Rainbow Rim Trail
- 21.7 mi
- round trip
- 3,660 ft
- climb
- Singletrack
- surface
- Out and back
- route
- May–Oct
- best months
Caution at last check
Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 16 h ago
Is Rainbow Rim Trail open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Kaibab National Forest. It doesn't name Rainbow Rim Trail, so check the source for the area it covers (4 listed).
Heavy storm damages received - use extreme caution
Agency closure covering Kaibab National Forest · USFS · Kaibab National Forest
Christmas tree permits available online beginning October 8
Agency closure covering Kaibab National Forest · USFS · Kaibab National Forest
Forest Road 354 on Kaibab & Prescott NF Temporarily Closed for Repairs
Agency closure covering Kaibab National Forest · Order 03-07-26-02 · USFS · Kaibab National Forest
Effective April 17, 2026 - UPDATED - White Sage & Dragon Bravo Fires Temporary Area Closure
Agency closure covering North Kaibab Ranger District · Order 03-07-03-26-03 · USFS · North Kaibab Ranger District
As of · Source: USFS · Kaibab National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
The Rainbow Rim Trail is a 21.7-mile out-and-back mountain biking route in Arizona's Kaibab National Forest, within the North Kaibab Ranger District. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail gains about 1,700 feet of elevation on the way out, with the high point at 7,950 feet and the low at 7,498 feet. The climb is steady, and the route reaches its steepest stretch at about 15.2 miles, where the grade is roughly 11%. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to ride. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run from highs around 62°F and lows around 36°F in May to highs near 67°F and lows around 42°F in September. July is the warmest month, with highs near 77°F and more wet days than the rest of the year. Several trails lie within a few miles. The Rainbow Rim hike and the NF-945 mountain biking route are about 4 miles away. The North Bass Trail and the Powell Plateau Trail are close by as well.
Rainbow RimHikingPhoto: Kaibab National Forest, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)4 mi- NF-945Mountain biking4 mi
North Bass TrailHikingPhoto: Gonzo fan2007, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)4.2 mi- Powell Plateau TrailHiking4.5 mi
- Upper Lookout Canyon Trail #120Hiking6.8 mi
- Lower Lookout Canyon Trail #122Hiking7.2 mi
- Middle Lookout Canyon Trail #121Hiking7.5 mi
- Bill Hall TrailHiking7.6 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Best time to visit Rainbow Rim Trail
Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
36° / 18°
7 wet
Feb
37° / 19°
7 wet
Mar
44° / 23°
6 wet
Apr
52° / 28°
4 wet
May
62° / 36°
4 wet
Jun
73° / 43°
3 wet
Jul
77° / 49°
8 wet
Aug
74° / 48°
11 wet
Sep
67° / 42°
7 wet
Oct
56° / 33°
5 wet
Nov
45° / 24°
5 wet
Dec
36° / 17°
6 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Bright Angel Rs, AZ, 18.1 mi away at 8,000 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
