North Kaibab Trail
Encyclopedia
The North Kaibab Trail is a hiking
trail
in Grand Canyon National Park
, located in the U.S.
state of Arizona
.
.
The North Kaibab Trail begins at the head of Roaring Springs canyon and ends at the Colorado River
.
The trailhead is at a parking area on State Route 67
, about 1 miles (1.6 km) north of the North Rim's Grand Canyon Lodge. The Ken Patrick Trail
and Uncle Jim Trail
are also accessible from this parking area.
The trail itself is 14 miles (22.5 km) long, with camping available by permit at Cottonwood Camp at 7 miles (11.3 km) and Bright Angel Camp at 14 miles (22.5 km). Treated water is available seasonally at the Supai Tunnel, Roaring Springs, the Caretaker's Dwelling, and Cottonwood Campground; and year-round at Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch
. Scenic highlights on trail include Roaring Springs, Ribbon Falls (140 ft), The Box (a slot canyon), and Phantom Ranch
.
system, crossing the state of Arizona
from Mexico
to Utah
. The trail is joined by South Kaibab Trail
which located to the south of the trail.
categorizes the North Kaibab Trail as a corridor trail. With this designation it receives regular maintenance and patrols by park rangers.
Use permits are available on a first-come, first-serve basis from the park's Backcountry Information Center. Requests are taken beginning on the 1st day of the month, up to four month's before the requested first night of camping.
, sudden rainstorms, flash flooding, loose footing, rockfall, encounters with wildlife, and extreme heat. At the Colorado River
, additional hazards include hypothermia
(due to the river's consistently cold temperatures), trauma
(due to collisions with boulders in rapids), and drowning
.
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trail
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
in Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park is the United States' 15th oldest national park and is located in Arizona. Within the park lies the Grand Canyon, a gorge of the Colorado River, considered to be one of the Wonders of the World. The park covers of unincorporated area in Coconino and Mohave counties.Most...
, located in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
Access
Access to this part of the park by car is seasonal, open from mid-May to mid-October or depending on snowcover from the previous winter. It is possible to reach the North Kaibab Trailhead by crossing the canyon on foot from the South Rim or by snowshoe or cross-country ski beginning at Jacob Lake, ArizonaJacob Lake, Arizona
Jacob Lake is a small unincorporated community on the Kaibab Plateau in Coconino County, Arizona, United States, at the junction of U.S. Route 89A and State Route 67...
.
Description
| Distance (mi Mile A mile is a unit of length, most commonly 5,280 feet . The mile of 5,280 feet is sometimes called the statute mile or land mile to distinguish it from the nautical mile... ) |
Elv (ft) | Location | Trail Junction | Toilet | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 8060 | Trailhead, North Rim | Uncle Jim Trail Ken Patrick Trail |
Portable | |
| 1.7 | Supai Tunnel | Composting | Seasonal, Treated | ||
| 5 | Roaring Springs | Composting | Seasonal, Treated | ||
| 6.9 | 3730 | Cottonwood Campground | Composting | Seasonal, Treated | |
| 8.5 | 3888 | Ribbon Falls | |||
| 13.1 | Trail Junction | Clear Creek Trail | |||
| 13.6 | 2545 | Phantom Ranch Phantom Ranch Phantom Ranch is a resort village within Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. It is located on the north side of the Colorado River near its confluence with Bright Angel Creek and Phantom Creek.-History:... |
Septic | Treated | |
| 13.8 | 2545 | Bright Angel Campground | Utah Flats Route | Septic | Treated |
| 14 | 2460 | Trail Junction | River Trail River Trail (Arizona) The River Trail is a hiking trail in Grand Canyon National Park, located in the U.S. state of Arizona. This trail connects the end of the Bright Angel Trail with Phantom Ranch and the South Kaibab Trail.-Description:... South Kaibab Trail South Kaibab Trail The South Kaibab Trail is a hiking trail in Grand Canyon National Park, located in the U.S. state of Arizona. Unlike the Bright Angel Trail which also begins at the south rim of Grand Canyon and leads to the Colorado River, the South Kaibab Trail follows a ridge out to Skeleton Point allowing for... |
Septic | Treated |
The North Kaibab Trail begins at the head of Roaring Springs canyon and ends at the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
.
