Grand Canyon Cycling and Mountain Biking

If you want to cycle or mountain bike Grand Canyon National Park, go to the North Rim. While cycling is allowed on paved and unpaved roads, the crowds at the South Rim make cycling on the roads unpleasant and dangerous. The shoulders are narrow and the traffic is heavy. Bicycles are not even allowed on National Park trails. The Park Service has developed what they call the Greenway System , which will allow bicycles on its trails in the near future. The Park at North Rim is another story. There are lots and lots of dirt access roads here, on which mountain bikes are allowed, and in fact seem to be made to be explored by mountain bicycling. The roads are primitive, isolated, and lonely. Park Rangers can point you to the right trail for you and your level of experience. If you expand your horizons for mountain biking to areas surrounding Grand Canyon National Park and look at trails in Kaibab National Forest, however, you will find plenty of routes at both the South Rim and the North Rim. Unfortunately, there are no bicycle rentals at either rim.

Bicycling at the Grand Canyon's South Rim

Kaibab National Forest is loaded with old logging roads that are perfect for mountain biking, and the terrain is flat so you can go for miles with minimal impact. Within Grand Canyon National Park, you can cycle on the roads but not the pathways and trails. Usually the roads are too crowded for cyclists to compete with vehicles for space, but during the summer months one road is closed to private vehicles so cylcing is great. It's the West Rim Drive, which is sixteen miles round trip over mostly level ground. There are some buses, so keep an eye out for those.

Inside the National Park, Rangers will recommend Hermit Road, because it's closed to private vehicles from March through November. It begins at Grand Canyon Village and heads eight miles out to Hermit's Rest. There are viewpoints galore along the drive, if you want to see them all leave plenty of time and start early to avoid crowds. Here are the lookout points and their features:

• Trailview Overlook & Maricopa Point:These are the closest two points to the beginning of the trail, located within 1.5 miles of Grand Canyon Village. Since they are the first stops for the shuttle busses that bring tourists along Hermit Road, they are crowded usually. You can see Bright Angel Trail from these viewpoints, but save your time for subsequent stops if you've already viewed this view from Grand Canyon Village, since it is quite similar to those views.
• Powell Point:There is a memorial to John Wesley Powell here. You can see remnants of Orphan Mine, which mined copper in the late 19th century, then Uranium in the 1950s and 1960s.
• Hopi Point:This is a great viewpoint because you can see a big long stretch of the Colorado River from here, and because Hopi Point extends out into the Grand Canyon for great photographs.
• Mohave Point: this is a great spot for viewing the Colorado River in both directions. You can also see rapids, including Hermit Rapids, and you can even hear the rapids some days.
• The Abyss: The Great Mojave Wall drops over 3,000 feet to form the red rock walls of the Abyss. The geological formations here are stunning, including one pillar of sandstone called the Monument.
• Pima Point: This offers visitors a view of the remains of Hermit Camp on the Tonto Plateau. Hermit Camp was built by the Santa Fe Railroad and served as accommodations between 1911 and 1930.
• Hermit's Rest: This is the last stop on the road. It was named after an 1800s prospector who liked to spend time alone. In 1914 famed architect Mary Jane Colter designed a the Hermit's Rest building which houses an snack bar and is photogenic itself. It's on the National Register of Historic Places. Built of logs and stone like many of the Grand Canyon buildings, its rustic look and wonderful architecture make a popular spot to hang out on Hermit Road.

Bicycling at the Grand Canyon's North Rim

Try the Rainbow Rim Trail, which edges along the North Rim of the Canyon for eighteen miles. On your journey you'll see ponerosa pine, aspen, meadows, and smaller canyons. Starting out at Parissawampitts, it passes spectacular viewpoints: Fence, Locust, North Timp, and Timp, so bring your camera. Another option at the North Rim is to bike to Point Sublime, a seventeen-mile journey on a dirt access road.