Grand Canyon Lodge Frontier Cabin- North Rim Grand Canyon National Park

What to expect when booking a stay at the Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

Here are my top finds for Grand Canyon National Park:
🏨Hotels: El Tovar, Yavapai Lodge, Bright Angel Lodge & Cabins
📍Tours: 45-Minute Helicopter Flight over the Grand Canyon
🐻 Save time! Buy your National Park Pass before your trip

Park Alert: North Rim Grand Canyon Closures

• On July 13, 2025, The Dragon Bravo Fire destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge, along with 50 to 80 other structures on the North Rim.
• At this time there is no offical reopening date or active construction timeline to rebuild the Historic Grand Canyon Lodge. Lodging is available in Kanab and Page Arizona.
• There are also several trail closures due to the Flash Flood that occured on 8/31/26. Area closures include:
  • The North Kaibab Trailhead to Phantom Ranch, Phantom Ranch, Cottonwood Campground, Bright Angel Campground, The Black Bridge and Silver Bridge, River Trail between River Resthouse and Black Bridge, South Kaibab Trail below the tipoff, Bright Angel Point Trail, Widforss Trail, Transept Trail, Arizona Trail between North Kaibab Trailhead and the W1-A (Old Entrance Road), Ken Patrick Trail west between the North Kaibab Trailhead and Cape Royal Road, and Uncle Jim Trail.

Grand Canyon Lodge - North Rim Grand Canyon National Park

The night of moths, mice, and bright lights…

We were so excited when we booked a cabin at the north rim of the Grand Canyon! It was the perfect location for getting up early to watch the sunrise over the canyon walls.

When we checked into the room, we learned a few things about what it takes to stay at the Grand Canyon Lodge.

One of the first things is that the parking is the same parking as general visitors, so you may have to battle to get a parking spot "near" the cabin you are staying in. I say near because they are across the road, and some of them are a bit of a distance from the parking lot, especially when hauling luggage.

Once we were in the room and settled for the night, we realized that we had a lot of new moth friends flying around over our heads. On our way to our cabin, we saw the neighbors standing outside with their flashlights, trying to entice the moths to exit their cabin. This probably should have been a hint that we were in for the same.

While we were winding down and chatting about what we wanted to do in the park the next morning, my wife saw movement out of the corner of her eye. We had a new little 4-legged mouse friend running around the floor near our bags and under the beds.

Thankfully, once we started moving around, trying to figure out where he came from, he ran to the back wall and disappeared. There was a crack in the floor and 1^st log of the cabin that our new little friend was able to squeeze through.

You would think that would be the end of our fun night, and we would be able to get a good night's sleep, but we have to talk about the bright lights of Grand Canyon Lodge.

The cabin has an amazing fan that helps cool it down and allows you to close the windows so more moths do not enter the cabin. When we were going to turn in we tried to turn off the cabin lights only to realize that the fan was connected to another light so if you turned off the power you turned off the fan.

We made the choice to sleep with the light on and keep the fan going so the cabin did not get super hot and stuffy instead of opening the windows and dealing with more moths and who knows what coming inside.

The windows do have screens on them, but the number of moths between the screens and the windows told us they would find a way inside.

I am going to say that this was a night at a National Park Lodge, unlike many other nights we have had. I am pretty sure in a few years we will be laughing about our night with nature on the North Rim.

The night of moths and mice and bright lights was not how we planned our stay at the Grand Canyon Lodge to go, that is for sure.

When I went by the front desk in the morning to drop off the keys, I asked if moths and mice were a normal problem. The person I talked with nonchalantly told me that mice were a given, but moths were a new problem they really needed to work on. She was much more worried about the moths than the mice. 

Frontier ADA Cabin with 1 twin/1 full-size bed

We ended up with an ADA Cabin, so the configuration was a bit different than some of the other cabins, especially in the bathroom. There was a twin-size bed and a full-size bed in the cabin, along with a small table, 2 chairs, and a mini-refrigerator.

If you're a pillow person, you'll want to bring your own pillow with you. The twin-size bed had one small pillow, while the full-size bed had two small pillows. We actually ended up stacking extra towels under the pillows to get some cushion.

The cabin is rustic and bare bones. There is one plug-in on a far wall that can be used to charge your phones, just make sure you bring your plug. There are no USB adaptors in the room.

The ADA Bathroom was amazing! The water pressure was shocking, considering we were on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The bathroom was honestly the best part of the entire cabin.

