SCENIC DRIVE

CAPE ROYAL ROAD Cape Royal offers one of the best overlooks in Grand Canyon National Park. It's impressive, and so is the narrow, winding road that takes you there.

The North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park has a short season, but there's another reason it sees about as much vehicle traffic in an average year as the South Rim sees in an average month. Actually, there are 130 reasons. That's the difference, in miles, between North Rim and South Rim driving distance from Flagstaff. It's hard to believe until you look at a road map. There are no shortcuts to the North Rim. No interstates. Just a long trip up U.S. routes 89 and 89A, across Navajo Bridge, past the Vermilion Cliffs and down State Route 67. And even though it's a gorgeous drive, by the end of it, you'd be forgiven for parking at Grand Canyon Lodge and chucking your car keys. Don't. Because just north of the lodge is Cape Royal Road, an easy, paved route offering incredible Canyon views that even fewer people have seen plus a little history along the way. From SR 67, head east on Cape Royal