Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [191]
The 140 cabins come in four types, all with private bathrooms. With rustic wood furniture, gas fireplaces, bathtubs, and small vanity rooms, the Western Cabins and Rim-View Cabins are the most luxurious. The Western Cabins cost $10 less than the four Rim-View Cabins, which have stunning views of Bright Angel Canyon but generally fill up on their first day of availability, 13 months in advance.
The two other types—Pioneer and Frontier—are far more rustic. Tightly clustered along the rim of Transept Canyon, they have walls and ceilings of exposed logs, electric heaters, and showers instead of bathtubs. Frontier Cabins have one guest room; Pioneer Cabins have two adjoining rooms. Insider tip: If your reservations are for a Frontier or Pioneer cabin, ask for one that overlooks Transept Canyon. The lodge may be able to accommodate you, and there's no extra charge for the view.
A few motel rooms are also available, but their atmosphere doesn't compare to that of the cabins.
OUTSIDE THE PARK
NEAR THE NORTH ENTRANCE
Jacob Lake Inn
Junction of Hwy. 67 and 89A, Jacob Lake, AZ 86022. ☎ 928/643-7232. Fax 928/643-7235. www.jacoblake.com. 12 motel units, 27 cabins, all with shower only. May 14–Nov $72–$90 double; Dec–May 13 $52 double. AE, MC, V. Pets accepted; $10 fee.
In 1922, Harold and Nina Bowman bought a barrel of gas and opened a gas "stand" near the present-day site of the Jacob Lake Inn. Seven years later they built the inn at the junction of highways 67 and 89A (44 miles from the North Rim). Today Jacob Lake Inn is the main hub of activity between the North Rim and Kanab, Utah, and encompasses a bakery, soda fountain, gift shop, restaurant, and gas station.
Lodgers can choose between motel units and cabins. The rooms in the front building are not nearly as peaceful as the rooms and cabins behind the lodge. Built in 1958, the motel rooms in back are solid and clean, but most people prefer the rustic cabins. The cabin floors creak, the guest rooms (from one to four per cabin) are cramped, and most smell like soggy pine needles. In other words, they're exactly how cabins should be.
Kaibab Lodge
HC 64, Box 30 (26 miles south of Jacob Lake on Hwy. 67), Fredonia, AZ 86022. ☎ 928/ 638-2389 May 15–Nov 1; 800/525-0924 or 928/526-0924 rest of year. Fax 928/638-9864. www.kaibablodge.com. 29 units. $85–$103 double. DISC, MC, V.
Five miles north of the North Rim park entrance, the main lodge here feels as warm and comfortable as a beloved summer camp. It has an open-framed ceiling and enormous pine beams that date from its construction in the 1920s. Perhaps because the guest rooms don't have phones and all but two lack televisions, guests tend to congregate in the Adirondack-style chairs in front of the 5-foot-wide fireplace, in the small television room, or at the tables across from the counter that doubles as front desk and beer bar.
Each cabinlike building houses 2 to 4 of the 24 guest rooms, which sleep two to five. The rooms are spare but clean, with paneling of rough-hewn pine. Because the walls of the older units are very thin, it's best to share a cabin with friends. The rooms open onto the broad expanse of DeMotte Park, one of the large, naturally occurring meadows on the Kaibab Plateau. The restaurant serves inconsistent food.
NORTHEAST OF THE PARK
The Marble Canyon area, at the northeast tip of the park (closer to the north entrance than to the east entrance), is a great place to stop if you're driving from rim to rim. In addition to Lees Ferry Lodge, you can find pleasant accommodations in the Marble Canyon area at Cliff Dwellers Lodge (☎ 800/433-2543), 9 miles west of Navajo Bridge on North Hwy. 89A (HC 67-30), Marble Canyon, AZ 86036. Another reliable option is Marble Canyon Lodge (☎ 800/726-1789 or 928/355-2225), a quarter-mile west of Navajo Bridge on Highway