A short tour that takes Grand Canyon visitors through some of the North Rim’s highlights and most spectacular natural sports, the Papillon North Canyon Tour presents a whole new perspective that is the highlight of many Grand Canyon trips. The perfect appendage to larger hiking expeditions, this trip offers fantastic photo ops of some of the most legendary areas of the Canyon.
Papillon North Canyon Tour Details
Leaving from the Grand Canyon Airport in nearby Tusayan, AZ by the South Rim, visitors board a tourist helicopter bound for the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and some of its most exciting natural features. Flying in one complete loop, the flight path of this tour ensures that all riders get an equal view of all sights on the tour and an opportunity to take once-in-a-lifetime photographs. The helicopter tour first flies over the Kaibab National Forest on the boarder of the North Rim before continuing into the belly of the central Canyon itself. This vast area of the Grand Canyon has a diverse geography allowing travelers a wealth of unique views and photo ops. Among the major highlights of this portion of the tour are the Tower of Ra and Vishnu Schis, massive Proterozoic crystalline rock formations, as well as the Dragon Corridor, an 11-mile wide, 1-mile deep passageway directly through the canyon. Travelers return to Grand Canyon Airport at the end of their approximately 30-minute trip.
North Canyon Tour Highlights: Kaibab National Forest
Measuring in at an impressive 1.6 million acres, the Kaibab National Forrest spans both the North and South Rims of the Grand Canyon in Northern Arizona. The sheer variety of the Forest’s geography is stunning and includes canyons, plateaus, peaks, and prairies. Officially divided into three sections, the Papillon North Canyon Tour tour takes travelers over the Northern Kaibab and an area called the Kaibab Plateau. The latter is an island of sorts surrounded by lowlands which reaches a maximum height of 9,215 feet above sea level. A host of wildlife calls the Kaibab Forest home, most notably white tail deer, elk, and antelope as well as predators such as coyote, mountain lion, and black bear.
Is Papillon’s North Canyon Tour for You?
The short time span of the Papillon North Canyon Tour makes it a really wonderful addition to a Grand Canyon vacation. It adds a special element of wonder and allows travelers to literally see the Canyon from a whole new perspective; for that reason, this may be a great companion to a longer hiking tour since the contrasting photos are sure to “wow” friends and family back at home. This tour also provides a great “mini” Canyon visit for those with little time in Northern Arizona or those who are just passing through. Really highlighting the geographical wonder of this area, taking the North Canyon Tour is sure to leave visitors with a true picture of just how spectacular this area is.
