and old vacation photos are accepted. Additional pictures are appreciated of the area and facility to help others identify if this is the kind of place they want to stay. If you are not able to provide a photo, then please describe your visit or give a story about the visit
Notify the waymark owner of any changes in the status of the facility to ensure the waymark description is kept current. This may include changes in rates, area attractions, renovations, additions to facilities, increased lodging restrictions, etc.
If you visit and find the facility is closed permanently, notify both the group officers and waymark owner of the change. We will then update the waymark description and name to include the words "Closed permanently", and may consider the waymark to be archived.