Accommodations at the Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim consist of Frontier, Western, and larger Pioneer cabins (located close to the rim) as well as motel rooms located within a short walking distance from the lodge.

Some of the cabins have front porches with chairs, but not all of them. 

Western Cabins have 2 queen-sized beds and include standard and rim view cabins.

Pioneer Cabins have One Queen, One Full and Two Twin Beds (Bunk Bed) and include standard and rim view cabins.

Frontier Cabins have One Double Bed and One Single Bed and come in standard view cabins. 

Dining

Main Lodge Dining Room - Reservations are recommended if you plan to enjoy dinner in the main lodge dining room. When I stopped by to ask about dinner availability, the person in front of me was screaming that they were so upset they couldn't get in for dinner. Another person was trying to cancel a dinner reservation, and two other guests were arguing over who would take it.

Save yourself the headache and make reservations online before heading to the park. To make a reservation, please call 928-645-6865 (February 1st through April 15th) or 928-638-2611 (May 15th through Oct 14th).

Deli in the Pines - The Deli in the Pines is open daily from 5:00 am to 9:00 pm. You can find easy grab-and-go food, including pizza by the slice, sandwiches, breakfast burritos, cinnamon rolls, and so much more. We found the staff at the deli to be the nicest staff we encountered during our stay at the Grand Canyon Lodge. I made it a point to visit the deli because they were so friendly and made me smile each time.

Roughrider Saloon - Stop by the Roughrider Saloon from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 pm to grab a cocktail or beverage to go. This is a great place to grab a drink and head out to enjoy the views while soaking in the rim. 

Things you need to know when planning to stay at the Grand Canyon Lodge

Season - May 15th through October 15th - on average

Reservations - Click here to book your stay at the Grand Canyon Lodge Frontier Cabins.

Rim Views - There are six cabins specifically designated as "Rim View" rooms, and fourteen cabins that sit on the rim with wooded views. Not all rooms have a direct view of the canyon but all are within walking distance of a spectacular view.

Check-In Time - 4 pm

Check out Time - 11 am

Smoking - All rooms are non-smoking

Wi-Fi - Wi-Fi is not available in the cabins. 

Cell Phone Service - Cell phone reception is limited at the North Rim. Depending on your service provider, you may get service on the Rim.

Pets - No pets are allowed. There is a $200 fee charged if pets are found in a room

Address - AZ-67, North Rim, AZ 86052

Phone Number: (877) 386-4383

Cancellation Policy: Please notify Forever Resorts 72 hours prior to your arrival, 4:00 P.M. Arizona Mountain Standard Time, to avoid the loss of your deposit.

Where is Grand Canyon Lodge located?

The Grand Canyon Lodge is located on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The lodge is within the park next to the visitor center. 

GPS coordinates:

The next closest lodging facilities would be the Kaibab Lodge (928-638-2389), located 18 miles from the Lodge and Jacob Lake Inn (928-643-7232) which is 45 miles from the Lodge. The next largest city from the North Rim is Kanab, Utah, where you can stay at the famous Parry Lodge.

Make sure to rub the nose of Brighty the Burro located near the rim view seating area in Grand Canyon Lodge. It is believed if you rub Brighty's nose you will have good luck and/or return to the Grand Canyon.

History of the Grand Canyon Lodge

The Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge is the only lodging located inside the Grand Canyon National Park on the North Rim.  This Lodge is often the first thing visitors to the park see, even before the canyon itself, as the highway ends at the Lodge. 

Grand Canyon National Park was established in February of 1919, but visitors had been flocking to the park long before this establishment. 

From 1917 to 1927, William Wallace Wylie and his daughter Elizabeth Wylie McKee managed the first accommodations at the North Rim, now known as Bright Angel Point.  

Wylie has been credited with creating the first "permanent camps" concept in National Parks around the west.   Born in Iowa in 1848, Wylie moved to Montana at the age of 30 and began working as a school principal.

 It was on a trip to Yellowstone that his love and interest in National Parks began.  He led overnight tours of the park for teachers and visitors and as time went on, his interested camping groups grew larger and larger.

 It became quite the hassle to tear down and then reconstruct his group camping areas each day.  In 1893, Wylie asked and was given permission by Yellowstone to leave his camps intact while he brought visitors back and forth. 

What was known as the "Wylie Way" to visit National Parks became popular and the Union Pacific Railroad asked Wylie to open similar camping spots at Zion National Park and Grand Canyon's North Rim. 

