Grand Canyon (North Rim)

NATIONAL PARK

By DIENEKE

Grand Canyon National Park – North Rim was the seventh stop on our One Way Road Trip. This was not on our original itinerary (you might note as our journey progressed, we became more adventurous and willing to deviate from our albeit loose plan) but when we realized just how close we were, how could we not? We only had a morning: just long enough to peek over the edge and get back on track towards Arches and Canyonlands. But as we drove down the North Entrance, my heart raced and I knew this detour was going to be well worth even a moment to experience a Natural Wonder of the Earth.

Our arrival on the non-canyon-side of the Grand Canyon Lodge was a typical “National Park Lodge” aesthetic; however, the canyon-side would quickly launch itself to the very top of my all-time favorites. As it balances, seemingly precariously, at the edge of the canyon, it appears to rise out of the rock as if it’s experienced the same millenia of erosion as the canyon walls.

NPS does a phenomenal job at education and we try to stop at as many reader boards as possible as we find that knowledge enriches our experience. At the lodge, we came across Brighty the Burro! He was a donkey who lived in the Grand Canyon and melted the hearts of many though was a great controversy in whether burros were a part of the Grand Canyon’s cultural history or an invasive species. Either way, we appreciated his loved for pancakes and the fact that our own Burro was toting our possessions as we ventured across America.

While I could have spent hours exploring the many stories within this architectural gem, the views to which it was aligned were too much to resist. We hopped over to the cafe, grabbed a snack to go and proceeded to have one of the best cups of coffee of my life (and we LOVE coffee):

Many years, and many moments later, we would term this a “Muir Moment.” In the solitude and stillness of the very early morning, we stared into the far horizon and absorbed the glorious majesty of this grand canyon. The shadows accentuated each ridge and the sun had not yet even reached the canyon floor (not that we could see it anyways). It’s not overly dramatic to say that I wondered about the beginnings of the earth and the masterpiece of its timeless weather and wear. I felt infinitesimally small yet empowered to share and protect this magnificent gift.

We used all of our time entranced by the view and had to forego any hikes or deep exploring. Suffice it to say, we would return to this breathtaking National Park.