North Kaibab Trail
{{short description|Grand Canyon hiking trail}}
{{About|the hiking trail at the north rim of Grand Canyon|the trail from the south rim|South Kaibab Trail}}
{{Infobox hiking trail
| name = North Kaibab Trail
| photo = File:Grand Canyon North Rim (22 July 2024) 2.jpg
| caption =Looking down on the trail after descending a short distance from the North Rim
| location = Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, United States
| length_mi = 14
| trailheads = Phantom Ranch
Grand Canyon (North Rim)
| use = Hiking
Stock (mule use)
| elev_change_ft = 5660
| highest_name = North Rim
| highest_ft = 8060
| lowest_name = Colorado River
| lowest_ft = 2400
| difficulty = Strenuous
| season = Spring through Fall
| sights = Grand Canyon
Colorado River
| hazards = Severe weather
overexertion
dehydration
flash floods
}}
The North Kaibab Trail is a hiking trail in the North Rim side of the Grand Canyon, in Grand Canyon National Park, located in the U.S. state of Arizona.
Access
Access to this part of the park by car is seasonal, open from mid-May to mid-October or depending on snow cover 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, Arizona.
Description
File:Ribbonfalls.jpg on the North Kaibab Trail]]
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Mileages and features along North Kaibab TrailGrand Canyon National Park, Overnight Use of Trans-canyon Corridor Trails, Winter edition |
| Distance (mi)
! Elv (ft) ! Location ! Trail Junction ! Toilet ! Water |
|---|
| 0
| 8241 || Trailhead, North Rim || Uncle Jim Trail |
| 1.7
| 6800 || Supai Tunnel || || Composting || Seasonal, Treated |
| 5
| 5220 || Roaring Springs || || Composting || Seasonal, Treated |
| 6.9
| 4080 || Cottonwood Campground || || Composting || Seasonal, Treated |
| 8.5
| 3720 || Ribbon Falls || || || |
| 13.1
| || Trail Junction || Clear Creek Trail || || |
| 13.6
| 2545 || Phantom Ranch || || Septic || Treated |
| 13.8
| 2480|| Bright Angel Campground || Utah Flats Route || Septic || Treated |
| 14
| 2460 || Trail Junction || River Trail |
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 Arizona State Route 67, about {{convert|1|mi|km|adj=on}} 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 is {{convert|14|mi|km}} long, with camping available by permit at Cottonwood Camp at {{convert|7|mi|km}} and Bright Angel Camp at {{convert|14|mi|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. Features along the trail include Roaring Springs, Ribbon Falls (140 ft), The Box (a slot canyon), and Phantom Ranch.
=Part of Arizona Trail=
The North Kaibab Trail is also part of the Arizona Trail system, crossing the state of Arizona from Mexico to Utah. The trail is joined by South Kaibab Trail which is located to the south of the trail.
=Condition=
Grand Canyon National Park categorizes the North Kaibab Trail as a corridor trail. With this designation it receives regular maintenance and patrols by park rangers.[https://web.archive.org/web/20070316211700/http://www.nps.gov/archive/grca/wilderness/documents/1988_BCMP.pdf Backcountry Management Plan, Grand Canyon National Park, Appendix G, Section C, p.39]
=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.[http://www.kaibab.org/bc/gc_use.htm Grand Canyon National Park Use Areas]
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Overnight camping areas near River Trail |
| Area
! Name ! Type ! Group(s) ! ! Parties ! Max people |
|---|
| CCG
| Cottonwood || Campground (summer) |
| CBG
| Bright Angel || Campground || 2 || and || 31 || 90 |
Use permits are available on a first-come, first-served basis from the park's Backcountry Information Center. Requests are taken beginning on the first day of the month, up to four months before the requested first night of camping.[https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/backcountry-permit.htm Grand Canyon National Park Backcountry Use Permit Procedure]
=Hazards=
Hazards hikers can encounter along the North Kaibab Trail include dehydration, 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.[https://web.archive.org/web/20061007035706/http://www.nps.gov/archive/grca/backcountry/smart.htm Grand Canyon National Park Summer Hiking]
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.nps.gov/grca/ Official Grand Canyon National Park website]
- [http://www.kaibab.org/ Grand Canyon Explorer]
{{Commons category|North Kaibab Trail|
North Kaibab Trail|position=left}}
{{Coord|36.21706|-112.05591|type:landmark_region:US_scale:50000|display=title}}
{{clear}}
{{Grand Canyon trails}}
Category:Grand Canyon, North Rim