Route Overview

Rainbow Rim Overnighter takes riders out to famous Rainbow Rim, which is the sole opportunity for mountain bikers to ride singletrack along the rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

This bikepacking route combines both the smooth gorgeous dirt roads of the Kaibab Plateau on the North Rim with significant trail-weaving in and out of capes along the Canyon edge. Riders start in Demotte among subapline meadows before climbing into aspen, firs, and spruce on FR 22. Then, it's a big descent down through Dry Park and a stop at its lookout tower. Bikepackers plunge back into subalpine forest thickets for a fun downhill to Parissawampitts Point and the start of Rainbow Rim. Although a little chunky at first, the tread smooths out as the singletrack weaves and flows along the Canyon edge. Riders hit up viewpoints of the Grand Canyon at Parissawampitts, Fence, Locust, North Timp, and Timp. Each one provides rim-side dispersed camping opportunities. At the end of the trail, ride up Quaking Aspen Canyon, get water from its spring, and then start a long climb up FR 222 to the Kaibab High Point at 9200 feet. Finish with a fun descent back to Demotte.

Route Highlights

• Riding the only singletrack legal for mountain bikers along the rim of the Grand Canyon.
• Viewpoints of the Grand Canyon at Parissawampitts, Fence, Locust, Timp, and North Timp.
• Riding through subalpine meadows at Dry Park.
• Visiting the Dry Park Lookout Tower.
• Camping rim-side along Rainbow Rim.
• Biking through aspen in Quaking Aspen Canyon.

Recommended Tire Size: 2.3"-2.6"

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Riding Seasons:

• BEST TIME: Early-Summer - Fall (Mid-May - Mid-October)
• Not Possible: Winter - Spring (Late October - Early May)

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Surface Color Guide

• Purple = Improved Dirt Surface (Frequently Maintained, Usually Smoother)
• Red = Rugged Dirt Surface (Infrequently Maintained, Typically Rougher/Rockier)
• Brown = Primitive Dirt Surface (Rarely/Never Maintained, Particularly Rocky/Rutted/Eroded)
• Black = Singletrack
• Blue = Vehicular Pavement

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Surface Conditions and Route Difficulty

• Physical Difficulty: 6/10* (Rugged terrain with frequent climbs, some of which may be steep and unrelenting)
• Technical Difficulty: 5/10* (Continuous sections of track may be rocky, loose, and steep; (e.g., 4×4 roads or singletrack in rugged/rocky terrain) suitable for riders with intermediate off-road experience)
• *Based on Bikepacking Roots' Rating Scales

Rainbow Rim Overnighter travels down a mix of Forest Service roads, doubletrack, and singletrack. Some of the dirt roads are regularly maintained, wide, lightly graveled, and sometimes hero dirt. The road heading up Quaking Aspen Canyon and FR 222 tends to be doubletrack that can be loose or chunky in places. All roads in this area are often littered with tree blowdowns come early summer. The deadfall will get removed, but anyone traveling in the early season may have to go around/over trees until agencies clear them. Rainbow Rim singletrack is not overly-technical, is often flowy in places, but can have some short sections of chunk and erosion.

The technical difficulty of the route is due to the presence of singletrack and chunky doubletrack. Sections of FR 222 can be steep in places when ascending to the Kaibab High Point and short portions of Rainbow Rim can get chunky.

The physical difficulty is mostly due to the climbing. The climb from the bottom of Quakng Aspen Canyon all the way to the Kaibab High Point is a couple thousand feet and will take some time. Short portions of Rainbow Rim can be steep and may require some hike-a-bike for loaded bikepacking rigs.

Noteworthy Climbs

1. The climb from the bottom of Quaking Aspen Canyon to the Kaibab High Point.

Noteworthy Primitive, Rocky Surfaces

1. The descent to Quaking Aspent Canyon.

Parking

The route is intended to be ridden in a counterclockwise direction. Park your car overnight at the Kaibab Lodge (contact ahead to get permission - (928) 638-2389, info@KaibabLodge.com), or ride up the route a bit on FR 22 to leave it at a pull-out in the woods. Another option for those staying at Big Springs beforehand is to start and park along FR 22 in the woods at the large pullout.

