logo

Hiking the Grand Canyon North Rim with Kids

Grand Canyon's lightly visited North Rim evokes times past when kids could explore and discover natural wonders without a schedule, a gadget, or a fear in the world. Towering pines, quaking aspens and expansive alpine meadows, not to mention spectacular views of the inner gorge, set the backdrop. Ranger talks and nature's noise provide atmosphere. Ten trails of varying length and difficulty round out the experience and make the North Rim of the Grand Canyon a hiker's paradise and an ideal destination for families wanting to stretch their legs and enjoy nature at its best. One of few such destinations in our shrinking world!... Read More

Copyright © Denise Traver. All rights reserved. Denise Traver, author of the website Hit the Trail, has led more than 500 people on backcountry tours of the Grand Canyon first as backcountry ranger and later as a field instructor for the Grand Canyon Field Institute.

Mt. Hayden

Mike Quinn courtesy National Park Service

Hikers on North Rim

Denise Traver

Kaibab Suspension Bridge

Michael Anderson courtesy National Park Service

Bighorn Sheep

Mark Lellouch courtesy National Park Service

View all photos | More photo galleries

Fun Facts about the California Condor

Juvenile California Condor

Marc Lellouch courtesy National Park Service

There are lots of fun facts about the California Condor. Did you known that:

The California Condor, also known as the California Vulture, is a member of the vulture family.
The California Condor, like all vultures, is a scavenger meaning it feeds on dead animals and doesn't hunt for food.
The California Condor is one of the largest birds in North America. It has the largest wing span (the distance from one wing tip to the other) of any bird on the continent and weighs more than most North American birds.
The California Condor is easily identified by its field marks. It has black feathers and a bald head. Adult California Condors have white patches under their wings and their head is bright pink. When excited, the color of the male's head changes from pink to red.
The California Condor inhabits the mountainous region of south-central California as well as Grand Canyon and Zion national parks. They nest in caves and crevices on cliffs and hillsides.
The California Condor lays one egg every two years. They mate for life and take care of their young for more than 12 months.
The California Condor is an endangered species. In the 1980s only 19 birds survived in the wild.