Las Vegas is the closest major airport to access the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, it is a 4.5-5 hour drive. Flagstaff airport is a 3 hour 45 minute drive that has multiple flights a day from major western hubs. There are smaller municipal airports in St George and Page.
This day will largely be dedicated to travel, on arrival take a hike to enjoy your new surroundings and the excellent views of the Rainbow Rim. Enjoy a meal out in wilderness and time spent by the campfire.
The singletrack you ride today, the Rainbow Rim Trail, is one of the highlights of the trip. It was designed and flagged by Ranger John Kneeling of the North Kaibab Ranger District. It took him three months to flag out the route and he made sure the trail never rose or fell by more than nine degrees. This means that the climbs are all very ridable and the descents are some of the most fun you may ever have! The trail is 18 miles in length and you will be camped at about the middle. Today you ride it as an out and back to the north, planning to have lunch at the northern most point, called Parissawampitts. You will have a packed lunch trailside while studying the amazing strata of the canyon. Of course you have the option for a shorter day and can turn around at any time.
MILEAGE: 23 miles, shorter or longer options available
Today you will do an out and back ride from camp on the Arizona Trail. After a short warm up on the dirt road, you pick up the fun single-track and start pedaling through both aspens and ponderosas. There are lots of short climbs and descents in and out of beautiful meadows as you make your way north. There is a shorter option today where you can turn around at “the meadow” and a longer option where you can ride all the way to the corral. You'll have packed lunch today so you have the flexibility to fuel when necessary! Back at camp we relax with views of Marble Canyon far below us. John Wesley Powell, the first person to run the length of the Colorado River, named this part of the canyon for the polished rock exposed at river level which reminded him of marble. It is actually Redwall Limestone. This limestone is about 360 million years old and it was deposited when most of the continent was under marine waters.
TOTAL MILEAGE: 21-28 miles
Today you will shuttle into Grand Canyon National Park. You will spend the morning hiking on one of the park trails which will give you a chance to really explore the incredible sedimentary rock layers which make up the canyon walls. You will find many fossils along the way, evidence of the 250 million year old seabed. The trail follows the rim with expansive views of the canyon. Next you will visit the historic Grand Canyon Lodge. The lodge is one of two remaining historic lodges from the Grand Circle tourist route of the 1930s. Constructed from giant timbers, the porch suspends visitors over the walls of the canyon. You will shuttle back to the Kaibab Forest and ride a series of aspen lined dirt roads to your camp at Locust or Fence Point. This evening’s views are classic Grand Canyon and give you a great look at its vast complexity. Below you lies almost two billion years of geology, from the younger Permian layers to the metamorphic and igneous basement rocks that comprise the Inner Gorge of the Grand Canyon. These are some of the oldest rocks exposed in the world.
Today you will ride more of the Rainbow Rim Trail, through the Ponderosa Pines to the south. This part of the trail is fast and smooth and still continues to wow with stunning views of the canyon. There are a few good climbs to wear out your legs, and an equal amount of swooping downhill to bring out a giggle or two. After your ride you will have a final lunch near the rim and load up to head to Camp Sarika.
MILEAGE: 9 miles
This afternoon arrive at Amangiri to experience their new offering as of summer 2020, Camp Sarika. A five-minute drive across the desert from Amangiri, Camp Sarika’s collection of 10 elegant and spacious one- and two-bedroom pavilions elevate the wilderness experience to one of peerless comfort and privacy. Complementing the clean lines and natural material palette of Amangiri’s suites, the generously proportioned pavilions each have indoor living and dining areas, as well oversized terraces with fire pits and heated plunge pools. Enjoy having a swim after time spent riding in the desert. Take an evening hike in the area.
While at Amangiri there are a number of activities to take advantage of:
- Discover Navajo heritage such as Navajo-guided tours of the slot canyons and Monument Valley Tribal Park to powerful storytelling sessions and ritual dances by the fire.
- Hiking and climbing - numerous trails lead from Amangiri to dramatic viewpoints and hidden wilderness hotspots, or enjoy the rock formations up close on the via ferrata.
- Horseback riding
- Hot air ballooning
- Visit Lake Powell, riddled with secluded bays and hidden canyons, to paddleboard, kayak or explore by speed boat
- Explore slot canyons
- Visit the artist in residence, Ulrike Arnold, to see her works created with materials from the Utah desert
- Expansive spa and treatments
Today you transfer to to Las Vegas McCarran International Airport, a 4 hour 15 minute drive. There are closer municipal airports if you opt to fly privately.