As National Parks and its lodging became a tourist attraction around the West, the Union Pacific Railroad took on many projects to build new lodges in the areas they ran lines to.  By the early 1900s, the "Wylie Way" was not as popular as it used to be. 

Many families riding the rails had the money to travel, and they wanted more luxurious lodging while staying in the National Parks.  The Wylie's were forced out as the area of the North Rim was sold to the Union Pacific and Utah Parks Company. 

By this time it was 1920, and the National Park Service had control of the area and any construction happening within it. 

Gilbert Stanley Underwood, the architect hired by the Utah Parks Company, agreed to the National Park Service terms of building the new Lodge. 

The 1920s style of new architecture in the National Parks was a rustic theme, using natural materials from its surroundings. 

Underwood designed a Lodge that used native stone and timber that matched the rocky environment of the North Rim.

 The plan was a large central lodge with numerous cabins surrounding it. 

The exterior of the lodge was made of native limestone, which served the goal of the NPS natural architecture, making it look as though the Lodge had grown up out of the North Rim.   

The veranda to the south offered a gorgeous view and an observation tower as well as a stone fireplace were built on the exterior. 

The rustic cabins and cottages blended into the environment as well.  The cabins were divided into two categories:

Regular cabins located northwest of the Lodge and Deluxe cabins located northeast of the Lodge.  Regular cabins were individual structures and the Deluxe were built as duplexes and quadplexes. 

The construction crew included 125 men who were paid around 85 cents daily. 

They worked long hours through the harsh winter to complete the entire project in 1928.  At the time of its opening, the complex also included telegraph and postal service, hot baths and showers, and a barbershop. 

The Utah Parks Company had built a state-of-the-art water system which is still in use today.  This system involves vertically pumping water over 4,000 feet up to the tank at the rim. 

The lodge allowed a small exhibit area created by the NPS to display historic items from the history of the Grand Canyon. 

In 1932, just four years after its opening, a devastating fire destroyed the lodge. 

Luckily, most of the cabins were spared, but when the Great Depression was plaguing the country, it was assumed the Lodge would not be rebuilt.  The Utah Parks Company built a temporary lodge and also built more cabins. 

The rebuilding of the Grand Canyon Lodge began in 1936 and was completed in 1937.  Some original stone from the old Lodge was able to be salvaged for the construction. 

Keeping in mind the strong winter snows, the design of the new Lodge included higher roofs, and the observation tower was not rebuilt. 

The designers ensured the same rustic, natural feel of the lodge and made revisions such as using Ponderosa log siding, and exposed beams, and making the ceilings in the lobby massively higher. 

The Lodge closed during World War II, but still rented out a small number of cabins to families that were traveling. 

It was shortly after this time that the technology of the 20^th century was changing and travelers were not riding the rails as they used to.

 The automobile was the preferred mode of transportation for travel. 

By 1972, the Union Pacific and then the Utah Parks Company relinquished control of the Lodge property to the National Park Service.  Today, the Lodge is still considered to be in wonderful condition and affords the visitors a look back in time to the 1930s when it was built. 

Grand Canyon National Park Guided Tours

Grand Canyon Signature Hummer Tour with Optional Sunset Views
⭐️ Rating: 4.8 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour Length: 2 Hours and 30 Minutes | 🚌Check Rates and Availability

Make the most of limited time and see the highlights of Grand Canyon National Park in just a couple of hours on this sightseeing tour. Ride in a windowless, open-air Hummer and listen to commentary from your guide as you visit some of the canyon's best lookout points, where you can hop out, take photos, and explore. Since this is a small group tour, you'll have plenty of time to ask questions, too.

Grand Canyon Sunset Hiking Adventure Deep Below the South Rim
⭐️ Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour Length: 5 hours |  🥾Check Rates and Availability

You will take arguably the best hike on this planet as you leave the crowds behind and go on an adventure led by your tour guide, who's passionate about showing you the very best of what the Grand Canyon has to offer. You'll be kitted out with snacks, water, and lunch, and you will be picked up from your Northern Arizona Hotel before you set off on this private tour tailored to you. There's plenty of time for photos, too.

4-Hour Biblical Creation + Sunset Tour - Grand Canyon National Park South Rim
⭐️ Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour Length: 4 hours |  🚌Check Rates and Availability

Experience the Grand Canyon from the biblical creation perspective with Canyon Ministries. The sunset rim tour begins inside the park at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center flagpole, meeting around 4 hours before sunset. From there, you will journey along the South Rim's east side on Desert View Drive, traveling in the comfort of some of the most breathtaking overlooks and vistas.

