Upper Ribbon Falls

If you're passing

Is it plungeworthy?

—feet tall

A 2-tier tiered on Ribbon Creek.

Scale12/60

Documentation15/20

Character20/20

The details

Tiers: 2 drops
Type: Tiered
Watercourse: Ribbon Creek
Coordinates: 36.16554, -112.06038

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About Upper Ribbon Falls

Upper Ribbon Falls is a tiered in Arizona, on Ribbon Creek. The water falls in 2 distinct tiers.

Fed largely by snowmelt, it runs hardest in late spring and early summer and can thin to a trickle by late season.

Plungeworthy rates Upper Ribbon Falls 4.7/10 — if you're passing. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

A mossy travertine cone catching a 100-foot ribbon in the Grand Canyon's inner gorge — the sacred Zuni emergence-place and the North Kaibab's great oasis. You can walk behind the veil onto the green altar of the cone.

Getting there

Trailhead: North Kaibab Trail (from the North Rim) or via Phantom Ranch from the South
Parking: North Kaibab Trailhead lot (or rim shuttles)
Road: Paved to either rim
Hike: 16.5 mi round trip, 4,500 ft of climb (hard)
Heads up: Mind the calendar: the North Kaibab closes above Cottonwood from Oct 15, 2026 into early 2027 for waterline construction — during that window Ribbon is reachable only from the South Rim/Phantom side.

When to go

Spring and fall; the inner gorge is a furnace in summer. Overnights need a backcountry permit; day hikes from the rim are massive.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: Park entrance $35/vehicle; backcountry permit for overnights
Dogs: Not below the rim
Camping: Cottonwood Campground (water off during construction — treat creek water)
Warnings: The travertine cone is fragile and sacred — barefoot reverence, not bootprints.

Researched from NPS — North Kaibab access changes Oct 2026. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Upper Ribbon Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Before you go

The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.