During the winter of 20007/08 while living in Yarnell, Arizona I applied for seasonal Park Ranger jobs at several western National Parks even though I could return to Oregon Caves National Monument.
.jpg "Pin Cushion Cactus flowers AZ")
Pin Cushion Cactus blooms
As spring approached I was offered a seasonal Park Ranger position at the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. A dream comes true. I had actually turned down the South Rim two previous summers because they couldn’t accommodate my RV home.
.jpg "Snow along SR67 Kaibab NF AZ")
Highway 67 to the North Rim
So towards the end of April I hitched up to the 5th-wheel and headed north, a 360 mile drive up to 8,200 feet.
.jpg "Entering GRCA NP sign AZ")
The North Rim of Grand Canyon was still closed and there was a locked gate into the Kaibab National Forest just south of Jacob Lake. Fortunately a National Park Service (NPS) employee was coming out and then locked the gate behind me.
.jpg "Snow around entrance station NR GRCA NP AZ")
Closed entrance station
It was still a 30 mile drive just to the park boundary.
.jpg "RV home NR GRCA NP AZ")
Home for the summer
Then another 13 miles to the end of the road. I set up the 5th-wheel in a park-like Ponderosa Pine forest amongst other RV employees.
.jpg "1949 Grand Lodge sing-away NR GRCA NP AZ")
1949 North Rim “Sing-away” by Lodge staff – NPS archive
I easily walked less than a mile to the developed area at the end of the road where the Grand Canyon Lodge sits perched on the edge of the canyon.
.jpg "Grand Lodge NR GRCA NP AZ")
Canyon side of Grand Canyon Lodge
This version of the lodge was completed in 1938 replacing the original 1928 version after a kitchen fire. There are also about 100 cabins available for visitors to rent. Call a year in advance for reservations.
.jpg "Bright Angel Point trail NR GRCA NP AZ")
Bright Angel Point trail
From the lodge I walked ¼ mile out to Bright Angel Point.
.jpg "Looking south from NR GRCA NP AZ")
My first view of the canyon from the North Rim in almost 35 years
It’s only 10 miles as the raven flies to Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim; by road the same destination is more than 200 miles away. By trail the distance is 23 miles.
+-+Copy.jpg "Looking south from NR GRCA NP AZ")
And so I began a dream come true at Grand Canyon.
.jpg "Pin Cushion Cactus flowers AZ")
Pin Cushion Cactus blooms
As spring approached I was offered a seasonal Park Ranger position at the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. A dream comes true. I had actually turned down the South Rim two previous summers because they couldn’t accommodate my RV home.
.jpg "Snow along SR67 Kaibab NF AZ")
Highway 67 to the North Rim
So towards the end of April I hitched up to the 5th-wheel and headed north, a 360 mile drive up to 8,200 feet.
.jpg "Entering GRCA NP sign AZ")
The North Rim of Grand Canyon was still closed and there was a locked gate into the Kaibab National Forest just south of Jacob Lake. Fortunately a National Park Service (NPS) employee was coming out and then locked the gate behind me.
.jpg "Snow around entrance station NR GRCA NP AZ")
Closed entrance station
It was still a 30 mile drive just to the park boundary.
.jpg "RV home NR GRCA NP AZ")
Home for the summer
Then another 13 miles to the end of the road. I set up the 5th-wheel in a park-like Ponderosa Pine forest amongst other RV employees.
.jpg "1949 Grand Lodge sing-away NR GRCA NP AZ")
1949 North Rim “Sing-away” by Lodge staff – NPS archive
I easily walked less than a mile to the developed area at the end of the road where the Grand Canyon Lodge sits perched on the edge of the canyon.
.jpg "Grand Lodge NR GRCA NP AZ")
Canyon side of Grand Canyon Lodge
This version of the lodge was completed in 1938 replacing the original 1928 version after a kitchen fire. There are also about 100 cabins available for visitors to rent. Call a year in advance for reservations.
.jpg "Bright Angel Point trail NR GRCA NP AZ")
Bright Angel Point trail
From the lodge I walked ¼ mile out to Bright Angel Point.
.jpg "Looking south from NR GRCA NP AZ")
My first view of the canyon from the North Rim in almost 35 years
It’s only 10 miles as the raven flies to Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim; by road the same destination is more than 200 miles away. By trail the distance is 23 miles.
+-+Copy.jpg "Looking south from NR GRCA NP AZ")
And so I began a dream come true at Grand Canyon.