The Grand Canyon Part I: Pipe Spring and Jacob Lake

It’s the third weekend in August, 2009, just one week after our son’s second birthday.  My husband and I finished loading up our truck as my parents and 85-year old grandmother pulled into the driveway behind us, their car also packed for a weekend at the Arizona Grand Canyon.  My sister and her husband would be going as well but would meet us later that evening after work.  We strapped our son into his car seat and prepared for the two and half hour drive to the North Rim.  Compared with some of the other road trips we’d taken, this would be a piece of cake!  Despite my confidence however, I still made sure to stow a collection of Disney DVD’s and our portable DVD player under the seat just in case.  After all our traveling I’d learned there was one hard and fast rule: you’ll be absolutely sure to need the very thing you didn’t pack.  This rule has prompted me on more than one occasion to drag along just about everything but the bathmat, something that continues to be a topic of debate between my husband and myself to this day.  Huh, you’d think after all this time he’d be used to it.

Winsor Castle at Pipe Spring. Photo courtesy of nps.gov

Anyway, we’d decided to stop at Pipe Spring National Monument on the way to our motel in Jacob Lake (the tiny town in Arizona about 44 miles from the North Rim).  If you ever happen to be making the drive to the Grand Canyon by way of Southern Utah I’d recommend making a stop here.  The Visitor Center and Museum located at the monument is run by the National Park Service and the Kaibab Paiute.  Just beyond that and up a short trail is Winsor Castle, a fort built by Mormon Pioneers in the 1870’s.  We arrived just in time for a tour but as it was so hot I only managed to persuade my husband (okay, I forced him), to come with me while the others waited in the

My son and I in front of his favorite part of Pipe Spring: the covered wagon!

air conditioned Visitor Center.  While the tour was interesting for the adults, our son had far more fun running around and exploring all the pioneer and Paiute displays on the grounds; a big covered wagon quickly became his favorite.  There were also a number of ranger talks being held on various topics of pioneer and Paiute life during the late 1800’s but since we were on a bit of a schedule we weren’t able to attend any of them.  I did see several that looked perfect for children though.  The Pipe Spring National Monument page of the National Park Service website (nps.gov/pisp) has a complete list of all the ranger demonstrations and their times as well as more information about the monument and its history.

After an hour at Pipe Spring we were once again loaded up and on our way to the North Rim.  The drive along US 89A was absolutely beautiful…even though my husband and I were suffering through a second round of a sing-along CD with Mickey and Friends.  When we pulled into the parking lot of Jacob Lake Inn just over an hour later we found we were still a little early to check in so we headed across the street to a picnic area for a late lunch.  Jacob Lake is located in the Kaibab National Forest and the backdrop for our little picnic was perfect; our son loved running around in all the trees!  He also loved playing at the playground that sits in the middle of the Jacob Lake Inn; my husband and I took him there to play while the rest of my family checked in.

My husband and son at the picnic grounds in Jacob Lake

While the Inn does have regular hotel rooms available that include a television, internet, and a phone, my family had decided to stay in three of the cabins that are also available on the property.  These are certainly more ‘rustic’ as they have no T.V., internet, or phones but they do have large decks where we all gathered after dinner to watch the stars come out.  The inside of the cabins are small and the tiny size of the bathrooms remain a standing joke in my family to this day but really they’re not bad.

My little family and my Grandma in front of the family cabin at the Jacob Lake Inn.

My husband, son, and I shared what’s called a ‘Family Cabin’ with my Grandma.  This has two separate rooms joined together by a common bathroom.  My Grandma stayed in the small room which was basically just big enough for the queen bed and a nightstand, while my little family stayed in the bigger room.  This consisted of two queen beds set at opposite ends of the room, a sink, a clothes rack, and a desk.  Each room had its own private entrance which was nice.

My parents and my sister and her husband both stayed in their own single cabins which contained a queen size bed (cabins with king beds are also available), a nightstand, and a bathroom.

My parents and my sister and brother-in-law in front of the single cabins at the Jacob Lake Inn.

While we brought our own picnic lunch, we ate dinner and breakfast at the small Jacob Lake Inn restaurant.  Their dining room hours do vary depending on the time of year so make sure to check their times or you might end up going hungry!  Although I can’t say it’s the best food I’ve ever eaten it’s not bad considering that most of the restaurant staff is made up of college students who come to work during the summer.  And of course the fact that it’s the only place to eat for miles and miles makes it all taste better somehow!

Although we enjoyed our stay here I have to offer a word of warning: Jacob Lake is pretty much made up of the Inn, a campground and a US Forest Service Visitor Center.  The only restaurant, gas station, and gift shop is located at the Jacob Lake Inn.  It’s about a 45-minute drive to the North Rim where provisions and food are still extremely limited or an almost equally long drive back to Fredonia where the options aren’t much better.  If you’re bringing in your own supplies (especially for camping) you’ll want to make sure you stock up either before you leave or at one of the major cities along the way.

The beautiful scenery and quiet location of Jacob Lake provided the perfect start for our Grand Canyon weekend!  For more information on Jacob Lake and the Jacob Lake Inn, visit their website at jacoblake.com.  Be sure to read about the rest of our trip in The Grand Canyon Part II: The North Rim!

About the Author: Kelsey lives in Southern Utah with her husband, their 3-year old son, and their newborn daughter. They enjoy the adventure of exploring new places together and love building memories through family travel.