The less crowded, more remote side of the Grand Canyon is reopening for the 2024 season.

The National Park Service will reopen the North Rim on May 15, including Grand Canyon Lodge and Grand Canyon Trail Rides seasonal operations. The opening is on time this year, a shift from the 2023 season when record snowfall and a break in the region’s water pipeline delayed public access.

Most commercial amenities and services will remain open from May 15 through Oct. 15 and the North Rim’s gates will remain open for day use through Nov. 30 or whenever winter conditions force its closure.

Here’s what North Rim travelers should know for 2024.

And if you’re planning a national parks getaway for your summer vacation in Arizona or elsewhere, find out how to save money on entry fees through annual park passes and a handful of upcoming free entry days. As for Grand Canyon travelers, more hiking and camping opportunities are coming soon with an REI Signature Camp that’s in development near the South Rim.

When will the Grand Canyon North Rim open?

The National Park Service will open the North Rim to visitors starting at 6 a.m. Wednesday, May 15.

What will open at the Grand Canyon North Rim?

Park service staff said these amenities will be available when the North Rim opens:

• Visitor services, including the campground.

• Grand Canyon Conservancy Park Store.

• Backcountry Information Office.

• Daily park ranger programs at the Roaring Springs Overlook Kiosk.

• Grand Canyon Lodge. This includes lodging, groceries, retail, food and beverage services, shower and laundry and the gas station. The lodge dining room is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner; reservations are required for dinner.

Grand Canyon Trail Rides’ season will begin with the opening of the North Rim. For information on its mule rides, call 435-679-8665 or visit canyonrides.com.

Reservations for camping inside the North Rim can be made at recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777. Alternatively, reservations for camping outside the park at Demotte Campground are available at recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234722.

Can you stay at the lodge at the North Rim of Grand Canyon?

Cabins and motel rooms are available at Grand Canyon Lodge for the season, though some dates early in the season showed no vacancies at the time of writing.

Overnight reservations can be made online at grandcanyonnorth.com or by contacting Aramark, the concessionaire that operates the lodge, at 877-386-4383.

Best 2024 summer staycation deals at Phoenix-area hotels and resorts

North Rim Grand Canyon lodging

Grand Canyon Lodge offers the only accommodations inside national park boundaries in the North Rim, but there’s a handful of other lodging options outside the park:

Kaibab Lodge: This complex of cabins about 17 miles north of the North Rim is billed as a calm escape from the desert heat in the summer. A May 1 search of the hotel’s website showed limited availability in May, September and early October, but rooms were available for most days in June, July and August.

Jacob Lake Inn: Located in the ponderosa pine forests of the Kaibab Plateau, this inn with hotel rooms, cabins, restaurant and a gas station is about 45 miles north of the North Rim. A search showed limited vacancies in May but rooms were available for most or all dates through the rest of the 2024 North Rim season.

Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @salerno_phx.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Grand Canyon North Rim 2024: When it opens, lodging, how to visit