Widforss Trail

Widforss Trail is the North Rim's best-kept secret — a ten-mile round trip that earns you a stunning canyon viewpoint without the crowds or the knee-destroying descents of the South Rim trails. The first half meanders through a ponderosa pine and spruce-fir forest, dipping in and out of shallow side canyons with teasing glimpses of the gorge below. The trail surface is mostly packed dirt with occasional roots and rocks, nothing technical. Grab the self-guiding brochure at the trailhead — it turns a pleasant forest walk into an impromptu botany lesson. The payoff at Widforss Point is a panoramic view into the Transept and across to Brahma and Zoroaster Temples that rivals anything on the South Rim, minus about ninety percent of the people. This is the trail for hikers who want a full day out without feeling wrecked afterward, and for anyone who thinks the Grand Canyon is only about looking down.