North Rim trip planning

avan, the North Rim was our first boondock, too! DW was very skeptical -- "no campground??" But she was immediately hooked by the silence and the emptiness -- just the sound of the wind in the pines.

That was ten years ago, and we now do much more boondocking than campgrounding or RV-parking. (Those are two new verbs -- there is no noun that cannot be verbed.)

DeMotte is a very nice campground, things are spaced out and the spots are not that hard to get in and out of. The drive into the park is easy and even at the peak of tourist season there's little traffic (an advantage of the North Rim getting <10% of the traffic of the South Rim).

Other than an overnight rest while on the road, that was my very first multi nite/day boondocking experience and I've been RVing since the early 70s and spent nearly 15 yrs full timing. It was great fun and that site was absolutely super. I think I had 3 vehicles pass by the site in the week I stayed and one was the ranger stopping to be sure this neophyte was OK (they knew I was nervous about the whole thing). I used their map to investigate probably 100 trails - if I remember right, there are more than 1000 id'd on the map. If I hadn't 'marked' the campsite location on my GPS, my RV would probably still be listed as "lost".:)

avan,

For sure we will stop off at the Jacob Lake rangers station and get the info on roads and boondocking that you have suggested. Looks like a very nice secluded camping spot that is in your photos. Thanks.

Dave

Stop at the ranger station at Jacobs Lake. They have maps showing all the "roads", trails, snowmobile trails etc. Talk with the rangers and they will point out on the map areas which have decent boondocking spots and they will tell you what they know, from their driving the area, about which spots already have some camper(s) and which don't. This google earth shot and my pics are of one they recommended for me and there was no one else around for miles.

4runnerguy wrote:
It sounds like you've already ridden the Rainbow Rim trail so you're aware of the boondocking locations along the various roads leading to the different trailheads.

One other MTB trail we rode there was a portion of the Arizona Trail just north of the GCNP boundary (no trail riding in the park!). The turnoff for FSR 611 (the access road) is right across the highway from FSR 22 where one turns to go out to Rainbow Rim. We were camped at DeMotte CG and rode right from the CG. After riding up FSR 611 for about 1.3 miles, we turned right on FSR 610 and followed it for just over five miles. The start to the trail is a subtle singletrack in a meadow about 0.2 miles past the trailhead parking. IIRC there is a big water tank nearby.



We rode from there past his markers M1 through M11. We then turned SW on FSR 213 where we turned south and headed back to the highway and then south back to the CG. Altogether it was nearly 26 miles and we took just over 4 hours to do it. Much of the singletrack goes through meadows and forests. Between points M5 and M7 there are nice views down into North Canyon and beyond.

We passed a few cars on the dirt roads, but saw no one on the singletrack. There were some short pushes up steeper gravel sections, but all-in-all, it was a nice ride. Allison gave it :) :) :) in her camp diary! We rode this in 2016.

4runnerguy,

The Arizona Trail sounds like a nice pleasant ride through the pines. Rode the AT on the south rim making a big all day loop from our boondocking spot near the Grandview TH a few years back. Very mellow ride.

Appreciate your Moab writeup in a previous thread. Tons of good info. We share in common a lot of long 4-5 hour MTB loops especially off #313 that you have written about.

Might see you in Moab in May if you are there.

Dave

It sounds like you've already ridden the Rainbow Rim trail so you're aware of the boondocking locations along the various roads leading to the different trailheads.

One other MTB trail we rode there was a portion of the Arizona Trail just north of the GCNP boundary (no trail riding in the park!). The turnoff for FSR 611 (the access road) is right across the highway from FSR 22 where one turns to go out to Rainbow Rim. We were camped at DeMotte CG and rode right from the CG. After riding up FSR 611 for about 1.3 miles, we turned right on FSR 610 and followed it for just over five miles. The start to the trail is a subtle singletrack in a meadow about 0.2 miles past the trailhead parking. IIRC there is a big water tank nearby.



We rode from there past his markers M1 through M11. We then turned SW on FSR 213 where we turned south and headed back to the highway and then south back to the CG. Altogether it was nearly 26 miles and we took just over 4 hours to do it. Much of the singletrack goes through meadows and forests. Between points M5 and M7 there are nice views down into North Canyon and beyond.

We passed a few cars on the dirt roads, but saw no one on the singletrack. There were some short pushes up steeper gravel sections, but all-in-all, it was a nice ride. Allison gave it :) :) :) in her camp diary! We rode this in 2016.

Dave, if you flip the axles, beef up the suspension, get bigger tires, and take it slow and easy, you can get your TT into some pretty remote places. Not as good as a TC, but still a lot of fun.

Plus, then you drop the TT at "base camp" and you can take the truck each day to different trailheads that might have been inaccessible with the TC -- narrow, rutted, rocky roads with poor overhead clearance. Even more fun!

MDKMDK,
Thanks for the boondocking links.

profdant139,

Joined the "drag n drop" crowd Oct. 2016. We are now the mothership for our 2 sons and their families when camping together. Don't venure as far out in the sticks with this rig as we used to but it is nice to throw the 2 MTB and 2 touring bikes in and shuttle to rough trailheads without beating up the "Waldorf on Wheels".

Camped out at Locust point last time when we were at the North Rim peddling the Rainbow Rim. Nice spot. Will check out your blog for more info. Still get to use the mountain tent for backpacking and cycle touring to keep the luxuries in perspective. Thanks.

Dave

Gonzo42 wrote:
I'm planning something similar. I'm including Navajo Bridge and Monument Valley, then the East Gate of GC for the Watchtower, then on home.

Be sure to see the Condors at the Navajo Bridge.


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