GCC Community Shares Their North Rim Memories
As we look towards a future of healing for the North Rim, the GCC community shares their reflections on this one-of-a-kind place.
The North Rim holds cherished memories for so many residents and visitors over the years. Whether it has been a beacon of hope during a Rim to Rim adventure, a home to hardworking NPS staff, or a sanctuary of respite in a busy world, this is a special place. While the comprehensive impacts of the Dragon Bravo Fire are not yet known, GCC has asked our community to share their favorite memories of the North Rim as we look to embark on the journey of long-term recovery. We invite you to share your North Rim memories with us here.
"Cabin 306"
"I first visited the North Rim with my mom when I was 16. We camped and woke up early to watch the sunrise and stayed up late to watch the sunset. The North Rim is where my deep love of the canyon began. Since that trip, I have returned to the canyon multiple times for overnight backpacking trips but always to the South Rim. In 2021, my then-boyfriend and I took a 2-week road trip throughout the parks in Utah, culminating in a two-night stay in the cabins on the North Rim. He too had been to the canyon, but never the North Rim. I was so excited to share it with him and even more so because I had managed to book us one of the four cabins "on the rim". What I didn't know was that we had the best cabin there, cabin 306. After checking in at the desk, I was so giddy and as we were walking towards the cabin I started to cry and he said to me, 'settle down', but upon seeing our cabin and the view we would have the next two days he became speechless. This was his first view of the North Rim. That evening we ate dinner at the restaurant, took a walk and soaked in the views.
We always joke that all we need in life is a porch with a view, coffee and each other. Well, the following morning while sitting on the best front porch in the park, overlooking my favorite place and sipping our coffee we decided to get married. Now, my favorite National Park and place just became a little more special to me.
I always envisioned returning to cabin 306 one day with our daughter and sharing this special place with her. I know nature will rebound, structures will be built and one day I will take her to the North Rim. We will make new memories as a family, but part of me will always grieve what once was. I attached a very simple photo of my coffee cup sitting on the railing of cabin 306. I have countless photos of us there and the views, but in the theme of what my now-husband and I say we need for a good vacation, this one seems very fitting."
The Hazleton's wedding, taken at Cape Royal, May 2017.
"North Rim Wedding"
"The North Rim is very dear to me and my husband. We were married at Cape Royal in 2017, and spent the night before and the night after our wedding camping at the campground on the North Rim. We walked into the Lodge on our wedding day and had our reception, watched the sunrise and sunset from the Lodge the rest of the time while we were there. It's such a beautiful place that embodies so much of what is special to us, and is a special place in our hearts."
"Widening Horizons" By Charity Hagen
"The North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and the Grand Canyon Lodge, helped me to become who I am today. When I was growing up, we took many trips to Utah and northern Arizona, and while each of the Grand Circle parks holds special meaning to me, the North Rim holds the most. Whether eating lunch in the restaurant, with a window table overlooking a view that stretched toward the horizon, or hanging out on the back patio watching a summer thunderstorm hit the South Rim, the Grand Canyon Lodge at the North Rim allowed me the opportunity to escape the confines of childhood expectations and let my dreams soar and wander over the buttes and canyons that shape this magnificent landscape.
While watching Common Ravens dreamily arcing overhead, and White-throated Swifts darting by so close I could almost reach out and touch them, I was able to discover a passion and love for birds that has shaped my life, not only in a career in the outdoor interpretive field, but as a passion for nature and life that is a cornerstone of my adult experience. It was here at the Grand Canyon, and the North Rim in particular, that I discovered my skills, talents, and passion that would dictate the course of my life, and cultivate a love of the outdoors that has sent me back to the Canyon time and time again.
I love the Grand Canyon with all my heart, and while the devastation suffered by the North Rim breaks my heart, I know that, as long as the Canyon endures, that the North Rim will endure as well, and will eventually heal and continue to mean many things to many more people in the future. Because there is nothing quite like standing at the edge of the canyon and hearing a California Condor fly over you so close that you can hear the wind whispering in its wings, or watching a Zone-tailed Hawk make lazy circles in the canyon below you, and draw you in with its power and beauty with the wish that you could be one of them. Just as the Brighty statue, which I loved to touch and pet as a kid, emerged from the ashes, perhaps a little broken, so will the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. It may be broken now, but will be made stronger and more resilient in the future."
North Rim Adirondack chairs, summer 2019.
