As a resident of Arizona for over 20 years I have had the opportunity to visit and explore both rims of Grand Canyon National Park in Northern Arizona many times. Let me start off by saying they are both stunningly beautiful with epic and other worldly views, and you cant go wrong investing time in visiting one or both rims of one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. The comments and insights below are just my personal opinion and preference as a photographer and an avid camper. You can also see some images below that reinforce some of my reasons for preferring the North Rim to The South.

In no particular order, here are my top reasons why I prefer the North Rim:

Less Crowded: Because it’s very remote and not as developed with lodging and other amenities, the North Rim generally receives considerably less visitors than the South Rim. By some estimates, its only10% of the number of visitors compared to the South Rim. If you are allergic to big crowds of tourists like I am that is a major plus. I also find its also a lot more relaxed vibe on the North rim vs. the very busy “Disneyland” tourist attraction atmosphere of the South rim. In fact, on a recent fall trip I did not see one busload of tourists when I visited the North Rim.

Its Cooler: Literally. Because the North Rim sits approximately 1,500 feet or more higher than the South rim (8,500 feet vs. 7,000 feet) and is heavily forested it’s generally at least 7-10 degrees cooler than the South Rim. This is very noticeable in the summer months where the more open South Rim can bake and heat up dramatically. And If you camp a lot like me, the cooler weather just makes it a lot more enjoyable outdoors experience.

A More Alpine Forested Environment: Because of its higher elevations and cooler climate the North rim supports a vast Pine, Fir, Spruce, and Aspen forest with wide open grassy meadows that looks more like Montana or Colorado than the predominantly dry Pinyon/Juniper and Ponderosa forests of the South Rim. Yes, there are a few Aspen trees on the South rim, but its not even close to the vast amount that thrive on the cooler and very forested Kaibab plateau North rim sits on.

Fall Colors: There is no contest here. As you can see in some of my images below, come late September and early October the vast stands of quaking Aspens in the forests and meadows of the North rim and Kaibab plateau start to put on a quite a show. And if you’re an Aspen lover like me, that’s a major plus.

Anyway, that’s my 2 cents on why I prefer hanging out on the North rim of the Grand Canyon. Don’t get me wrong, the South rim is gorgeous and absolutely worth visiting. In addition, you could argue that the South rim has better and more expansive views with more easily accessible viewing opportunities as well. But with less tourists, a relaxed outdoorsy vibe, cooler weather, and a beautiful forested high-country environment, the North rim is my preferred Grand Canyon destination.

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North Rim Grand Canyon Fall Time 2023 — This is a view from one of the side trails at the Point Imperial overlook on the North Rim. If you are looking for some solitude, taking a side trail away from the main or designated viewing area is the way to go. The fall colors are curtesy of young Aspen trees filling in a burn area.

Aspen Trees On The Kaibab Plateau In Northern AZ — Due to its overall higher elevation than the South Rim, there are no shortage of quaking Aspen trees on the North Rim and the adjacent Kaibab plateau and national forest. This is just one of the many, and generally uncrowded, forest roads that transverse the plateau.

You can watch this short video I created that highlights the fall colors in the Kaibab National forest where the North Rim is located. Watch in the 4k setting for best quality and resolution .