September is the perfect month to visit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon because the fall foliage is so colorful. Our first trip was the drive out to Sublime Point on a 4WD road. The drive begins a couple miles from the North Rim’s Grand Canyon Lodge, along a dirt road in the Kaibab National Forest. About 4 miles in we came to an impressive meadow, where bright-green ferns and deep-orange Ponderosas mark the passage and many young-quaking Aspens. At about 12 miles, we stopped at the first view we could see of the Grand Canyon. The next 4 miles we were in the woods and then it opens up with sheer drop-offs close in on both sides of the road, and Point Sublime at the end. Stunning, spectacular, sensational, and sublime are the words that come to mind on our first view from Point Sublime. We were sorry that we could not get camping permits here but we stayed and enjoyed lunch taking in the amazing sight of another of Mother Nature’s handiwork, the Grand Canyon in all its glory. We left Point Sublime and looked for a campsite in the Kaibab National Forest on the way to the Rainbow Rim Trail. Click on thumbnail to view images
Point Sublime
Rainbow Rim Trail
The Rainbow Rim Trail is a 27.8 mile singletrack mountain bike trail along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon at an elevation of 8,545 feet. There are five large “Points” of land that overhang the canyon. The five “Points” are Parissawampitts, Fence, Locust, North Timp and Timp; we visited all five “Points” looking for a nice campsite. We finally found a good site at the North Timp Point without another soul in sight. We walked the Rainbow Rim Trail out and back to Timp Point. We ate dinner and then we went to the edge of the “Point” and watched the sunset over the Grand Canyon. Click on thumbnail to view images