At the end of the tour, you will close out the day with an amazing sunset over the west rim.

Click Here for a complete list of tours offered at Grand Canyon National Park!

Thengs to do When Staying at the Grand Canyon Lodge & Cabins

🌅 Watch sunrise and sunset from the lodge's outdoor observation deck directly on the canyon rim, one of the great morning and evening experiences in any national park
☕ Sit in the sun room with coffee as the morning light moves across the canyon in extraordinary color
🥾 Walk the Bright Angel Point Trail, a short paved path from the lodge to a dramatic narrow promontory with views in multiple directions into the canyon
🌄 Drive to Cape Royal, the finest viewpoint on the North Rim, about 23 miles from the lodge on the scenic Cape Royal Road
🏔️ Hike the North Kaibab Trail from the trailhead near the lodge, the only maintained rim-to-river trail on the North Rim
🌿 Walk the Transept Trail from the lodge to the North Rim Campground through ponderosa pine forest along the rim edge
🦌 Watch for Kaibab squirrels, found nowhere else on Earth, mule deer, wild turkeys, and California condors around the lodge grounds
🍽️ Dine at the Grand Canyon Lodge Dining Room, one of the most scenically situated restaurant spaces in any national park
🍸 Order a mule drink on the lodge's Sun Room porch, a beloved North Rim tradition, as the canyon light shifts through the afternoon

Lodging Options in Grand Canyon National Park

⭐️ 4.4 of 5 Stars - The El Tovar - Click here for Rates and Availability.

A National Historic Landmark and member of Historic Hotels of America, sitting just 20 feet from the rim of the Grand Canyon and widely regarded as the finest hotel inside any national park in America since opening its doors in 1905!

Designed as a cross between a Swiss chalet and a Norwegian villa and built from local limestone and Oregon pine, the El Tovar has hosted Theodore Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, Paul McCartney, and Oprah Winfrey. All 78 individually designed rooms and suites feature air conditioning, mini-fridges, Keurig coffee makers, satellite TVs, and private bathrooms, with select canyon-view suites featuring private balconies perched directly above the rim. The El Tovar Dining Room serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner with canyon views, the lounge bar is perfect for post-hike cocktails, and a gift shop, curio shop, newsstand, and concierge round out the amenities. Free area shuttle, free parking, and room service available. No elevator, no pets, open year-round.

⭐️ 4.1 of 5 Stars - Yavapai Lodge - Click Here for Rates and Availability

Tucked in a beautiful ponderosa pine forest just a 10-minute walk from Mather Point and the Grand Canyon Rim Trail!

Split between two sections, Yavapai East offers air-conditioned rooms with ADA accessible options and family rooms with bunk beds sleeping up to 6, while Yavapai West features cozy ceiling fan rooms in single-story buildings with pet-friendly options and a Pets in the Park welcome package. Two restaurants serve breakfast through dinner, the Yavapai Tavern pours drinks from noon to 9 PM, and a Starbucks opens at 6 AM for early-rising hikers. Additional amenities include a lobby fireplace, gift shop, EV and Tesla charging stations, free area shuttle, free WiFi, and free parking. One of the most family and pet-friendly in-park lodges in the entire national park system!

⭐️ 4.4 of 5 Stars - Bright Angel Lodge - Click Here for Rates and Availability

A National Historic Landmark designed by the legendary Mary Colter in 1935, sitting directly on the South Rim at the top of the famous Bright Angel Trailhead with the most affordable rim-side lodging inside Grand Canyon!

The 90 rooms and cabins range from budget-friendly lodge rooms with shared baths to charming private rim cabins featuring gas fireplaces and partial canyon views, making this the best value for money of any in-park lodge at the Grand Canyon. Three on-site dining options include the Harvey House Cafe serving diner classics all day in the Fred Harvey tradition, the Arizona Room with Southwestern cuisine, and the Canyon Coffee House for shade-grown organic espresso and cappuccino before hitting the trail. Evening drinks and seasonal live entertainment at the Bright Angel Bar round out the experience perfectly. Also on site: a small history museum, gift shop, ice cream fountain, tour and mule ride booking desk, free WiFi in public areas, and free parking. No elevator, no pets, no air conditioning in standard rooms, open year-round!

