One Best Hike: Grand Canyon. Elizabeth Wenk
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Lodging and Camping Options
Restaurants
4 HIKING THE GRAND CANYON
Suggested Schedules
Dayhiking
Backpacking
South Kaibab Trail
Section 1: Canyon Rim to Ooh Aah Point
Section 2: Ooh Aah Point to Cedar Ridge
Section 3: Cedar Ridge to Skeleton Point
Section 4: Skeleton Point to The Tipoff
Section 5: The Tipoff to Panorama Point
Section 6: Panorama Point to Kaibab Suspension Bridge
Section 7: Kaibab Suspension Bridge to Bright Angel Campground
Bright Angel Trail
Section 1: Bright Angel Campground to Mouth of Pipe Creek
Section 2: Mouth of Pipe Creek to Where You Leave Pipe Creek
Section 3: Pipe Creek to Indian Garden
Section 4: Indian Garden to 3-Mile Resthouse
Section 5: 3-Mile Resthouse to 1.5-Mile Resthouse
Section 6: 1.5-Mile Resthouse to Canyon Rim
Side Trips from Bright Angel and Indian Garden Campgrounds
Phantom Overlook
Ribbon Falls
The Box
Plateau Point
5 AFTER THE HIKE
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RECOMMENDED READING
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Opposite and above: Enjoying the view from Plateau Point
1
Introduction
“Stand at some point on the brink of the Grand Canyon where you can overlook the river, and the details of the structure, the vast labyrinth of gorges of which it is composed, are scarcely noticed; the elements are lost in the grand effect, and a broad, deep, flaring gorge of many colors is seen. But stand down among these gorges and the landscape seems to be composed of huge vertical elements of wonderful form.”
—John Wesley Powell,
Explorations of the Colorado River and Its Canyons
The Grand Canyon is one of the most recognizable natural features in the world: It earns a spot as one of the seven natural wonders of the world and is the best-known national park in North America. Five million people visit the Grand Canyon each year to enjoy the incomprehensibly grand views from the rim. However, as John Wesley Powell candidly wrote in 1875, you haven’t really visited the Grand Canyon until you descend below the rim.
Each time I visit the Grand Canyon and stop at my first rim vista point, I anticipate the indescribably grand view, sit down, and stare in disbelief at the landscape. Can this place really exist? But the view satisfies me for only a short period of time; the rim views have an aerial feel and I want to be on the ground exploring. As I stare at the canyon, my mind begins to travel downward, tracing side canyons, following plateaus, and peering toward the river.
Before long my legs begin to twitch—at least figuratively—wishing to explore the intricacies of the landscape. In a mountainous wilderness, many people are motivated to hike to a summit to enjoy an otherwise unattainable vista. There are equally hidden vistas buried deep in the canyon: the walls of the Inner Gorge, the views of the inner canyon buttes once you are among them, mesas that merge with the landscape until you are below the rim, and of course the raging river. The landscape feels much more complex once you are in it, rather than looking down on it.
Therefore, don’t allow yourself the complacency of sitting on the rim, enjoying the splendid panoramas and believing that you have “seen” the Grand Canyon. If you have ever stared at a view of the Grand Canyon—even if only a picture of the view—consider challenging yourself to descend to the bottom of the canyon. The two well-maintained trails, termed corridor trails, descending from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, the Bright Angel Trail and the South Kaibab Trail allow tens of thousands of hikers to “see” the inner canyon and reach the Colorado River each year.
A Location Hike
Hiking is more than exercise—it is a time to be outdoors and therefore to absorb your surroundings. I am always a little disappointed to pass people so intent on reaching a destination or staring so closely at the bottoms of their hiking poles that they don’t notice the flowers, the rocks, the birds, or the general landscape.
Hikes can be thought of as somewhere on a continuum from “destination hikes” to “location hikes.” On a destination hike the sights along the way are overshadowed by those at the end point—many a summit hike or walk through forest to a spectacular lake fits into this category—and hikers are mostly forgiven for just trekking to the end. On a location hike, there is something new and spectacular to see every few steps down the trail, yet no single location that is universally judged “most beautiful.” Hikes in the Grand Canyon are the ultimate location hikes, so plan an itinerary that gives you down time—be that many extra five-minute breaks to see what you pass or an extra day to give you more time to wander around.
WHY YOU SHOULD BUY—AND CARRY—THIS BOOK
If you have ever searched for books on the Grand Canyon you were likely overwhelmed by the large number of generally excellent books written on its trails, natural history, human history, accidents, and more, leaving you wondering whether there’s space for yet another title. If you wish to read individual books that delve into the region’s botany, geology, prehistory, pioneer history, tourist attractions, on-trail hiking, or off-trail exploration, then the bibliography suggests a healthy foundation for a Grand Canyon library. However, if you plan to visit the Grand Canyon infrequently (until its spirit captures you and you decide to return often), this book provides you an introduction to most of these topics, all focused on the two corridor trails descending from the South Rim: the Bright Angel and South Kaibab trails.
The primary goal of this book is to help you plan: how to get permits, what gear you should carry, how fast you should walk, what dangers you should avoid, and so on. However, it is also slim enough to tuck into your backpack for your journey to the river. Trail descriptions and maps aid you on your endeavor. In addition, ample human history and natural history sections inform you about topics from trail construction to commonly observed birds and plants. As you proceed first down to the Colorado River and then back up to the rim, you will take water, food, and rest breaks. As you sit in the shade on a hot summer day or enjoy a bit of midwinter warmth, pull out this book and learn about your surroundings.
WHY YOU SHOULD NOT DAYHIKE
Grand Canyon National Park has a clear policy of telling people not to attempt to hike to the river and back in a day, and as a result, this book focuses on the information needed to complete an overnight trip to the Colorado River. When I first learned of the park’s policy, it seemed quite extreme. I had not found the dayhike particularly taxing, and I have, on my trips to the canyon, met a lot of other hikers completing the hike in a single day without difficulty—granted these trips were in spring, fall, and winter, not midsummer. It seemed that a better approach would have been to emphasize attempting such a committing walk only during cooler months and emphasizing the need to start very early, be “slow and steady,” and take sufficient breaks, especially during the heat of the day. Maybe they should instead instruct