Rim to Rim to Rim of the Grand Canyon, Arizona Includes recommended day hikes from either rim
TThe full Rim to Rim to Rim trip is a world usually open from mid May until mid Octo - class 44 mi/71km round trip hike with total ber. A brief description of some of these elevation loss and gain each of ~10,000 feet hikes can be found on page 11. (3000 m). It should be undertaken only by those individuals in excellent physical shape Best Time to Visit who regularly hike and whose knees are their own. DO NOT ATTEMPT IN THE SUM - Plan to visit the last two weeks of May and MER MONTHS OF JUNE, JULY or AU - mid September until about the third week GUST since temperatures in the lower canyon can be upwards of 100°F (37°C) for of October. Both rims can see the snow fly - sustained periods. e North Rim is closed ing by mid October. Temperature variations from approximately mid October to mid from top to bottom of the rim can average May. 20°F (11°C).
ere are a range of hikes for all abilities at the Ideal Length of Time Grand Canyon, some of which can be done from the South Rim on a year round basis ree to four days (2 hiking days and one to providing snow and ice at the top is minimal. two days on the South Rim for R&R). Plan North Rim hikes can only be done when the to start by 6am (it may still be darkish) with a access road to the North Rim is open. e finish time at between 4pm and 7pm. Keep road opening varies from year to year but it is the breaks to a minimum!
1 2 Suggested Itinerary for Day 4: Start hiking at 6am from the Yaki PACKING LIST Rim to Rim to Rim Trip Point Trailhead. With luck arrive at your car by 6pm on the North Rim. • large day pack with enough room to (Starting at the North Rim) hold what is listed below Plan your trip and book accommodation up Either spend another night at the to a year in advance, as rooms fill quickly. Grand Canyon Lodge or start driv - • food for 9-13 hours of sustained hik - ing back to your gateway city. at ing,(bars, salty foods like pretzels, Day 1: Arrive in your preferred gateway city might be a poor choice if you are jerky, fruit, sandwiches) of Las Vegas or Phoenix to allow very tired; it will be several hours be - • two or three 32 ounce (1 L) water bot - enough time to drive to the North fore you might find suitable accom - tles plus a water filter or water drops Rim Lodge for dinner. It will proba - modation. bly take about 6 hours to drive to the • first aid kit especially blister aids lodge from Las Vegas. is trip needs physical preparation too! Reg - ular ascents and descents of 3000 feet/1000m • scandals, hiking boots or shoes that and more will ensure that you enjoy the expe - are well broken in Day 2: Begin hiking by 6 am and arrive on the South Rim by 6pm. Check in at rience and the scenery. It will be an extremely • change of clothes- for your South or the El Tovar Hotel for any one of the long day (no matter what, it is a long day) and North Rim stay hotels you might have reserved on if you aren’t in shape there will be the very real the South Rim. possibility that you can’t get back to your start • lightweight waterproof jacket point because you can barely walk. (ere is a • wicking clothes that can be layered Day 3: Enjoy breakfast with an awesome once a day van shuttle that leaves the South eg. capilene t-shirt and turtleneck view at the El Tovar Hotel. Explore Rim in the aernoon and 4 ½ hours later ar - the South Rim shops and sights. rives at the North Rim) With breaks and a re - • windproof fleece top + fleece pants or Take a stroll along the Rim Trail. spectable lunchtime stop it took our group other comfortable hiking pants Stock up on snacks for the following between 10 and 11 ½ hours to do the trip one day. Eat, drink and relax. way. In the last hour it was getting dark (mid • quick dry hiking shorts October) and the temperature was quickly • sunhat falling. • fleece hat and gloves • camera • headlamp with extra batteries • topographic map • whistle • personal toiletries • sunscreen and lip balm • credit card and cash • trekking poles (optional)
