Carrie_Cook

We are headed to the Grand Canyon north rim for one night this summer. Wondering what the best use of our time is. We have a 5 year old and a 7 year old and I am wondering whether the cookout dinner is something we would enjoy? If you have done this, how was the food and how was the show? Also, what were the views like from the area where the show was held? Did the show run late, like past sunset? I would like to watch the sun set over the canyon and would like to know whether being at the show would prevent that.

Thanks!

InSandy

I don't know about the cookout.
But the ranger program at the campground is more oriented to kids than those at the lodge. They usually will try to have a fire going. But they do start before sunset so maybe it wouldn't work anyway.

Bill_H

I'm guessing the kids would enjoy the show. I'd also guess the food will be adequate and filling but not especially noteworthy.

I would like to watch the sun set over the canyon and would like to know whether being at the show would prevent that.

Pretty sure this show/meal will be held near the main visitor area. While the views are pretty grand here into the side-canyon, this area is actually many miles back from the main river channel (you hike about 8 miles from the river before beginning the "up" leg to the lodge area, for example).

The best north rim views are several miles away via road, places like Cape Royal, or Point Imperial (better at sunrise), or off the paved roads to Point Sublime (when open). Cape Royal would be my choice for one sunset but it's over 20 miles from the main lodge area and a slow 20 miles to drive, especially if there are RVs on the road. So you may have to choose between the cookout dinner program and sunset views.

InSandy

Last I knew the cookout was by the campground.
Some very nice views for sunset right on the lodge patio.

Connie

I haven't been to the cookout but when we were there it looked like it was in a tent behind a gas station a few miles back from the rim. I bet it would be fun for the kids though.

I have stayed at the campground and did not see it there. The campground is on a side canyon and we were camped right on the edge. Don't remember sunsets being very noticeable--maybe it was all the trees.

You can't go wrong viewing the canyon or sunsets from the back patio of the lodge or the points mentioned above--any time of day.

Carrie_Cook

Thanks for the replies so far... I appreciate it! I checked the sunset calendar and I believe it sets right around 7:30 when we are there. In other words... not a lot of time to squeeze in the cookout at 5:30 and then be to the patio for a 7:30 sunset. I think we will have to choose one or the other.

A related question, since the subject of sunrise at Point Imperial has come up: I understand Point Imperial is about 11 miles from the main lodge. How long should I allow to get there for sunrise? I'm hoping to leave DH sleeping with the kids, and take my camera equipment down to get some shots as the sun comes up. How early do I need to set out for this?

Can anyone recommend a good online map of the north rim canyon that shows the lodging, lookouts, park roads, etc.?

Bill_H

I understand Point Imperial is about 11 miles from the main lodge. How long should I allow to get there for sunrise?

This is a relatively easy drive, parts of the road are signed 45 mph and traffic will be light, though you have to take care not to hit a deer. Ideally you'd be there 20-30 minutes before sunrise and it will take about 20-25 minutes to drive to it.

not a lot of time to squeeze in the cookout at 5:30 and then be to the patio for a 7:30 sunset. I think we will have to choose one or the other.

I think the right choice is between the cookout and sunset at Cape Royal, not on the patio. When we would hike across the canyon (and had no wheels on the north side) we'd sit on the dining room patio at sunset, so I've seen this half a dozen times. The view here is nothing like the view from Cape Royal.

At the lodge/dining room you are above a side canyon (Transept Canyon) that feeds into a bigger side canyon (Bright Angel) that runs about 7 miles before it actually intersects with the main river channel. So you are twice removed (and several miles back) from where you want to be for the best views. I doubt that the patio view is even 10% as good as the views from Cape Royal.

The drive back from Cape Royal after sunset can take a while since there are many tight curves, 25 mph speed limits, and no places to safely pass any RVs or other slow traffic. So it's hard to catch sunset and even make a decent dinner time at the lodge. You can buy picnic supplies at the general store in the village or buy food from the cafeteria and take it with you on the drive out since there are a couple of nice picnic areas where you can dine, likely with deer as guests (one picnic area for sure has views much better than the lodge patio).

