USA roadtrip: Grand Canyon North Rim (Toroweap Overlook)

The Grand Canyon is one of the great natural wonders and welcomes around five million visitors every year. Therefore lonely and quiet places are rare in the National Park, except in connection with long hikes. However, this does not apply to the little-known North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

On the Toroweap Overlook, the rock walls reach down over 900 meters and provide a breathtaking view of the Colorado River. This vantage point offers probably the most beautiful and spectacular view of the Grand Canyon and makes this an unforgettable experience. And the best part: there aren’t any tourists.

But of course, these benefits also have a small catch. The access to the Tuweep area leads only on a dirt road, which is not easy to drive even under good conditions.
The adventure begins

Highlights beside the road

There are several access roads to Toroweap Point, but none of it is paved or even suitable for RVs. It is therefore advisable to make inquiries in advance about the current condition of the road, as after heavy rain even SUVs do not get any further.
The road is getting worse

We chose the Sunshine Route, which is 61 miles long (oneway) and can be completed in about 2.5 hours. Our car was a Jeep Cherokee (no four-wheel), for cars with less ground clearance we would not recommend this road.

Not only because of the cross grooves in the road, the journey is extremely exhausting and requires highest concentration. Again and again you meet ravaged trenches or sharp stones in the middle of the road.

In order to avoid a plate or a sitting up of the vehicle, you should always choose the best path by yourself and only do this trip with enough water and food and a full tank.

The last 3 - 4 miles, just behind a lonely ranger station, the road deteriorates significantly, so we had to continue the last mile on foot.

Picnic area at the rim

For us, the laborious ride was still worthwhile. The really gigantic view combined with the quiet and idyllic surrounding makes the exertions quickly vanished ;)

There are some boats shipping down the river

Our next highlight is a real insider tip: The mysterious Wahweap Hoodoos

Missed our last stop?

USA roadtrip: Horseshoe Bend + Lake Powell [EN+GER]