If you're looking for a more intimate experience at the Grand Canyon, take note: The more remote and less visited North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park will open for the season this week.

Park operations on the North Rim will commence Wednesday, May 15, the same day the North Rim Parkway (State Route 67), the winding route south from U.S. Route 89A, reopens to vehicle traffic.

Because the North Rim is so much more difficult to access than the South Rim (and has a shorter season), it receives only a fraction of the Canyon's roughly 6 million annual visitors. Those who do make the trek can spend the night or enjoy meals at Grand Canyon Lodge, camp at the aspen-lined North Rim Campground, or journey to Cape Royal or the remote Point Sublime.

This season, a variety of activities are planned to commemorate Grand Canyon National Park's centennial. Visit the park's website for more information.

The North Rim Parkway typically remains open until mid-October or later, and most North Rim operations shut down around the same time.