Are you a hardy RVer? Catch Grand Canyon's North Rim now -- it's spectacular!

National Park Service on flickr.com

We have memories from our first visit to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon: Outstanding views. Intense quiet. Frozen plumbing. The fact that we landed at the park in October may have added somewhat to all of these features. The North Rim gets far less in the way of visitors than the South Rim at any time, but when the cold starts setting it, well, as RVers, we practically had the place to ourselves.

If you come prepared, right now might just be the ideal time to visit the North Rim. Before the snow falls to the point that Highway 67 leading into the park from Jacob Lake is closed, the park, although on a skeleton-crew basis, is still open for company. As we write this, it's a balmy 68 degrees, and the 10 day forecast shows only two days where the nighttime temps will hit the freeze point – and only that – 32 degrees.

So how can you prepare for your adventure? Bring warm clothes, bring your camera, and make sure your RV furnace is operational. Yes, we love our RV's independent "blue flame heater," but while that keeps the inside of the coach toasty warm, it doesn't do a thing to keep the drain lines and holding tanks from icing up. Many newer model RVs have furnaces that duct a little heat down into the netherworld of pipes and tanks, ensuring your plumbing won't freeze.

Back in 1996, our research RV was an ancient truck camper, and while the furnace did keep the chill off the interior, one half of our research team recalls with fondness gaping at the water in the bottom of the shower stall as it crept up and up – the p-trap below the shower pan simply froze solid. It wasn't until we got to warmer country that showers would be possible for us. We also recall "freeze drying" laundry on a line strung out behind the rig. Getting smacked with a solid t-shirt is a real wake-up call.

But despite the inconveniences we encountered, the park was ours. We could motor from viewpoint to viewpoint and never have any issue of finding a place to park. And it was so quiet! And the lighting – there's much to be said for fall lighting to really enhance your landscape (canyonscape?) photography. Bring a tripod and a pair of gloves, too. If it gets really cold, keep your camera inside your coat and bring it out to shoot – it'll keep the batteries warm.

Don't expect a lot of amenities in the off-season. Already the mule rides, the Lodge, and Visitor Center have shuttered for the winter. On the other hand, come after October 31 and you won't have to pay entrance fees Until the end of October you can still camp in the North Rim Campground, and "walk in reservations" are the rule of the day. Come November 1, the park changes into a "day use" park for RVers. Jacob Lake Campground, 40 miles to the north, is already closed. But if you've got a hankering, you'll find plenty of camping available at the Lee's Ferry Campground, near Marble Canyon. It's a bit of a drive, but a day trip to the North Rim will make for phenomenal memories