Grand Canyon North Rim – 1981

In June 1981, the youth group at our church went to Glorieta, New Mexico, for youth summer camp. Kids aged 13-18 could go and attend the weeklong event for the youth. Eva and I attended a leadership session with our pastor and his wife that week. Although we were not part of the youth trip, we traveled in my car, but with the church vans, and stayed at the same motels along the journey. Tammy was fourteen and was able to go; however, Jennifer was eleven and too young to attend. Eva’s younger sister, Elizabeth, stayed with Jennifer that week.

I had planned our family vacation for later in the summer to go to Tennessee, but Jennifer was upset and tired of hearing us talking about Glorieta. We changed our family trip to the Grand Canyon with a return trip that would take us to Glorieta. Jennifer would not be attending any event, but she could visit the area and buildings, plus see Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The highways were different in 1981, and the availability of places to stay at night along the drive determined the route we took getting to the Grand Canyon. There were limited places to stay within the Grand Canyon Park, and we did not have reservations. We spent the night before going to the park in Flagstaff, then got up early to make the 80-mile trip to the park. We entered the park from the South entrance and got a visitor packet of the pull-out stops along the South Rim drive heading west. The views of the canyon were breathtaking, with each stop giving you a view of the beauty and magnitude of the size of the canyon.

At one of the stops, I read about the park on the North Rim. I had been to the Grand Canyon with my parents and Joann; it was in 1959, but I had not heard there was a park on the north side of the Grand Canyon. At one of the viewing points, there is a sign saying the canyon is one mile to the other side of the canyon, straight across. Well, driving to the North Rim Park is a long drive. The roads may be in better condition today, but it is still a long drive to get to highways that go around the canyon and then to the road that takes you down to the park entrance on the North Rim.

The Dragon Bravo Fire has destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge and several historic cabins in the North Rim Park area. The fire intensified on the night of July 12, 2025, and forced the evacuation of even the firefighters from the area. Preliminary assessments indicate that between 50 to 80 structures have been lost, including NPS administrative buildings and visitor facilities.

The North Rim Park operated for a shorter season each year compared to the South Rim and covered a smaller area. There were many fewer places to view the canyon, but those views were unique to that location. The Lodge was spectacular, and the café and other buildings were great images of the past. Because the park was only open during the summer months, the staff celebrated all the major holidays during the months they were open. We were there in August, and they were celebrating Christmas at that time with all the buildings decorated and the staff dressed accordingly.

On the drive from there to Glorieta, we talked about how long a drive it was to get from the South Rim to the North Rim and then to get from there to Glorieta. We all agreed that it was worth the time and the drive for what may be for a lifetime for us. Forty-four years later, the park will never return to its former state.

I wish I had taken more pictures, but I am grateful for the memories of special times with the family. A few years later, Jennifer attended Glorieta with the church youth group, while Tammy participated as an adult sponsor. I am not sure if we would have ever made the trip to the Grand Canyon North Rim Park if the events had not played out as they did that year.