Grand Canyon North Rim, AZ. We left SLC headed south along I15 at about 10:15 MDT. The weather was excellent and the traffic was light. The route to the from SLC to the North Rim is exactly the same as the route to Zion NP, until you reach the UT Highway 9 junction at La Verkin, at which point you head south to Hurricane, then dodge east along UT Highway 59.
The route continues south into Arizona along Highway 389 through Hilldale and Colorado City, and then eastward along Highway 389 to Fredonia. BTW, Judd Auto Service in Fredonia has an excellent selection of bottled beer and general supplies. From Fredonia, continue southeastward along Highway 89a to Jacob Lake. From Jacob Lake the route turns south, reaching the North Rim in just over 40 miles.
For our first sortie on this visit we decided to pay an afternoon visit to Point Imperial. This spot is excellent for photography at any time of the day, but for those with a mindset focused on the golden hours, the spot is particular attractive at dawn and the late afternoon. Note however, that while many spots along the North Rim make excellent locations from which to capture images of the Canyon, the light here often scrams well before the golden hour. There are several vantage points around the point. Although the classic vista lies at the end of a short walk down to the precipice, good views; including the one shown here, may be had from the area just below (in front of) the eastern edge of the parking lot.
The image above of Mt. Hayden and was recorded on August 24, 2010, at about 17:30 MDT, using the Nikon D3s and the AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED NIKKOR lens at 44mm. Exposure was f/8.0 at 1/400s, ISO 200. The 24-70mm is one of my favorite lenses, super sharp all-around and handles extremely well.
We really enjoy the North Rim. It’s civilized. A beautiful high-desert forest that runs off one of the most awesome cliffs on earth. The place is relatively uncrowded, and since it’s in Arizona, we escape the Utah booze laws (seriously, the Utah politicos really need to stop using liquor laws an an excuse to try to better each other). No kidding, you can grab a draft beer at The Saloon (it’s actually named The Saloon), in the Grand Lodge complex, and then wander over to the Lodge veranda which overlooks the Transept and Bright Angel Canyon. A genuine pleasure.
Copyright 2010 Peter F. Flynn. No usage permitted without prior written consent. All rights reserved.
