<p class="ingestion featured-caption">The author enjoys the view from Rainbow Rim Trail.Joey Hadden/Business Insider</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>The Grand Canyon's North Rim offers a peaceful alternative to the crowded South Rim.</li><li>The South Rim has around 4 million visitors annually while the North Rim sees less than 1 million.</li></ul><p>I never feel smaller than when I'm sitting on the edge of the <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-its-like-visiting-grand-canyon-low-season-worth-it-february">Grand Canyon</a>, a <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/landmarks-seen-from-space-photos">natural world wonder visible from outer space</a>.</p><p>I've been to the national park three times — and I know I'll travel back again and again throughout my life.</p><p>With expansive views of eroded rocks that formed over millions of years, it's easy to see why the Grand Canyon is one of the <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/10-most-visited-us-national-parks-ranked-2024-7">most visited national parks in the US</a> and has been <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/north-america-overtourism-travel-decade-2020-1">overcrowded</a> in recent years.</p><p>In the summer, I've seen people pack themselves onto the edges of the canyon, obstructing views of one of the most beautiful places in the country — but only on the South Rim.</p><p>But in my experience, the other side of the canyon known as the North Rim is the park's best-kept secret. While the South Rim has roughly 4 million annual visitors, the North Rim has less than 1 million, according to <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.grandcanyon.net/south-rim-or-north-rim">Southwest Media Communications</a>.</p><p>I visited the South Rim once in 2022 and the North Rim twice — most recently in 2019.</p><p>While the South Rim was packed with cars and crowds when I went, I've only had a peaceful, remote experience on the North Rim that took me out of the stress of my busy lifestyle. It's a <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/road-trip-destinations-families-hidden-gems-usa-2024-8">hidden gem</a> in the otherwise crowded national park.</p>