The trailhead is at a parking area on State Route 67
State Route 67 (Arizona)
State Route 67 is a long, north–south state highway in northern Arizona. Also called the Kaibab Plateau – North Rim Parkway, SR 67 is the sole road that links U.S. Route 89A at Jacob Lake to the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park...
, about 1 miles (1.6 km) north of the North Rim's Grand Canyon Lodge. The Ken Patrick Trail
Ken Patrick Trail
The Ken Patrick Trail is a hiking trail located on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, located in the U.S. state of Arizona....
and Uncle Jim Trail
Uncle Jim Trail
The Uncle Jim Trail is a hiking trail located on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, located in the U.S. state of Arizona.-External links:*...
are also accessible from this parking area.
The trail itself is 14 miles (22.5 km) long, with camping available by permit at Cottonwood Camp at 7 miles (11.3 km) and Bright Angel Camp at 14 miles (22.5 km). Treated water is available seasonally at the Supai Tunnel, Roaring Springs, the Caretaker's Dwelling, and Cottonwood Campground; and year-round at Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch
Phantom Ranch
Phantom Ranch is a resort village within Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. It is located on the north side of the Colorado River near its confluence with Bright Angel Creek and Phantom Creek.-History:...
. Scenic highlights on trail include Roaring Springs, Ribbon Falls (140 ft), The Box (a slot canyon), and Phantom Ranch
Phantom Ranch
Phantom Ranch is a resort village within Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. It is located on the north side of the Colorado River near its confluence with Bright Angel Creek and Phantom Creek.-History:...
.
Part of Arizona Trail
The North Kaibab Trail is also part of the Arizona TrailArizona Trail
The Arizona National Scenic Trail is a National Scenic Trail from Mexico to Utah that traverses the whole north-south length of Arizona. The trail begins at the Coronado National Memorial near the US-Mexico border and moves north through parts of the Huachuca, Santa Rita, and Rincon Mountains; it...
system, crossing the state of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. The trail is joined by South Kaibab Trail
South Kaibab Trail
The South Kaibab Trail is a hiking trail in Grand Canyon National Park, located in the U.S. state of Arizona. Unlike the Bright Angel Trail which also begins at the south rim of Grand Canyon and leads to the Colorado River, the South Kaibab Trail follows a ridge out to Skeleton Point allowing for...
which located to the south of the trail.
Condition
Grand Canyon National ParkGrand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park is the United States' 15th oldest national park and is located in Arizona. Within the park lies the Grand Canyon, a gorge of the Colorado River, considered to be one of the Wonders of the World. The park covers of unincorporated area in Coconino and Mohave counties.Most...
categorizes the North Kaibab Trail as a corridor trail. With this designation it receives regular maintenance and patrols by park rangers.
Camping
Hikers may only camp at the Bright Angel or Cottonwood Campgrounds, where they can stay overnight with a permit issued by the Grand Canyon National Park Backcountry Information Center. Use of the campground overnight is regulated by the National Park Service, and they call for a maximum number of groups (7 to 11 people) and parties (1 to 6 people), as well as a maximum total number of persons.| Area | Name | Type | Group(s) | Parties | Max People | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCG | Cottonwood | Campground (Summer) Campground (Winter) |
1 1 |
and or |
6 1 |
40 8 |
| CBG | Bright Angel | Campground | 2 | and | 31 | 90 |
Use permits are available on a first-come, first-serve basis from the park's Backcountry Information Center. Requests are taken beginning on the 1st day of the month, up to four month's before the requested first night of camping.
Hazards
Hazards hikers can encounter along the North Kaibab Trail include dehydrationDehydration
In physiology and medicine, dehydration is defined as the excessive loss of body fluid. It is literally the removal of water from an object; however, in physiological terms, it entails a deficiency of fluid within an organism...
, sudden rainstorms, flash flooding, loose footing, rockfall, encounters with wildlife, and extreme heat. At the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
, additional hazards include hypothermia
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation...
(due to the river's consistently cold temperatures), trauma
Physical trauma
Trauma refers to "a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident." It can also be described as "a physical wound or injury, such as a fracture or blow." Major trauma can result in secondary complications such as circulatory shock, respiratory failure and death...
(due to collisions with boulders in rapids), and drowning
Drowning
Drowning is death from asphyxia due to suffocation caused by water entering the lungs and preventing the absorption of oxygen leading to cerebral hypoxia....
.