Heads up: this post is more than 5 years old and may contain out of date information.
When you talk about the Grand Canyon and the first question is always the same: did you hike it? Even people who have never been (and never plan to go) seem to want to know the details about getting down… probably why exploration has been a goal for as long as people have existed in the area.
The Grand Canyon was part of my Southwest Trip last month but honestly, after knee surgery earlier this year, I didn’t really think about hiking the place much, until I got there…
Getting to the hike (shuttles / routes / facilities):
There are two main routes down to (or towards) the Grand Canyon floor from the South Rim visitor’s area: The Bridge Angel Trail which is a few miles longer to the bottom but has water & limited ranger support along the way and The South Kaibab Trail which, aside from one set of restrooms, has no support / facilities and steps up the steepness a good deal making it the quicker hike… down at least.
The two routes start at near opposite ends of the South Rim area, Bright Angel a couple shuttle stops west of the visitor’s center and South Kaibab most of the way up the orange line to the east (it’s possible to loop from one to the other if you’re going the entire way down to Bright Angel Campground and usually done as SK down, BA up). Both have water & restrooms up top before starting (and especially after finishing the) the trek.
For no particular reason other than steep sounded like more fun, I opted for South Kaibab.
A couple (ok, several) words on gearing up / planning / deciding how far to go:
There’s a long article on the SK trailhead board about a young marathon runner who went hiking the Grand Canyon a few years back, misread the map distance, ran out of supplies and ended up stuck off-trail trying to find water before eventually perishing. It sounds like a brutal thing to put ahead of a trail, but after a day going down, I get why…
Almost every hike I’ve done starts up and ends down. You climb a mountain to the top, descend back to the base. You trek out a ridge, then shuttle back. But even standing at the top of the trailhead, it’s nearly impossible to comprehend the impending difficulty of the Grand Canyon as you start heading down. Down is easy.
That’s what makes planning & prep so important for a Grand Canyon hike (see the NPS FAQs). I know I’ve complained in other posts about unprepared or under geared hikers but the way some approached the hike here was just unreal…. single bottles of water, zero food, zero gear, it’s just so easy to ignore what coming up means as you wander down.
But at some point, you have to come up, and the rumor is the only way you’re getting a ranger’s help these days is if you broke something (i.e. your inability to plan is not a cause for an emergency on their part). The park is littered with signs warning against trying to do rim to floor in a day pointing out the fact that the the majority of rescues are young guys believing they defy the odds but it’s not just the whole thing that hurts, every milestone on the trail is a major departure from the one before it.
Since my trek was relatively spur of the moment, I elected to keep things simple and set my turn around at Cedar Ridge (where the restrooms are)… it’s just the second milestone on the map and a mere 1.5 miles of hiking but already marks 1140′ down earning it a “strenuous” official rating. The park service suggests everyone turn at cedar ridge in summer although in fall, Skeleton Point (920′ further down) would have been a nice all-day option.
I don’t profess to be the survival expert or perfect hiker, but this was a trail where I got to put my new Northface Terra 35 to the test…. My dSLR & lenses (no tripod), full first aid kit, knife, fire aid, emergency blanket, signal, flashlight, spare batteries, compass, fleece & shell jacket plus plus a healthy assortment of energy snacks (energy bars & beef jerky) and nearly 200oz of water… I figured bring anything I could want and a little more for those who didn’t think about it (the benefit of a good pack is that a full load is easier to handle than a half load in a typical back pack).
But enough of the warnings, on to the trail…
Hitting the trail
From the first step off the pavement at the trailhead, the mountain reminds you that there will be no mercy on the return. It’s an immediate set of switches which you’re thinking about coming up even as you skip on down. There’s enough of a drop in that first tenth of a mile to immediately change the views, leveling you just below the opposing north rim side and west / east views of the south rim.
The switches are the biggest single climb leading down to the first marked vista point but make no mistake, there’s barely a yard of level terrain on this trail as you’re going down, down and, yes, down with every step. The back & forth meandering sections get longer as the hill pushes out but always with enough of a curve to see what you’ve got coming on the return. It’s a fully exposed route with the sun beating down, hard, but headed down, it’s quite fun and perfect photo taking times.
Ooh-Ahh Point
Fast as you think you’re going, it takes some time before you hit the first marked vista 0.9 miles in which, for many, will be the only stop on their hike: Ooh-ahh Point. The name should be obvious for what you’ll see: views out north, east, west and all at once but also the signs of many drained hikers coming up from earlier starts that day, or days before.
It’s a worthwhile photo op, a chance to readjust gear, start to energy up with a few calories and time to really asses your plan for the day as the next .6 miles to Cedar Ridge will drop you another 500ish feet, fast.
Cedar Ridge
Leaving the photo crowds behind, I pushed quickly towards stop #2, hoping to make it before the sun was really overhead and get a decent viewing experience (and full water stop) to ready up for the return. Having started just after 9, the hike had been shaded by the mountain and cool up to that point… after it however, even November’s cold temps couldn’t hide the reality of what even a bit of heat would mean hiking back up. Summer must be brutal.
The trail down to Cedar Ridge really shows the beauty of canyon as you’re about to look up at the detail and sheer size of the walls now above you on all sides. Still, it’s clear how far down the bottom is, even as you wander into the point.
Given the crowds the trail attracts, Cedar Point isn’t just a great view & break point (think huge, dirt lot with loads of giant rocks for propping up on), it’s a much needed chance to unload a little more with the trail’s only restrooms. But don’t get too excited… while you may find a ranger or two watching people go down, there’s no water, no supplies, and no horse for rent to be found.
Now the fun part… back up.
I can’t speak much for what comes after Cedar Ridge, the trail is visible for miles but it’s near impossible to tell if you’re seeing the end or the next mile section. What is clear is that you’ll be doubling the mileage and almost doubling the drop to reach Skeleton Point… for the reward of a bigger accomplishment and views of the river, or so I’m told.
But wherever you turn, prepare for one heck of a thigh push. Every step was down, and every step back is up. Not even 50 degrees, the sun still had me into my shell by this point but it was that perfect cool-feel for the push back up, summer is clearly a much different experience with 90+ temps beating you back and not a drop of shade to stand in the way.
Aside from a blister that required the support of an oh-so-amazing Moleskin patch, it was uneventful hour return. I had taken my fill of serious photos on the way down but played with my iPhone up to tune out the desire to focus on every step… passing many, getting passed by others.
The first push up to Ooh-Ahh is pretty notable, and you do keep wondering where the heck it is… , I noticed a few faces still there from when I had wandered down before… resting up for the last leg, presumably after a base start that morning. After leaving that spot, things feel more gradual (though only relative to the grand canyon), all the way up until those first switches. But, then, you know you’re about done and aside from a long pause to check on someone who clearly should never have left the rim, it was up to the top… over to the restroom and back on the shuttle.
My adventure wrapped up before noon, earlier than planned, but perfect for a visit to The Bright Angel Lodge and a very hearty bowl of chili with plenty of time left to shop & explore the west side.
Quick Facts:
- Official Rating: On the Strenuous List
- My Rating: It’s going on Facebook
- Start point: South Kaibab Shuttle Stop
- Distance: 3 miles round-trip (down & up) / 1140′ gain / 2-3+ hours
- Look for: Views in every direction of the canyon and the trail as you head down
- Recommended time: Early morning & not in summer
- Facilities: Restrooms & water up top. No water anywhere else (Restrooms @ Cedar Ridge)
Additional links:
