A Gorge-ous Time | Grand Canyon North Rim

After our Antelope Canyon Tour, we stopped by another awesome spot! Horseshoe Bend! It's a popular stop around the Grand Canyon, but beware if you stop- no bathrooms, no water, and it's a moderately long uphill hike both ways (well, if you aren't a hiker like myself #notahiker). The view was Totally Worth It.



After our detour, my boyfriend insisted we hop in the car and go to our hotel, but would not tell me which hotel we were staying at that night. He literally giggled for the entire three hour drive to our hotel.

After a certain point it got dark, and I realized we were either in or very close to southern Utah. Cross another state off my list! (sort of) Anyway, late at night we ended up at...The Grand Canyon Lodge! Turn's out he'd scored a last minute deal for us to stay the weekend at the Grand Canyon!

The Lodge looks like a massive old hunting lodge perched on the edge of the canyon. The whole setup has cabins for rent and a small 1 story hotel, where we stayed. (No TV and barely any cell reception- the focus is on the nature!) (Left, view from breakfast at the lodge in the morning.) It felt like being at summer camp when I was little, as opposed to the touristy vibes I got from our previous stops on our getaway.

The previous fall we visited the Grand Canyon South Rim and it was much more crowded that the North Rim. I thick each Rim has it's strengths, but if you want some quiet, more nature, and to see more vegetation, than the North Rim is your bet. A visit here takes more commitment and preparation, (few restaurants and hotels around and difficult to book on short notice). The South Rim has its strengths too; if you're short on time, it's a shorter drive to Phoenix and the metro cities. There are slightly more restaurants, hotels, and stops on the way to the South Rim. And there's a tram that runs along the Rim trail so you can avoid hiking on the South Rim, if you choose.

At the Lodge you could see the canyon from almost anywhere inside. At the back they had this kickass porch where you could kick back with your coffee and watch the sun rise. It made the car trip totally worth it.

As I mentioned, hiking is difficult to avoid at the South Rim. We got up early but the sun eventually caught us. There was mule poop everywhere on our trail and when the sun got up it started to smell. Thankfully we finished and headed back before the hottest part of the day. Bring plenty of snacks and water and definitely don't sleep in if you are going to hike (Or don't procrastinate and book a mule ride before you go!)