Crowds are not for me. That why I recommend the North Rim and other more out of the way places along the canyon rim. These places are just as beautiful and awe inspiring. You just have to drive a little farther to get there. But the quiet beauty is worth it.

The North Rim provides expansive views across the canyon. And if you’re visiting in summer, you’ll find the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to be comfortably cooler than the sweltering South Rim. The North Rim is more forested, with cool hiking trails out to several panoramic Grand Canyon overlooks through shaded evergreen forests.

There are a variety of places to stay on the North Rim, from the comfortable and rustic lodge to private cabins right on the Grand Canyon rim. If you prefer to camp, you’ll find several campgrounds there. If you visit in the winter, though, you’ll find the North Rim closed.

Now, if you REALLY like remote, try the West Rim. There are cabins and even teepees where you can spend the night at the West Rim.

The Grand Canyon is one of my favorite spots on earth. And there are so many ways and so many different vantage point from which to see it.

My recommendation … skip the crowds and head for the North and/or West rims.

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Tombstone is still alive and well today … indeed, the Town Too Tough to Die. It’s located about an hour from Tucson, Arizona. My wife and I,  along with some good friends from the UK, visited Tombstone in early December, and found it totally free of crowds. Tombstone is a wonderful trip back in time to when the West was a wild and wooly place.