"Gratitude"
"As an Arizona Native, I never fully appreciated the Grand Canyon until I moved away. I was living in Utah for my college and early adulthood years and one summer, my sister and I planned a trip to meet our dad ( who lives in Phoenix) at the North Rim. We rented cabins on site and drove down with my sister, her husband and my 18 month old niece. I come from a family of divorce & have always struggled with my relationship with my dad, especially after many years of having to “share” my dad with other spouses and step siblings, I had mourned our relationship. Our north rim trip was a short but extremely impactful experience for me as I was able to spend several evenings with just my dad, sitting in the iconic Adirondack chairs, overlooking the breathtaking purple and pink-hued canyon walls. The photo attached is one of my favorites of my dad and I and I coincidentally just found it recently, and it made me take a moment and experience the gratitude that I feel about having the opportunity to experience the North Rim & those few hours of one on one time with my dad."
Hiking the Transept Trail the morning of June 24, 2025.
"Star Party on the North Rim"
"We're grateful we had the chance to experience the peace and beauty of the Grand Canyon North Rim. We visited the Grand Canyon Lodge for the Star Party on June 23-24, 2025, and stayed in cabin 201. We enjoyed stargazing, hiking and running. We drove the Cape Royal Road and stopped at the viewpoints. We'll always remember the peaceful feeling we had at the North Rim. We're grateful we could eat in the Grand Canyon Lodge Dining Room and see the Brighty statue and Navajo rugs. We became Grand Canyon Conservancy members at the North Rim Visitor Center and an employee gave us a bighorn sheep plush he called "Cliff." Cliff has a spot in our home and reminds us of the North Rim and the people we met there. While we live in Illinois, we feel close to the North Rim and grieve what was lost and hope for healing and restoration of the area."
"Welcome Back to the North Rim Lodge" by Kristie Gaydos
"My last day of work was the summer of 2025. Back in 2014, I lost a job in my hometown in New Jersey. I was devastated. A friend mentioned seasonal work, and one day I stumbled across a picture of the Grand Sunroom at the North Rim Lodge. “Stunning,” I thought. “Let’s try here.” It was the one and only seasonal job I applied for—thinking nothing would come of it. Little did I know, that application would change the course of my life forever.
I got the job two days later. My mom—who had never been on a road trip—joined me, and we set off west. I had no idea that the North Rim would become my home for over a decade. When I walked into the lodge, it filled my soul with something I didn’t even know was missing. There’s a spirit to that place—one that brings tears, laughter, gratitude, and peace. It gave me a chosen family and a life that was anything but ordinary. Though we only worked six months at a time, most of us returned season after season, or took a break and came back. Because how could we not?
I spent most of my days working in the Roughrider Saloon. Every shift began with a walk along either the Transept Trail (30 minutes) or the Bridal Path (15 minutes), weaving through the historic cabins on my way to work. I'd clock in, throw a “Howdy” to my pals at the Mule Desk, make small talk, and get ready for the day. The saloon had a heartbeat of its own. On some nights, the “cookout” singers would come in after their sets and play music for whoever happened to wander in. Guests would ask to play their guitars or sing during rainy afternoons. I met a group of young women who paid everything forward through a GoFundMe page. I had my annual “regulars” — few, but loyal. And I even got to meet the artist who painted the stunning Teddy Roosevelt piece displayed in the saloon. Man, I wish I could’ve saved that. So many things I wish we could’ve saved.
When I worked the service station, every evening the sun would begin to set and like clockwork, guests would rise to snap photos—often hilariously blocking the servers as we tried to do our jobs. This past season, a little ring-tailed cat made a rare appearance up in the rafters. Guests loved that quirky little visitor. Out on the veranda, you could sit in the sun sipping a cocktail—maybe one I made—while watching thunderstorms roll in over the canyon rim. Orchestras would play. Fires crackled in the giant stone fireplace. Telescopes lined the rim for stargazing. There were soulful conversations, wild kids darting around, and so much laughter.
Gratitude was everywhere—especially from the guests. We loved sharing our stories, explaining the meaning behind the viewpoint names, the artwork on the poles, or the intricate patterns of the rugs in the lodge. And we always got a good laugh from some of the questions:
'Where’s the canyon?'
'When do you light it up?'
I can’t express how special—and emotional—it’s been to realize that my summers up there have come to an end. Our little family has scattered, but the bond we built is something rare. My only hope now is that someday, I’ll be able to return on opening day, stand in that beautiful sunroom, and say with full heart, 'welcome back to the North Rim Lodge.'"
See also:
Get Ready for Grand Canyon's 2025 Field Institute Trips
You Can Help The North Rim Recover
Give to the Grand Canyon Disaster Recovery Fund