Bill_H

I got to thinking about my comment comparing the views from the lodge patio vs Cape Royal, thinking maybe I was too harsh ... beauty is in the eye of the beholder I guess. Anyway I did a search on Pbase for photos that show the views from the patio, from Cape Royal and from Pt. Imperial. Here are some examples, with my comments:

Lodge patio views

http://www.pbase.com/shaunwin/image/119544712 (this is the far-left corner of the patio behind the lodge. Just above the man's head you can see a shadowed canyon running to the right at about a 45 degree angle, this is where the North Kaibab trail follows Bright Angel creek to the main river channel, from here 14 trail miles or about 7 miles as the crow flies to the river. South rim is visible on the other side)

http://www.pbase.com/shaunwin/image/119292914 (this is where most of the chairs are on the patio (the people in the upper-left are where the people were in the first image)

http://www.pbase.com/image/82977121 (this is the rest of the patio after sunset ... the plateau visible center-left is what blocks the sun from the side-canyons to the left visible in the other two photos)


Cape Royal views

http://www.pbase.com/image/87005223 (thru the 'window' you can see the Colorado river below. on top of the window notice there are guardrails ... you can walk out here and have great views across and upstream ... this is not far from the parking lot)

http://www.pbase.com/image/137009744 (this photo is from a bit to the right of the window, still looking upstream (east) with the river in view. In this area the rocks are softer and more easily eroded so the channel is wide. A few miles downstream the channel enters the steep-walled granite gorge.)

http://www.pbase.com/image/137238561 (the Cape Royal viewing area is pretty long, maybe 100 yards paralleling the river, and this was taken maybe 1/3 the way down the walk from the 'window'. The south rim is clear on the other side, especially in the larger size image .. I can make out Horseshoe Mesa (which is about 1/3 the way down a trail starting at Grandview Point) in the center-slightly-right, where I've camped many times and which has several 100 year old copper mines.)

http://www.pbase.com/image/105594020 (this was taken near the far end of the viewing area looking west or downstream, showing the rows of side-canyons. Nice light ... click on 'other sizes: original' at the bottom to see it better)

http://www.pbase.com/image/87005233 (one more looking into the sunset ... you can't get this type of view from the lodge area because of the plateau to the west)

On the drive to Cape Royal there are good views into the canyon in places. This is Vista Encantada picnic area, where I would recommend having a picnic instead of the cookout near the lodge ... nice view for a picnic: http://www.nationalparked.com/US/Gra...tada_Photo.php


Point Imperial

http://www.pbase.com/image/118886442 sunrise at Point Imperial ... not as much variety here as at Cape Royal, with Mt. Hayden (the rock center-right here) the main attraction

http://www.pbase.com/image/136750133 this was taken from the parking lot before sunrise

http://www.pbase.com/image/66487206 the view at sunset ... not as spectacular as sunrise

http://www.pbase.com/image/84010820 pre-sunrise showing Mt. Hayden and the side-canyons to the north

Connie

The drive to Cape Royal is well worth your time while you are on the north rim. It gives you several easy, short hikes to great viewpoints. It's also one of the few places from any rim viewoint (north or south) that you can see the river.

Be careful driving after dark. We nearly hit more than one large animal.

Carrie_Cook

First of all - thanks again for the replies and links. I know it takes time and effort to put those together and I appreciate it!

I do think we will make it out to Cape Royal at 'some' point during our visit - just not sure whether it will be sunset or not. I want to see the best view and hit the great photo opportunity. DH wants to make sure the kids have fun and don't get bored. It's a bit of a trade-off. Thus, the plan to schedule a sunrise photo session - so that I get a good photo op even if we aren't in the best location for sunset.

I am quite intrigued by the idea of picnicking at Vista Encantada now... I was not familiar with this location before. I am wondering whether that will satisfy all of us. The more we talk about it, the more I think the cookout idea is out.

spirobulldog

http://www.epinions.com/review/park-...723419268?sb=1

Here is someones fantastic Trip Report and they do comment about everything including the cookout.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/grand-canyon...-rim-north-rim
Here are some "yelp" comments about the cookout are about halfway down.


I haven't been to the NR cookout. Personally, I this kind of thing. My wife and daughter seem to enjoy them though. So, tough call. Since your just going to be there the one night, I don't think your kids would be to bored.