3 Lodging — North Rim Lodging — South Rim — kachina Lodge starting at $170/night.
e Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge is only Lodging at the South Rim fills up especially — Maswik Lodge starting at $90/night open from mid May until mid October. Book quickly. Fortunately all the hotels are a short — underbird Lodge starting at a room up to one year and one day in advance distance from one another so if you have a $170/night at www.usparklodging.com. Lodging rates large group it will not be a problem for you start at $110 per night. You can also book one to be spread among the hotels. You can — Yavapi Lodge starting at $107/night of 83 campsites at the North Rim Camp - book all of the hotels through www.xan - ground through Spherix (see Resources). terra.com, www.grandcanyonlodges.com ere are a few choices outside of the south or www.usparklodging.com. entrance to the park too. Unfortunately the If the lodge is closed but the road is still south entrance of the park is seven miles open you can stay outside of the park at one My favourite hotel on the South Rim is the from the rim so these hotels are not a good of the following rustic hotels. el Tovar Hote l starting at $175 per night. choice if your rest day is on the South Rim. None of the hotels could be considered Jacob Lake Inn fancy but all are clean and comfortable. On ReD FeaTHeR LoDge www.jacoblake.com Xanterra you can book accommodation www.redfeatherlodge.com It is a one hour drive away and will cost thirteen months out. It is one mile south of the south entrance about $100/night. with rates starting at $75 /night. Other South Rim hotels include the following: kaIbab LoDge — bright angel Lodge starting at besT WesTeRn gRanD canYon www.kaibablodge.com $80/night. squIRe Inn is hotel is five miles from the North Rim www.grandcanyonsquire.com and is also in the order of $100/night. It is 1 ½ miles from the south entrance with rooms starting at $175 /night.
4 gRanD HoTeL trees plus the added bonus of hot meals if there is more to do on the South Rim if you www.grandcanyongrandhotel.com you plan far enough in advance. is would plan for layover days. ere is a wider selec - It is located 2 miles from the south entrance be a suitable halfway stop on the Rim to tion of restaurants, and accommo - and has room rates in the range of $120. Rim to Rim trip. is is also a destination in dation and chances of getting a its own right. Book the minute it is possible last minute hotel are HoLIDaY Inn expRess aT THe (13 months ahead of time) to do so because higher. gRanD canYon as a private party there are only a few cabins www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hot available each night and they will be gone in el/gcnaz 15 minutes. For example – you can book e hotel is one mile from the entrance to October 1, 2009 for reservations up to and the park and rooms start at $100 per night. including October 31, 2010. pHanToM RancH Getting to the Grand phone: 888-297-2757 or 303-297-2757 or Canyon same day reservations 928-638-2631 ere are lovely cabins under cottonwood Start at either the North or South Rim of the Grand Canyon; day hikes can be done from either Rim too. e advantage of starting from the North Rim is that
5 Getting to the North Rim From Phoenix (351 miles/565 km) Take I-17N to I-40. en take I-40 east to e North Rim is most easily accessed from Hwy 89 and Hwy 89 north to Hwy 89aAlt. Las Vegas though one could fly to St. George, Take Hwy. 89aAlt west to the junction with Utah and knock off about 130 miles of driv - Hwy 67. Head south on Hwy 67 for 43 ing. Any time saved driving will probably be mi/70km until you reach the North Rim. lost in waiting for plane connections. Longer drives from Salt Lake City, Los Angeles and Getting to the South Rim Denver are all possible. It is 212 miles to drive from the South Rim to the North Rim. From Phoenix (231 miles/372 km) From Las Vegas (275 miles/443 km) Take I-10/I-17N. At the split continue on I- 17N until Flagstaff. Once in Flagstaff at the Leave Las Vegas on I15 and head junction with Highway I-17N and I-40 look 128mi/206km to Route 9 just past St. for Highway 180 north. Pass the small town George, Utah. Head east on Route 9 for 10 of Tusayan (which has hotels) and continue mi/16km to Route 59. Stay on this highway another 5 miles to reach the park entrance. for 32mi/51km, where it turns into highway 389 at the Arizona border. Continue on • car parking: ere is free parking at the Highway 389 for 33mi/53km to US 89a. trailheads though entrance fees to the Head east on US 89a for 30mi/48km till park for a car are $25. you get to the junction with Route 67. en Permits are $10 plus $5 per person per head south on Route 67 for 43 mi/70km • permits: None are needed unless you de - night. Reservations for camping within until you reach the North Rim. cide to camp within the canyon in which the canyon are necessary. case you will need a back country permit.
