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Francois Matthes Trail
A little-used North Rim plateau walk to quiet canyon views
About
The Francois Matthes Trail is a quiet North Rim route that gets a fraction of the traffic of the park's marquee corridor trails. It starts at a junction with the Walhalla Glades Trail and follows an old logging road southwest across the Walhalla Plateau, descending steadily toward Francois Matthes Point through scattered pine and an old wildfire area. It reads more like a rolling plateau walk than a canyon descent, with no water source along the way.
What you'll see
- Zoroaster Temple, Wotans Throne, the Cheyava Falls area, and the Clear Creek drainage, though brush partly screens some of these from the trail
- Pine, manzanita, and aspen along a route that crosses old wildfire-affected ground and open meadows
The trail is named for François Matthes, the USGS surveyor whose early mapping of the canyon helped open this section of the North Rim to later trail-building. Because it sees so little use, expect a faint tread in places and largely undisturbed quiet — a different experience from the crowds at nearby Cape Royal and Point Imperial.
Best Time to Hike It
Like the rest of the North Rim, this route is only accessible during the park's seasonal operating window — confirm current access before planning around it.
Trail Tips
- Views include Zoroaster Temple, Wotans Throne, the Cheyava Falls area, and the Clear Creek drainage, though brush partly screens some of these from the trail.
- The trail is named for François Matthes, the USGS surveyor whose early mapping of the canyon helped open this section of the North Rim to later trail-building.
- Because it sees so little use, expect a faint tread in places — a different experience from the crowds at nearby Cape Royal and Point Imperial.
Getting to Francois Matthes Trail
Start at the junction with the Walhalla Glades Trail on the Walhalla Plateau and follow the old logging road southwest toward Francois Matthes Point.
What to Expect on Francois Matthes Trail
The Francois Matthes Trail is a quiet North Rim route that gets a fraction of the traffic of the park's marquee corridor trails. It starts at a junction with the Walhalla Glades Trail and follows an old logging road southwest across the Walhalla Plateau, descending steadily toward Francois Matthes Point through scattered pine and an old wildfire area. It reads more like a rolling plateau walk than a canyon descent, with no water source along the way.
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