Grand Canyon North Rim (Hitch-N-Post RV Park – Kanab, UT)

On Friday the weather outlook called for rain later today, and the forecast doesn’t look good for the next three days 🙁

So much to see and do in and around Kanab, check out this website (←click here) that highlights three pages of attractions.

Here’s a brochure we got from the campground office:

IMG_3670

IMG_3669

We decided to start off by driving the Silverado over to the Grand Staircase-Escalante Visitors Center which is within eyesight of our campground.  This is the place that holds the lottery for a 6-mile hike to see “The Wave“.(← click here).

IMG_3679

This is a picture of “The Wave” below: (photo courtesy of NationalParkTourz.com)

The Wave image

In order to hike “The Wave,’ you must have a permit.  The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) limits access to the North Coyote Buttes WIlderness Area to just twenty permits per day.  Ten of the permits are available in advance by an on-line lottery that is conducted four months before the month for which the permit is sought.  The remaining ten permits are made available by lottery the day before ones intended hike.  Year round the lottery is held at the ranger station on the east end of Kanab.  The lottery for the walk-in permits takes place at 9:00 in the morning. (ref: NationalParkTourz.com)

The lottery is held behind these doors (below), we were too late to try our luck.  I don’t think my hip replacement would like a 6-mile hike anyway 😐

IMG_3676

Here’s a few more photos inside the visitors center:

IMG_3677

IMG_3673

IMG_3672

IMG_3678

We decided, that since rain is imminent for the next few days, that we would try our luck at visiting the Grand Canyon North Rim while the sun was still shining (off and on).  The other attractions that are nearer – or even in Kanab can wait until tomorrow or ?

Screen Shot 2015-10-17 at 8.12.56 AM

So we put our little dog “Coach” into the Silverado and headed south to the North Rim (~80-90 miles one-way) to try and beat the rain.

Road sign (below) as we got closer to the North Rim.

IMG_3682

We stopped at the North Rim Country Store to get some snacks because we heard the concessions at the North Rim were closed for the season and also, we forgot to pack lunch.

IMG_3690

And finally we arrived at the park entrance.  It was 80° when we left Kanab and is now in the mid-to-low 40’s.

IMG_3693

I was able to use my disabled veteran access pass to get free entry.

IMG_3694

Some of the leaves haven’t fallen off the trees yet.

IMG_3697

One of the nice campground host(s) back at the Hitch-N-Post in Kanab told us that most people only go straight to the lodge and miss out on a lot of scenery.  She recommended that once inside the park, we should take the road south to Cape Royal to see Angels Window.  So we followed the tip and drove ~15 miles to the viewpoints.

Cape Royal is the southernmost viewpoint on the North Rim, and it has the widest panorama of any Grand Canyon overlook – the great gorge occupies about 270° of the horizon, from Marble Canyon in the north, south over Palisades of the Desert, and westwards for many miles towards the main South Rim visitor area around Garden Creek. (ref: AmericanSouthwest.net)

Our first view of the Grand Canyon from the North Rim:

IMG_3702

IMG_3705

IMG_3707

IMG_3708

We finally reached the parking lot and took the path(s) to the Cape Royal Pt. and Angels WIndow viewpoints:

IMG_3712

IMG_3713
No dogs allowed 🙁
IMG_3724
Angels Window. Notice the people on top – we’ll be up there soon.
IMG_3722
Stilla in front of Angels Window at the Grand Canyon North Rim.

We chose the path on the right first to see Cape Royal Pt.  The sun was just starting to go behind some clouds…

IMG_3755

Here you can see the clouds rolling in (below).

IMG_3729

IMG_3727

IMG_3725

IMG_3730

IMG_3732

We walked back up the path after taking a lot of pictures and then went out on top of Angels Window for some more awesome views.

IMG_3759

IMG_3761

IMG_3762

IMG_3765

IMG_3766

IMG_3768
Stilla on top of Angels Window at the Grand Canyon North Rim.
IMG_3770
Rare photograph of myself – on top of Angels Window at the Grand Canyon North Rim.
IMG_3771
Stilla on top of Angels Window at the Grand Canyon North Rim.

IMG_3773

We drove back to the main road and went down to the main North Rim Visitor Center where the lodge is located.  It started raining on us 🙁

IMG_3786

IMG_3796

IMG_3787

IMG_3788

We toured the visitors center quickly… it was 15 minutes before closing time at 5 PM (Arizona time).

IMG_3790

IMG_3791

Whiteboard on the wall (below) at the Visitors Center with the weather outlook.

IMG_3792

A shot of some of the cabins situated around the visitors center.

IMG_3789

We didn’t go down to the lodge or any of the viewpoints here because it started raining heavily by now.  Here’s an information board in front of the visitors center regarding the lodge.

IMG_3794

We plugged our campground into the GPS that I remembered to take out of the RV for our trip today and headed back to Kanab through the rain.  We ended up putting about 200 miles on the Silverado by the time we returned.

IMG_3798

And that was our Friday… it’s still raining off and on this morning (Saturday) but the sun is trying to peek out.  Maybe we’ll try to visit the Animal Sanctuary and Little Hollywood today… stay tuned 🙂