6 Precautions fore the hike drink several glasses of water so Altitude can be an issue especially if you are that you start out hydrated. Continue drink - not properly hydrated. e elevation at the Hiking alone is never a great idea and espe - ing along the hike, to the tune of approxi - North Rim is approximately 8,000’ and the cially on a trail of this length. If you run into mately one gallon (4-5 litres) of water South Rim is 6,900’ so there is considerably problems you are very much on your own depending on the heat and your size over the less oxygen than at sea level. Descending until you arrive at Phantom Ranch close to course of the day. Fortunately you don’t have should not present a problem but the aerobic the Colorado River. Do not count on your to carry all of the water as there are several ascent will likely be harder than usual and the cell phone and do leave your route with stops along the way to fill water bottles in - chances of becoming dehydrated are that someone at home. cluding Supai Tunnel, Roaring Springs, Cot - much greater. Headaches are a common side tonwood Campground and Phantom Ranch, effect of altitude and dehydration so eat and Other concerns include altitude, dehydration, all of which are found on the north side of the drink plenty of water, especially if you feel a overexertion, sunstroke, falls and weather river. It is recommended that all of the water headache coming on. If you feel thirsty you changes. Still interested? is is a wonderful be treated so carry a filter or buy drops to treat are already dehydrated so drink up. Good hy - hike if you have physically prepared for the it to ensure that it is safe. e South Kaibab dration means you will have pee the colour of trip and followed the suggestions on when to trail has no drinking water though water is champagne! hike. Also, the night be - available about 5 miles up the Bright Angel Trail at the Indian Gardens campground on An early morning start should get you to the the south side of the river. bottom of the canyon midday, just as it is re - ally heating up (27C/80F in mid October). e aernoon will be the time to take short, frequent rests out of the sun. Stay on the trails which are well marked and very obvi - ous. If you have trouble on the descent bring your poles. Keep an eye on the weather and take shelter if it starts to pour.
7 Route (Assuming a North e next section of trail is a level path to the shower and a meal at one of the many restau - Rim start) cold, fast flowing, muddy coloured Col - rants though unfortunately it may take orado River. Cross the river on a very sturdy awhile to get seated. Make reservations for e route is well marked and obvious from footbridge and then bear right to join the the next night right then and there. start to finish. Begin on the North Kaibab Bright Angel Trail. is is the preferred trail which leaves from the parking lot ap - route for the uphill ascent as it is a more e return trip can be done in the reverse proximately 3.5 km/2 miles north of Grand gradual climb and more importantly water is though to get the most of your Grand Canyon Lodge. Head down the well trodden available about 5 miles away at the Indian Canyon experience I would suggest the trail for a loss of 1650 m/5412' over 22 Gardens campground. South Kaibab Route. is route leaves from km/13 miles where it ends at the Colorado Yaki Point, an EARLY MORNING free River. e Cottonwood Campground can e last part of the route will feel longer as shuttle ride away from your accommodation. be found at the 10.5 km/6.5 mile marker, the day progresses and fatigue sets in. An as - Figure out the night before where you plan Phantom Ranch at 19.3 km/12 miles and cent of 1299 m/4263' over 15.6 km/9.7 to pick up the shuttle (it will depend where the Bright Angel Campground at 21.3 miles lands you on the South Rim, north of you decided to stay) and do plan again on a km/13 ¼ miles. Water is available at all of the Kaibab Lodge and west of Bright Angel 6 am start time from the trailhead. those spots too. Phantom Ranch is a great Lodge. e sun will probably be setting as destination for a lunch stop complete with you are heading up so turn around to enjoy e route down on this trail is a knee pop - shade, washrooms, picnic tables, coffee, the spectacular sunsets. Give yourself a well ping 1370 m/4494' over a much shorter dis - juices, fruit, snack type food and even letter deserved pat on the back and then head to tance of 9 km/5.6 miles. No water is service. El Tovar Lodge (bear le once on the rim) available on this section of trail! e path about 5 minutes away to check in(all South ends at the river where you will cross another Rim lodges check in here). Enjoy the hot footbridge and bear le to rejoin the North Kaibab trail. From here on everything will be familiar. Do not be deceived by the early hour that you have arrived at Phantom Ranch. Remember it is another 19.3 km/12 miles uphill so have some breaks by all means but keep an eye on the clock.
*Always give the mule trains the right of way.
