Cape Final Trail
A quiet forest walk to one of the North Rim's widest canyon views
About
Cape Final Trail is a 4.2-mile round-trip walk on the North Rim's Walhalla Plateau, rated easy to moderate with about 465 feet of elevation change over the full out-and-back. It starts from a small dirt parking area on Cape Royal Road, 2.4 miles north of the Cape Royal parking lot, and follows a rocky, mostly flat old road grade through ponderosa pine and spruce-fir forest. The trees close in for the first half, then start to open up around the midpoint as the canyon comes into view.
What to expect
- Forested walking for roughly the first half, then canyon views build toward the end
- Ends at Cape Final, a wide, largely unobstructed viewpoint over the eastern canyon with no shade
- No water anywhere along the trail or at the trailhead — carry everything you'll need
- A few primitive campsites sit near the viewpoint; camping there requires a permit from the North Rim Backcountry Information Center
Cape Royal Road is seasonal and narrow, closed to RVs and trailer combinations over 22 feet.
Best Time to Hike
About 465 feet of elevation change over the full out-and-back makes this manageable most of the season the North Rim is open, though the shadeless final overlook is more comfortable outside peak midday heat.
Trail Tips
- No water anywhere along the trail or at the trailhead — carry everything you'll need.
- A few primitive campsites sit near the viewpoint; camping there requires a permit from the North Rim Backcountry Information Center.
- The old road-grade tread underfoot is rocky in places — trail runners are fine, but watch your footing.
Getting to Cape Final Trailhead
The trail starts from a small dirt parking area on Cape Royal Road, 2.4 miles north of the Cape Royal parking lot. Cape Royal Road is narrow and seasonal, closed to RVs and trailer combinations over 22 feet.
What to Expect on Cape Final Trail
Cape Final Trail follows a rocky, mostly flat old road grade through ponderosa pine and spruce-fir forest on the North Rim's Walhalla Plateau. The trees close in for the first half of the 4.2-mile round trip, then start to open up around the midpoint as the canyon comes into view, ending at a wide, largely unobstructed viewpoint over the eastern canyon with no shade.
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