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Water and Food

Water Reliability Scale

• 1 = unreliable
• 2 = seasonal;
• 3 = mostly reliable;
• 4 = definite source

Water is scarce along this route. The Kaibab National Forest is considered the driest national forest in the United States. Although the North Rim is higher than the South Rim and consequently receives an average of 25.8 inches of moisture a year, most quickly percolates through the porous rock of Kaibab Limestone that makes up the upper layers of this area. Plan to carry several liters of water, enough to last you at least 24 hours. Quaking Aspen, Parissawampitts, and Timp Springs are seasonally reliable if there has been good snowpack from winter or strong summer monsoons. Otherwise, these may be dry. Carry bonus liters of water just in case they are not running.

Beyond these sources, water may be found in dirt cattle tanks, unlisted springs, and unreliable seasonal creeks. This route requires riders to dry camp.

Food resupplies are located at the start/finish in Demotte only.

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Fees and Permits

• Kaibab National Forest has no fees.

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Important Information

Hunting Season: Starts in September and goes through December. The Kaibab National Forest on the North Rim is considered one of the best mule deer hunting areas in the United States. Hunting season is a big deal here and the forest will be filled with hunters looking for deer and bison. Expect to see more trucks, backcountry campers, ATVs, and individuals on foot. WEAR ORANGE and make yourself visible as you ride. Be smart and be seen during hunting season. Wildlife Tanks may have more hunters scoping them out.

Black Bears: There are black bears which means you need to properly store your food at night using a bear-aware method.

Dark Skies: Grand Canyon National Park is an International Dark Sky Park. This means that you can expect to have anywhere between Bortle Class 1 - 3 night skies overhead (even better night viewing during a new moon). The Bortle Class Scale is used to rate night skies on their clarity and lack of light pollution. A Bortle Class 1 is the darkest possible and there are several locations along these routes where, should you camp, you will have this level of darkness. Here, night skies will be virtually unimpeded by artificial light.

Bugs: Mosquitoes and biting flies can be abundant on this route in the forest valleys and drainages where moisture and standing water collect. This will be especially true in the summer and early fall, especially if precipitation has been plentiful.

Hantavirus and Plague: Bubonic plague and hantavirus are frequent enough amongst the rodent population that you should avoid their saliva, feces, urine, and direct bodily contact. Be careful when entering old cabins and caves where droppings are plentiful and ventilation is limited. These are prime areas for possible contraction of these diseases.

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General Access and Tribal Nations

You are allowed to cycle on any established dirt roads.

Bikes are STRICTLY forbidden below the rim in the inner gorge of the Grand Canyon. DO NOT RIDE YOUR BIKE DOWN INTO THE CANYON - you will get fined, it is illegal, and you will hurt the perception and opportunities of other bikepackers on this route. Practicing Leave No Trace means staying on established trails, roads, and paths.

I must note that although this route stays on "public lands," the formation of Grand Canyon National Park and surrounding land designations involved the forced removal of tribes such as the Havasupai, and they have endured legal battles to keep their vastly smaller chunk of land out of their historical precedent. Know the land you are riding on is traditionally theirs, know their current reservation boundaries are smaller than where they historically inhabited, and know where you are riding to keep yourself both legal and respectful.

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Camping

In the Kaibab National Forest, excellent and numerous dispersed camping abounds. The North Rim is truly one of the most remarkable places for dispersed camping right up against the edge of the Canyon at numerous locations for those making the remote trek out. I highly suggest spending the night dispersed camped at any of the Capes along Rainbow Rim.

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Sample Route Itinerary

This is a suggested itinerary. Use it as a rough guide for your own planning purposes. Feel free to use it, adapt it, or don't use it at all and make your own plans. Plan your trip on this route based on your own strengths, comfort, experience, wants, and needs.

Day 1

• Mileage: 32 Miles
• Elevation Gain: 1900 Feet
• Water: Available seasonally at Parissawampitts Spring; Plan to carry plenty from Demotte and supplement from Parissawampitts Spring
• Resupply: None
• Camping: Dispersed camping at Locust Point.

Day 2

• Mileage: 28 Miles
• Elevation Gain: 2700 Feet
• Water: Available seasonally at Timp and Quaking Aspen Springs; Demotte
• Resupply: North Rim Country Store or Kaibab Lodge
• Camping: Finish! Demotte Campground, Kaibab Lodge, Dispersed Camping in woods nearby

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Other Route Options:

Looking for a longer route, other overnighters, or a day ride at the Grand Canyon? Check out these nearby options below:

• North Rim - Capes of the Canyon
• Grand Canyon Overnighters
• North Rim COTC Passages

*Rainbow Rim Overnighter is made from Passage 9: Rainbow Rim and Passage 10: Dry Park from the North Rim - Capes of the Canyon.