8 tained. e Rim trail can be done in any season but ventur - ing into the canyon when snow and ice is on the Rim is not rec - ommended.
Rim Trail is is the easiest trail. It mean - ders along the rim from the vil - lage area to Hermit’s Rest. Water is not available once you are west of Bright Angel Lodge. You do have the option of walking one way and returning via shuttle buses. Some of this trail is even paved.
• beginning elevation: 6,400 feet (1995 m) • High point: 6,800 feet (2120 m) • elevation gain: 400 feet (125 m) • Length: One Way: 3.8 miles (6.3 km) • Difficulty: Easy South Rim Activities • usage: Moderate to Heavy e South Rim sees many more visitors than the North Rim with the resultant number of Bright Angel Trail tacky type souvenir shops and tourists that don’t venture more than 150m/500 feet is is a fantastic trail to hike. It will give from their car. at said the South Rim is you a real sense of the canyon and it is far also a fabulous place for hiking with miles of easier to climb up it than the South Kaibab trails along the rim, and one could spend Trail. Views are fantastic from start to finish. days taking photographs and just enjoying e trail is wide enough so that you never • Length: One Way: 7.7 miles the view from the comfortable confines of feel that you are going to fall off and hurt (12.5 km) to the Colorado River the El Tovar dining room. yourself. It will be a 12 mile round trip jaunt with water available at the Indian Garden’s • Difficulty: Difficult ere are a number of historic buildings Campground providing no water mains have • usage: Moderate worth visiting. Across from the El Tovar broken – which seems to be a frequent oc - hotel is Hopi House, designed to reflect a currence. If you are fit and keen you could Hermit Trail typical adobe pueblo. Inside this very low cross the river, continuing on to Phantom is is recommended as a two day hike and ceilinged building authentic North Ameri - Ranch, enjoy lunch and retrace your steps. because the trail is unmaintained and sees can arts and cras are available for sale at will add many more miles, though the less traffic that is advice that should be taken (though that could present a cumbersome bottom will be relatively flat and quick walk - to heart. It begins at Hermit’s Rest, an eight burden on the return trip) e Lookout Stu - ing. Count on a minimum of 8 hours hiking mile shuttle ride west from Grand Canyon dio, a building of rock nestled and blended if you go all the way to Phantom ranch and Village. Make sure you hop on the right into the canyon rim lies further west and back. YOU NEED TO BE IN SHAPE TO shuttle! is trail is 8 ½ miles each way and sells photography and books related to the DO THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!! there is an elevation loss of 4,240 feet and of Grand Canyon. Further west again is the course the subsequent gain. erefore, to do • beginning elevation: 6,860 feet (2138 Kolb studio which stages ongoing art ex - this trail in a day you will need to be pre - m) at Grand Canyon Village hibits. pared to hike 17 miles and do a total of • ending elevation: 2,480 feet (773 m) at 8,480 feet up and down. is trail is more South Rim Day Hikes the Colorado River difficult than many so there are few people out there in shape to meet that challenge. Hikes beginning on the South Rim range • elevation gain: Round Trip: 4,380 feet from flat and easy to very steep and unmain - (1365 m) Do not overestimate your abilities!! 9 Water is usually available somewhere be - there are some cut off points and camping South Kaibab Trail tween 7 and 7.8 miles from the rim at Her - spots that will give you a good sense of how is trail begins south of Yaki Point and can mit Creek but plan on carrying extra in case far you have come. be reached via shuttle if you plan to return there are problems. (One Imperial gallon of via the Bright Angel Trail. If you plan to do water or 4 1/2 litres weighs 10 pounds!!) It • at the 1.6 mile point there is a trail branch and up and down hike you will still need to would be worthwhile to find a knowledge - to Dripping Springs, 1400 feet below the take a shuttle in both directions as the park - able ranger ahead of time to surmise the rim ing lot is closed from March 1 until Novem - water situation at the bottom. If you do it as • Hermit Camp is at the 7 mile mark, 3840 ber 30. My recommendation would be to a two day hike then you will need to obtain a feet below the rim hike down this steep trail with its wonderful backcountry permit which can be obtained vistas, cross the Colorado River and