⭐️ 4.1 of 5 Stars - Kachina Lodge - Click Here for Rates and Availability

⭐️ 4.2 of 5 Stars - Thunderbird Lodge - Click Here for Rates and Availability

Two sister lodges built in 1968 as part of the National Park Service's Mission 66 program, sitting directly on the South Rim in the heart of Grand Canyon Village's Historic District, steps from the Bright Angel Trailhead and Rim Trail!

Their distinctive stair-stepped concrete facades were intentionally designed to mirror the layered rock formations of the canyon walls below, blending beautifully into the rim rather than competing with it. Both offer the same clean, comfortable modern rooms with Keurig coffee makers, mini-fridges, flat-screen satellite TVs, in-room safes, hair dryers, air conditioning, and free WiFi, with select canyon-side rooms at Kachina featuring partial Grand Canyon views. Free area shuttle and free parking included.

⭐️ 4.2 of 5 Stars -Maswik Lodge - Click Here for Rates and Availability

Tucked among several acres of ponderosa pine forest just a quarter mile from the South Rim with a free Village shuttle stop right at the lobby door!

Named after the Hopi Kachina spirit said to guard the Grand Canyon, Maswik features 280 rooms split between two sections. The newly renovated Maswik South, completed in 2022, features interior corridors, full elevator access, private patios and balconies, and spacious kitchenettes with a cooktop, microwave, apartment-sized fridge, coffee maker, and utensils, making it a great pick for families and extended stays. All rooms include air conditioning, satellite TV, mini-fridge, Keurig coffee maker, and free WiFi. The Maswik Food Court serves breakfast through dinner with vegetarian and gluten-free options, and the Pizza Pub pours cold beer and wood-fired pies. Also on site: gift shop, ATM, EV charging, RV parking, free area shuttle, and free self-parking.

Lodging in Tusayan, Arizona (Just outside Grand Canyon's south entrance)

⭐️ 3.9 of 5 Stars - Grand Canyon Plaza Hotel - Click Here for Rates and Availability

Take advantage of a terrace, a garden, and a bar at Grand Canyon Plaza Hotel. For some rest and relaxation, visit the hot tub. Be sure to enjoy a meal at JJKs, the onsite family restaurant. Free in-room Wi-Fi and a 24-hour business center are available to all guests.

⭐️ 4.2 of 5 Stars - The Grand Hotel - Click Here for Rates and Availabity

At The Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon, you can look forward to shopping on site, a fireplace in the lobby, and a bar. For some rest and relaxation, visit the hot tub. The onsite restaurant, Canyon Star Steakhouse, features American cuisine and happy hour. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi, and guests can find other amenities such as a 24-hour business center.

Click on this link or the map below to see additional hotels and vacation rentals near the Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon National Park Entrance Fee

New in 2026: Each Non-US Resident aged 16 and older visiting Grand Canyon National Park must pay a $100 nonresident fee (in addition to the standard entrance fee), unless admitted with an annual or America the Beautiful Pass. This includes nonresidents entering as part of a commercial tour group, commercial use authorization (CUA) group, or concessioner tour group.

Park entrance fees are separate from camping and lodging fees.

Park Entrance Pass - $35.00 Per private vehicle (valid for 1-7 days from the date of purchase)

Park Entrance Pass - Motorcycle - $30.00 Per motorcycle (valid for 1-7 days from the date of purchase)

Per-Person Entrance Pass - $20.00 Visitors 16 years or older who enter on foot, bicycle, or as part of an organized group not involved in a commercial tour.

$8.00 per person for Non-Commercial Group (16+ persons)

$8.00 per person for vehicles with a capacity of 1-25

$300.00 for Commercial Motor Coach with 26+ seats

Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.

$80.00 - For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.

Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.

National Park Free Entrance Days  -Mark your calendars with the free entrance days the National Park Service offers for US citizens and residents.

Additional Grand Canyon National Park Resources

• Complete Guide to exploring Grand Canyon National Park
• Things To Do in Grand Canyon National Park
• Grand Canyon Winter Guide
• Grand Canyon Restaurants
• Grand Canyon Shuttle Bus Guide
• Grand Canyon Lodging Guide
• Grand Canyon Camping Guide

Parks near National Park

• Wupatki National Monument
• Navajo National Monument
• Pipe Springs National Monument
• Lake Mead National Recreation Area
• Hubbel Trading Post National Historic Site
• Montezuma Castle National Monument
• Tuzigoot National Monument

Check out all of the Arizona National Parks along with neighboring National Parks in Utah, National Parks in New Mexico, California National Parks, Colorado National Parks, and Nevada National Parks 

Check out this list of US National Parks to count how many you have visited!

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