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Grand Canyon National Park
How Do I Get to the North Rim ?

Visitor Services open mid-May to mid-October

Jump to:  Driving Distances and Directions    Road Condition Links

The entrance to the Grand Canyon National Park NORTH RIM is located 30 miles south of Jacob Lake on Highway 67; the actual rim of the canyon is an additional 14 miles south. Jacob Lake, AZ is located in northern Arizona on Highway 89A, not far from the Utah border. Grand Canyon lies entirely within the state of Arizona.

  • Commercial airlines serve Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas. There is limited air service into the St George, UT Airport from Salt Lake City, UT. (St. George, UT is 156 miles/ 251 km to the west of the North Rim)

  • There is no public transportation to the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park other than the Trans Canyon Shuttle (928-638-2820) which runs between the north and south rims of the park once each day, in each direction, and the travel time is about 4 1/2 hours each way..

Visitor services and facilities inside the National Park on the North Rim are only open from mid-May to mid-October. The road from Jacob Lake to the North Rim (Highway 67) is subject to closure due to snow from mid-October to mid-May. Read more about off-season visits

Download the 2008 Season North Rim Guide here for reference (1.80MB PDF File)
The 2009 edition will be available in May, 2009. This is a 16 page newspaper.

 
 
Grand Canyon National Park and Vicinity Map
Grand Canyon National Park and Vicinity Map
 

Approximate Driving Distances and Directions

to the NORTH RIM, Grand Canyon National Park, from:

South Rim, Grand Canyon, AZ - 212 miles / 341 kilometers
Take Highway 64 east to Highway 89.
Take Highway 89 north to Highway 89Alt.
Take Highway 89Alt west to Highway 67.
Take Highway 67 south directly to the North Rim.

Flagstaff, AZ - 207 miles / 333 kilometers - there are three ways to go:
Take Highway 89 north to Highway 89Alt.
Take Highway 89Alt west to Highway 67.
Take Highway 67 south directly to the North Rim.

Phoenix, AZ - 351 miles / 565 kilometers
Take I-17 north to I-40.
Take I-40 east to Highway 89.
Take Highway 89 north to Highway 89Alt.
Take Highway 89Alt west to Highway 67.
Take Highway 67 south directly to the North Rim.

Sedona, AZ - 236 miles / 380 kilometers
Take Highway 89Alt to I-40.
Take I-40 east to Highway 89.
Take Highway 89 north to Highway 89Alt.
Take Highway 89Alt west to Highway 67.
Take Highway 67 south directly to the North Rim.

Williams, AZ - 242 miles / 389 kilometers
Take I-40 east to Highway 89.
Take Highway 89 north to Highway 89Alt.
Take Highway 89Alt west to Highway 67.
Take Highway 67 south directly to the North Rim.

Las Vegas, NV - 275 miles/ 443 kilometers 
Drive north on I-15 for 128 miles/ 206 km, just past St. George, UT to Rt 9.
Drive east on Rt 9 for 10 miles/ 16 km to Rt 59.
Continue east on Rt 59 for 32 miles/ 51 km. (At the Utah/Arizona state line, the highway changes to Rt 389.
Continue east on Rt 389 for 33 miles/ 53 km to the junction with US 89a.
Continue east on US 89a for 30/ miles 48 km. to the junction with Rt 67.
Drive south on Rt 67 for 43 miles/ 70 km directly to the North Rim.

Los Angeles, CA - 500+ miles / 805+ kilometers
From the junction of I-10 and I-15, drive north on I-15 for 352 miles / 556 km, just past St. George, UT to Rt 9.
Drive east on Rt 9 for 10 miles/ 16 km to Rt 59.
Continue east on Rt 59 for 32 miles/ 51 km. (At the Utah/Arizona state line, the highway changes to Rt 389.
Continue east on Rt 389 for 33 miles/ 53 km to the junction with US 89a.
Continue east on US 89a for 30/ miles 48 km. to the junction with Rt 67.
Drive south on Rt 67 for 43 miles/ 70 km directly to the North Rim.

Salt Lake City, UT - 392 miles / 631 kilometers
Take I-15 south to Highway 14.
Take Highway 14 east to Highway 89.
Take Highway 89 south to Highway 89Alt.
Take Highway 89Alt south to Highway 67.
Take Highway 67 south directly to the North Rim.

Denver, CO - 690 miles / 1110 kilometers
Take I-70 east to Highway 89.
Take Highway 89 south to Highway 89Alt.
Take Highway 89Alt south to Highway 67.
Take Highway 67 south directly to the North Rim.

Albuquerque, NM - 467 miles / 751 kilometers
Take I-40 west to Highway 89.
Take Highway 89 north to Highway 89Alt.
Take Highway 89Alt west to Highway 67.
Take Highway 67 south directly to the North Rim.

(Note: The directions on this page do not represent the only route you can use to get to the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Depending on where you start and the route you wish to take, you may find that using other roads will suit your travel plans better.)

 

Road Conditions

Listed below are commercial phone numbers for recorded messages on road conditions and links to state highway websites:

 

More about off-season visits to the North Rim

Highway 67 into the North Rim remains open to public travel through mid-November, but from mid-November on, Highway 67 may close for the season on short notice due to major storms and heavy snowfall. Check the Arizona Department of Transportation Road Conditions and Closures Map for the latest update. (www.az511.com/hcrsweb/hcrsweb.jsp)

During daytime visitation, from mid-October until the final closure of Highway 67, emergency services ONLY are provided by the National Park Service. Visitors are reminded to pay special attention to their gas gauge, since gas will no longer be available in the park. Food service will not be available. Only portable toilets will be provided.

Once the Arizona Department of Transportation closes Highway 67 south of Jacob Lake to vehicle traffic for the winter season, the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park also closes to vehicle traffic.

The gate at Jacob Lake is closed and locked and the gate at the North Rim entrance station is closed and locked. The National Park Service does not unlock the entrance station gate for public vehicle access until North Rim visitor facilities open up for the season in mid-May.

During the winter period when the North Rim entrance station gate is closed, the only public access into the national park is on foot, skies, or snowshoes. Snowmobiles are not allowed inside Grand Canyon National Park. Hikers and cross-country skiers are permitted to use the park's group campsites throughout the winter months if they have obtained a permit through the park's Backcountry Information Center.

 
when public access what is open
mid-May to mid-October roads are open visitor services and facilities are available
mid-October to mid-November roads are usually open, check with Az Dept of Transportation no visitor services and facilities
mid-November to mid-May roads are closed to vehicles, gate is locked at entrance station no visitor services and facilities, camping with backcountry permit only
GRAND CANYON'S MATHER CAMPGROUND  

Did You Know?
Camping on the rim within Grand Canyon National Park is permitted in designated campsites only and violators are subject to citation and/ or fine. There are vehicle accessible campgrounds in Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim, at Desert View and on the North Rim.
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Last Updated: January 05, 2009 at 15:33 EST