head le by calling the number listed in the resources • the Colorado River is the full 8.5 miles towards Phantom Ranch. Before you get to section. and 4240 feet below the rim the turnoff for the ranch another bridge will Once at the Colorado River there are a num - appear. Cross back over the river and join e trail itself does not have mile markers the Bright Angel Trail. Hike back to the top and some sections will have you baking in ber of campsites but you will be doing some boulder hopping to get there. coming out near Bright Angel and Kaibab the aernoon sun. People have died on this Lodge. Water is not available at all on the trail due to dehydration! As you descend • beginning elevation: 6,640 feet (2070 South Kaibab Trail but you could refill if m) at Hermit’s Rest Trailhead you went to Phantom Ranch or at the In - dian Garden Campground if you ascend the • ending elevation: 2,400 feet (748 m) at Bright Angel Trail. is circular route gives Hermit Rapids you ever changing vistas and allows you to maximize your Grand Canyon experience. • elevation gain: Round Trip: 4,240 feet Allow a minimum of 8 hours. A high level of (1322 m) physical fitness is required for this hike. • Length one Way: 9 miles (15 km) • beginning elevation: 7,200 feet (2244 m) • Difficulty: Difficult • ending elevation: 2,480 feet (773 m) at • usage: Moderate the Colorado River
10 • elevation gain: Round Trip: 4,720 feet North Kaibab Trail • elevation gain- Round Trip: 5,720 feet (1471 m) Some people do not recommend this as a (1,783 m) • Length one Way: 6.3 miles (10.5 km) day hike and in the summer months that • Length one Way: 14 miles (23.3 km) rings very true because of the heat. In the • Difficulty: Difficult shoulder season a fit person can make it up • Difficulty: Difficult and down in 8- 10 hours depending on just • usage: Heavy • usage: Heavy how far one commits to descending. It is ¾ North Rim Day Hikes miles to the Coconino Overlook and an - Widforss Trail other 1.5 miles to the Supai Tunnel where ere are approximately 12 day hikes out of you will also find toilets and water. Roaring is is one I haven’t done but it is supposed the North Rim area though four of them are Springs makes a good turnaround point for to be a nice mix of forest and canyon scenery a mile or less each way. Of those the Bright many as it becomes a 10 mile roundtrip with and the end of it would make a picturesque Angel Point Trail scores one of the best an elevation gain and loss of 3050 feet. is lunch stop. It is easy to follow and not too views, especially at sunset. Leave the log shel - is a hike which seems very easy going down strenuous with a total distance of 10 miles. ter at the parking area of the visitor center but heat and fatigue at the end of the day e trailhead is accessed at the Widforss and follow the paved path to the point. It is can make it a tough trek out for many. Exer - Trail parking area which you will find one only half a mile each way so you can always cise some common sense and keep up with mile (1.6 km) down Point Sublime Road squeeze this one in at the end of the day. the water intake. (which is dirt), a ¼ mile south of Cape Royal Road turnoff. Upon entering the park you • beginning elevation: 8,200 feet (2,556 m) will be given a package which will include a map of all the roads so it won’t be as confus - • ending elevation: 2,480 feet (773 m) at ing as it seems on paper. the Colorado River • beginning elevation: 8,160 feet (2544 m) • ending elevation: 8,080 feet (2519 m) at Widforss Point • elevation gain Round Trip: 16 0 feet (5 0 m) • Length one Way: 5 miles (8.3 km) • Difficulty: Easy • usage: Heavy in summer
11 Uncle Jim Trail • Length one Way: 2.5 miles (4.2 km) which is probably about 2 billion (billion with a B) years old. is formation docu - is is another short hike that takes off from • Difficulty: Easy the same parking lot as the North Kaibab ments the collision of islands and continents Trail, just two miles (3.5 km) north of the • usage: Moderate and contains granite bodies probably related Grand Canyon Lodge. It is a 5 mile (8.4 km) to a subduction zone. It is now a metamor - loop trail that shares the beginning of the trail Geology phic rock meaning that is has been cooked with the longer and more difficult Ken Patrick up and beat up by those aggressive granite e Grand Canyon affords some of the most Trail. At the first split head right or south so rocks; those are the igneous rocks. Well if spectacular views on the planet. ere are that you remain on the Uncle Jim Trail. A you can’t see all that in the rocks then why few