Cape Final Trail

There are plenty of trails on the Grand Canyon's North Rim that have great views, but there may not be a hike more pleasant and more rewarding than the Cape Final Trail. As part of a full day's exploration of the Cape Royal Road with all of its wonderful overlooks, the Cape Final Trail would be the highlight. The combination of a pleasant forest trail and killer views is hard to beat.

From the parking area the trail climbs gently through open ponderosa pine forest with little signs of the fires that have struck much of the North Rim area. There is a little climbing and descent as the trail traverses the branch of the rim that comprises Cape Final, and you'll see a few tantalizing views on the left as the end of the trail approaches the point. With a short rock scramble up to the end of the point, the entire 180-degree vista of the canyon comes into view. There are lots of rocks to climb with varying degrees of vertigo potential, and the photo opportunities are endless. For the fortunate, there is one designated backcountry campsite right at the edge of the rim--not for sleepwalkers!

Recommended Gear

Before you head out on your next Grand Canyon National Park adventure, make sure you have the right gear! 

Here's a list of our go-to hiking essentials to get you started:

Backpack: Osprey AG Pack

Men's Manta 28L and Women's Mira 26L • $123.99 • Hip Belt, Adjustable Torso, Compression Straps, Raincover + Hydraulics LT 2.5L Water Reservoir Included

Hiking Shoes: Salomon X Ultra 3 Mid GTX Shoe 

Men's and Women's • $165.00 • Cushioned, GORE-TEX, High Traction Contagrip, 15.8 oz

Shirt: Mountain Hardwear Canyon Pro Long Sleeve Shirt 

Men's and Women's • $95.00 • Sun Protective, Moisture Wicking, Quick Drying, Roll-up Sleeves

GPS Watch: Garmin Forerunner 35 GPS Watch

$169.99 • Waterproof, Calorie Burn Tracker, GPS, Sleep Tracker, Shock Resistant, Speed Tracker, Lap Timer

Trekking Poles: MSR DynaLock Explore Poles 

$99.95 • Aluminum, Adjustable with DynaLock Levers, Four-season Functionality, 20 oz.

Socks: Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew Cushion Sock 

Men's and Women's • $21.95 • Made in USA, Anti-bacterial, Merino Wool, Breathable, Fast-drying

Headlamp: Black Diamond Storm Headlamp 

$49.95 • LED, Waterproof, Maximum Beam Distance: 80 m, Takes AAA Batteries

First Aid Kit: Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight and Watertight .5 Kit

$19.00 • Ultralight, Watertight, Group Size: 1 person, Trip Duration: 1-2 days