No Room at the Inn

Our trip to the North Rim from Glen Canyon was very scenic as it took us right past the Vermillion Cliffs (Scott was disappointed to learn that “Vermillion” is just a code word for “red” . . . not one of his best colors).

We had been lured to the North Rim by a number of websites which suggested that it was the “quiet” side, with more trees and fewer people. Hmm. If that’s the case, then the South Rim must be intolerable. We were greeted at the entrance station with a sign that said sorry, campsite full. The lodge was full too. Directly north of the park is the Kaibab National Forest. The nice ranger at the ranger station said there was a ton of dispersed camping in that area. Just drive in, find a place you like, and set up. We pitched our tent four miles in, just past the trailhead for the East Rim overlook, which connects to the Arizona trail, a trail that runs from the Utah border south through all of Arizona to Mexico. The campsite had a lot of large trees and was completely private. And free.

The only reason we wouldn't stay there our entire visit is because it's at least a 30 minute drive to the campsite. We managed to secure two different campsites in the Park for Thursday and Friday, so we'll be closer to the action for our mule ride tomorrow.