places on earth that exhibit the cross sec - short while aer at the next junction decide if don’t you have a contest to see who can find tion of geologic time as well as the canyon. you want the more direct route to Uncle Jim the largest and prettiest garnet. ey are the point in which case you should head le. If beautiful translucent red minerals in these Well this big hole in the ground has a rather dark rocks at the bottom of the canyon. not head right and that will lead you to the amazing story to tell. For the geologists in rim of Roaring Springs Canyon and eventually the crowd they are off and running and un - On top of the Vishnu Schist is a great big pile to Uncle Jim Point. is trail provides excel - fortunately we’ve lost them already. ey’ll lent views of the Roaring Springs Canyon, over a mile high of sedimentary rocks which be busy depositing layers, eroding others, up - show distinct layering. A very cool thing to Bright Angel Canyon and the top section of liing unbelievable areas of the crust, making the North Kaibab Trail. do is to find an exact place where sedimen - and erupting lava; you know…. doing what tary rocks lie directly on top of the dark geologists do. For the rest of the regular folk, • beginning elevation: 8,240 feet (2569 m) squiggly Vishnu Schist. If you put your fore - who really don’t get excited by staring at at the Ken Patrick Trailhead finger on one type of rock and your middle stones all day long, there are a few wows you finger on the other, you could very well be • ending elevation: 8,320 feet (2,594 m) could probably tolerate if we’re quick. finger straddling a gap in the rock history of at Uncle Jim Point 250 million to 1 billion years. e canyon is a mile deep and way down on • elevation gain Round Trip: 170 feet (53 m) the bottom is the Vishnu Schist, a formation If you are even slightly intrigued by the geology you can check out the following websites or pick up some great books at the Canyon bookstore.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology_of_ the_Grand_Canyon_area
www.bobspixels.com/kaibab.org/geol - ogy/gc_geol.htm
12 ese sedimentary rocks Most of the sedimentary rocks you will see gRanD canYon backcounTRY are relatively horizontal were deposited near shore in a shallow sea InFoRMaTIon cenTeR except in a few places but during one phase of upli the whole area ph: 928-638-7875 you’ll see rock layers at was a massive desert. e creamy white rock Monday to Friday, 1 to 5pm (worse than a steeper angles to ones unit called the Coconino Formation is a banker) Permits are $10 plus $5 per person above. is tells us steep cliff near the top of the canyon and per night. Reservations for camping within that some of the represents several hundred feet of sand the canyon are necessary but not for Phan - lower sedimentary dunes. is desert evidently extended all the tom Ranch. rocks are quite a bit way into Montana. older than the flatter spHeRIx rocks sitting on top be - Cost ph: 800-365-2267 cause someone (probably For campsites on the North Rim those damned geologists Budget for airfare, car rentals, gas, lodging again) uplied the rocks out for 3-4 nights, backpacking food and restau - pHanToM RancH of the sea, tilted them and rant meals. ph: 888-297-2757 or 303-297-2757 or then eroded them. en of same day reservations 928-638-2631 course, they had to sink them Resources again, cover them with a sea and de - kaIbab LoDge posit the next flatter layers. (geolo - bankIng In THe gRanD www.kaibablodge.com gists are hard workers) canYon vILLage— cHase bank Operates a full service bank + a 24 hour Jacob Lake Inn Sedimentary rocks in shallow seas have a ATM in the Village www.jacoblake.com few stories to tell. Look out for fossilized ripple marks that look just like ripple xanTeRRa LoDgIng: RoaD conDITIons marks at your local beach. Speaking of fos - ph: 303-297-2757 or 888-297-2757 or www.dot.state.az.us sils there are plenty of fossils in the canyon www.grandcanyonlodges.com Check road closures and conditions espe - in the rocks above the Vishnu Schist in - same day reservations: 928-638-2631 cially as it relates to Highway 67, the road to cluding trilobites, crinoid stems, shell the North Rim. By phone call 1-928-638- fish, sponges, various fish, various plants TRans canYon sHuTTLe 7888 for a recording. including ferns, winged insects, sharks ph: 928-638-2820 teeth and many more. Once a day Rim to Rim transportation WeaTHeR between mid May and mid October www.wunderground.com/forecasts/gcn. html Get up to date weather forecasts.
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