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Cape Royal Road is a scenic drive at the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, a UNESCO World Heritage site. We drove to the end of the road at Cape Royal and worked our way backwards. The entire length of the road is about 20 miles one way.
Walhalla Overlook
Heading back on the road the first stop after Cape Royal is the Walhalla Overlook, which, like the other stops, has some great views of the Grand Canyon. There’s a short trail to some Ancestral Puebloan ruins but it was closed for maintenance during our visit.
Cape Final
Next, I stopped to do the Cape Final Trail, a 4.2 mile round-trip trail through a lovely forest to Cape Final. Most of the hike is in the forest until you reach the edge of the canyon.
At the very end of the trail, there’s a rock you can climb for panoramic views of the Grand Canyon.
I noticed a marker on the rock placed there by the US Geological Survey in 1903, indicating an elevation of 7,919 feet above sea level.
Roosevelt Point
The third stop on Cape Royal Road is at Roosevelt Point. It’s named in honor of Theodore Roosevelt for his efforts towards preservation of the Grand Canyon.
Again, the views of the canyon don’t disappoint. It seemed that at this point, it was easier to make out the different colors of the rock.
Vista Encantada
Next is Vista Encantada. In addition to more great views, an interpretive panel explains how Spanish conquistadors couldn’t comprehend the immense size of the Grand Canyon when they visited for the first time in 1540.
Point Imperial
After Vista Encantada, the road curves several times until it comes to a fork called the “Y”. You could turn left and head back to the visitor center at Bright Angel Point or the park entrance, or turn right and go about 2 ½ miles further to Point Imperial.
Point Imperial sits at an elevation of 8,803 feet, and of course, there are more phenomenal views of the Grand Canyon.
