When one thinks about the Grand Canyon, the heavily visited North or South Rims are what typically come to mind. But there’s another location less frequented that has similarly spectacular views: Tuweep Overlook. (Also known as the Toroweap Overlook by some.)

The Tuweep Wilderness is one of the most remote areas in the United States. It’s located in the Arizona Strip, an isolated region of northwestern Arizona along the North Rim of the western Grand Canyon.

The turn-off to the Tuweep Overlook is found between Colorado City and Fredonia, Ariz., along Hwy 389. (Pipe Spring National Monument is nearby.) Once you leave pavement, it’s a 70-mile ride south over an unpaved, sandy, muddy and bone-jarring road across the Great Basin Desert. The last four miles are filled with technical riding delight, even on a fully loaded GS.

Once you arrive at the Ranger Station, you must check in. During my visit, I had the pleasure to meet Stuart, the volunteer ranger working this section of the park. Stuart has been working here for more than 20 years and is a wealth of knowledge about the history and geology of the area. Tuweep Overlook is open from sunrise to sunset, with the gates closing a half hour after sunset. While there are some camping sites available, a Backcounty Permit must be obtained online prior to your visit as permits aren’t available at the ranger station.

Tuweep Overlook sits 3,000 feet above the Colorado River with the sheer drop to the river below offering a stunning view. Volcanic cinder cones and lava flows in this ancestral home of the Southern Paiute people make this area unique to this section of the Grand Canyon. Eight million years ago, molten lava erupted from hundreds of vents. Lava filled side canyons, flowed down the Grand Canyon and created huge dams across the Colorado River. Below the Overlook, on the Colorado, are the Class 10 rapids named Lava Falls. Ranked 4/10 of the world’s most notorious whitewater rapids, the thunderous roar of Lava Falls can be faintly heard from the Overlook.

Video not shot by author - just found on YouTube!

A visit to Tuweep Overlook offers the opportunity for an uncrowded, rustic and remote experience though access is challenging and demands skill at negotiating difficult roadways. Additional challenges include hot weather, monsoonal rains, summer lightning and during the winter, rain, snow and freezing temperatures. Whenever you go, be ready for quickly changing conditions. Services are non-existent—no water, gas, food, lodging or cell service. At all.

Tuweep Overlook was on my North America riding bucket list for some time, and I believe it’s well worth the effort to get there. If you plan on visiting, do your research and plan accordingly. You won’t be disappointed!