Siegfried Pyre
A fire-named summit on the North Rim skyline
About
Siegfried Pyre is a 7,922-foot summit on the eastern North Rim, rising off the east face of the Walhalla Plateau near Atoko Point and Naji Point. You don't hike to it; you see it from the rim, a block of pale Coconino sandstone set against a red ridge that runs toward Cochise Butte, with the sedimentary layering of the inner canyon stacked below it from Permian rock down through the older Redwall and Supai formations.
The name
Like many Grand Canyon formations, this one was named by 19th-century geologist Clarence Dutton, who drew on mythology for peaks and temples across the canyon. Siegfried is the hero of the Germanic Nibelungenlied and of Wagner's Ring Cycle, and the "Pyre" refers to the funeral pyre where he meets his end in the opera - a fitting name for a summit that catches fire-colored light at sunrise and sunset.
- Viewed from North Rim overlooks near Atoko Point, not reached by trail
- Sits at the headwaters of Kwagunt, Lava, and Chuar creeks, which drain to the Colorado River
Best Time to View It
Sunrise and sunset bring out the fire-colored light this summit is known for, best seen during current North Rim seasonal access hours.
Good to Know
- Like many Grand Canyon formations, this one was named by 19th-century geologist Clarence Dutton, who drew on mythology for peaks and temples across the canyon.
- Siegfried is the hero of the Germanic Nibelungenlied and of Wagner's Ring Cycle, and the "Pyre" refers to the funeral pyre where he meets his end in the opera — a fitting name for a summit that catches fire-colored light at sunrise and sunset.
- Look for it alongside Atoko and Naji Points on the same stretch of North Rim.
Where to See Siegfried Pyre
Viewed from North Rim overlooks near Atoko Point, not reached by trail. It sits at the headwaters of Kwagunt, Lava, and Chuar creeks, which drain to the Colorado River.
What You're Looking At: Siegfried Pyre
Siegfried Pyre is a 7,922-foot summit on the eastern North Rim, rising off the east face of the Walhalla Plateau near Atoko Point and Naji Point. You don't hike to it; you see it from the rim, a block of pale Coconino sandstone set against a red ridge that runs toward Cochise Butte, with the sedimentary layering of the inner canyon stacked below it.
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