Cape Royal
CAPE Royal
North Rim Of The Grand Canyon, AZ
Of the national parks I have visited, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is one of my favorites. It is far removed from the crowds, summer heat, and tourism of the South Rim - and is truly an oasis in the desert.
While visiting the North Rim, do yourself a favor and visit one of the most spectacular canyon outlooks – Cape Royal. This special place provides stunning views of Wotans Throne and the eastern Grand Canyon and is a favorite for photographers, workshops and sightseers. This scene is excellent for both sunrise and sunset, and on a clear day, you can see the Desert View Watchtower (9 miles away) across the canyon on the South Rim.
After visiting the Cape Royal overlook - consider hiking the short trail on the south side of the parking area where you will find a small picnic area, a unique outdoor temple/theater and more great views of the canyon.
Images and location summary by Tim Wier
Trail Difficulty - MODEST
The difficulty of this trail is a 2.5 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being the most difficult).
The hike to this location from the parking lot is an easy .4 mile on a paved walkway. However, to get to either the left or right side of the overlook area, you must climb over a rail and traverse a ledge to get to the location of the shot.
GPS Coordinates & Elevation
7,560 ft Elevation
Google Earth
Download KMZ Trail File
Click Here to download the KMZ file for this location.
Directions
CLICK HERE to get driving directions to the parking area for Cape Royal
From Jacob Lake - drive on HWY 67 south for 40.5 miles until you see a brown sign that point to Pt. Imperial / Cape Royal. At the sign, turn left and travel 5.3 miles on Cape Royal Rd until you reach a fork in the road with another brown sign that which reads Pt Imperial 3 miles / Cape Royal 15 miles. At the fork, take a right and drive 15 miles (on a winding road) until you come to the Cape Royal parking lot.
From the parking lot, the trail to the Cape Royal overlook is found on the east side and goes through the two trash boxes (see image below). The trail to the overlook is approx. .4 miles. About halfway on the walk, you will pass a fork which goes to either Angles Window and Cape Royal. Stay straight (right) to get to the overlook.
Once at the Cape Royal overlook, you can shoot from the railing or work your way to an outcropping of rocks on either the east or west sides (most good images are taken from one of the outcroppings). You can try each location as they are only a few feet apart. The perspectives are similar, but with slight differeneces.
To get to the east side - you need to walk back from the overlook about 20 ft or so and walk around the railing. Then walk along a narrow ridge on the other side of the railing until you reach a large open area. There are several places to shoot from the east side.
To get to the west side - you will need to hop over the railing and walk a few feet to a nice-sized shooting area.
Photography Tips
Whether you’re shooting sunrise or sunset, this shot is primarily about the lighting (glow) on the Wotans Throne. The glow will last 2 to 3 minutes depending on haze or clouds in the horizon.
It is important to note that in the late summer months - the lighting (glow) on Wotans Throne and the last sunbeam filling the valley can happen a few minutes apart (as the distant ridge blocks the last of the sunset). For this reason, you may need to take multiple exposures and composite your image.
Best Time of Day to Shoot
This location can be photographed at either sunrise or sunset, and both times can produce a great image.
At sunrise, the red glow will illuminate the left (east) side, and at sunset, the glow is on the right (west) side. Most images you will see are taken at sunset as there tend to be better skies - but sunrise is also a great time to witness a great moment when the sun first illuminates the grand canyon.
Best Time of Year
This location is great anytime you can access this location. The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is usually open from May 15th to October 15th. Sometimes the North Rim is open into November or day use, but the roads to Cape Royal and Point Imperial are closed.
Lens(es) Needed
This is mainly an ultra-wide angle shot (11 mm to 16 mm). Other compositions can be taken here, but most shots will be taken ultra-wide.
EXIF Data
Focal Length – 16 mm
Exposure – 60th sec @ f 8.0
ISO – 100
Date – July 24th
Time – 7:32 pm
Birds-Eye View From Google Earth Pro
Permits
Cape Royal is on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park. As of the writing of the summary (Dec 2022), the entry fee was $35 per vehicle. Once in the park, there are no other permits required.
Direction of the Shot
The direction of your shot will be southwest between 200° and 235°.
Equipment Needed
All you need for this shot is a sturdy tripod.
Number of Other Photographers to Expect
During summer (monsoon season), this location can be a very popular place for tourists and photographers. Tourists generally don't climb over the rails, but this location is popular for photography workshops - so you can see upward of 10-15 photographers sometimes.
The right (west) side will typically be more crowded with photographers. The left (east) side is a little dicey to walk to, which can limit the number of folks standing there.
Weather
Cape Royal is about 7,800 ft, so the temperatures are much cooler than the surrounding desert. The temperatures will be mild to cool in the evenings, and the days are usually pleasant.
Cell Service
I have Verizon, and cell service at this location is spotty. Sometimes, you can get a very weak signal at the parking lot, but the drive to this location will not have any cell service.
Overnight Camping Options
The North Rim is much more remote than the South Rim and is over 40 miles to Jacobs Lake (a very small community) and 80 miles to the nearest town (Kanab, UT). With this in mind, the lodging is limited, with only three motels/hotels in the entire area (only one in the park)
Regardless of where you stay try to visit The Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim, which includes western and pioneer cabins adjacent to the lodge. This grand old lodge, designed for the national parks service by Gilbert Stanley Underwood, was built in 1928. If you are at the lodge in the evening, walk out to the veranda for sunset and refreshments and enjoy the gathering around the 8 ft fireplace. It is a great place to relax and enjoy the great outdoors.
There are two campsites near the North Rim: 1) North Rim and 2) DeMotte campgrounds. There is a third campsite near Jacobs Lake (45 miles north).
The North Rim Campground is only about 1 1/2 miles from the North Rim visitors center and is open from May 15th to October 31st. This nice little campground includes 25 spots, showers, and a laundry mat. This campsite is in high demand and is only available with a reservation. You can reserve using this link Recreation.gov - I suggest reserving 3-6 months in advance.
The DeMotte Campground is located about 18 miles north of the North Rim. This campsite has 38 campsites with tables and cooking grills and can accommodate tents, trailers, and small motor homes. However, no utility hookups are available. Half of the sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and the other half are available with reservations. Contact DeMotte Campground through the North Kaibab Ranger District at (928) 643-7395.
Nearby camping and lodging
Camping - click on the campground below for directions
North Rim Campground (21 miles)
De Motte Campground (26 miles north)
Lodging - click on the lodging below for a TripAdvisor review
Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim
(877) 386-4383
Grand Canyon National Park North Rim, Arizona
The Kaibab Lodge at the North Rim
(928) 638-2389
Grand Canyon National Park North Rim, Arizona
Nearby Restaurants
There are only a few restaurants near the North Rim: The grand dining room & deli sandwich shop at The Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim, a dining hall at the Kaibab Lodge North Rim, and the deli/restaurant at the Jacob Lake Inn.
Jacob Lake Inn is a nice wholesome lodge and a good place to pick up breakfast or lunch. After a long day of shooting, it is always nice to sit at the grill and grab a burger and a piece of blueberry pie.
Main Lodge Dining Room @ The Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim
(928) 638-8560
Jacob Lake Inn @ Jacob Lake, AZ
(928) 643-7232
Area Guides and Workshops
None