The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is part of a geo-political area known as the Arizona Strip. This area is bounded by the Nevada border on the west, the Utah border on the north, the Colorado River on the east, and the South Rim of the Canyon on the south. Except for a tiny bit of Interstate 15 in the far northwest corner, there are only two paved roads in this remote area. At around 8,000 feet in elevation, the North Rim is over 1,200 feet higher than its counterpart to the south. This additional elevation, coupled with the fact that the North Rim slopes toward the Canyon while the South Rim generally slopes away, makes the two rims significantly different in appearance as well as in vegetation. These differences also make for an entirely different experience for visitors.

Cape Royal lies roughly 15 miles by road from Grand Canyon Lodge and popular Bright Angel Point. A short trail leads to an overlook offering distant views of the Colorado, far below, and of the watch tower at Desert View near the eastern (South Rim) entrance to the park. The foreground is dominated by Wotan's Throne, shown here, and Vishnu Temple. This shot was made as the mid-September sun sank low in the southwest, alternately highlighting some surfaces of the canyon wall while leaving other cliff faces in deep shadow, all the while heralding the approach of darkness and the daily retreat of the Canyon's many adoring visitors.