Exploring the Area

There's no better way to enjoy the canyon than by walking right down into it and seeing all those rock layers, and all that plant and animal life up close. You can day-hike partway into the canyon on a number of trails, or stay along any of the many rim trails. Hikers are urged not to try hiking to the bottom of the canyon and back in 1 day. The best time to hike into the canyon is mid-September to mid-May. During the summer months, hiking the rim trails is a better option, as hiking into the canyon can be uncomfortably hot.

An Overview of the Hiking Trails

Though hiking below the rims is the most inspirational way to experience the canyon, it can also be dangerous, especially at midday during summer. Don't underestimate the physical toll that heat and vertical distances can take on even advanced hikers, and be sure to leave any canyon hikes in summer for the early morning. If it's too hot inside the canyon or you aren't up to climbing, consider walking on one of the South Rim's greenway or rim trails. The rim trails are especially nice in the North Rim's forests. However, flash floods can result in the closure of any of the trails.

South Rim -- On the South Rim, Bright Angel Trail is the least difficult canyon trail for day hikers. It is well-maintained, proffers shade and drinking water, and is less steep than other canyon trails. Well-prepared hikers will be comfortable traveling 6 miles one-way to the end of Plateau Point Trail, which departs from Tonto Trail just north of where Tonto crosses Bright Angel Trail. If you go any farther on a day hike, there's a good chance that you'll run out of energy and daylight while climbing back to the rim. In summer's heat, day-trippers should not hike farther than Indian Gardens before turning back.

Other popular day hikes on the South Rim include the South Kaibab Trail to Cedar Ridge, Hermit Trail to Dripping Springs (via the Dripping Springs Trail) or Santa Maria Spring, and Grandview Trail to Horseshoe Mesa. The South Kaibab Trail, because of its steepness and lack of water and shade, is more strenuous than Bright Angel Trail, but it offers panoramic views. (Note: No mules will be allowed on the South Kaibab Trail over the next couple of years, as work is being done; however, this work shouldn't affect hikers.) The Hermit and Grandview trails, which are not maintained and very steep in places, are even more rugged than the South Kaibab.

North Rim -- On the North Rim, the North Kaibab Trail, blessed with seasonal water and abundant shade, is the best option for day hikers descending into the canyon. Day hikers in good shape, as a rule, shouldn't go farther than Roaring Springs, which is 4.7 miles and 3,000 vertical feet below the trail head (check in advance with the visitor center to confirm water availability at Roaring Springs). Even strong walkers may have problems returning to the rim before sunset if they go past Roaring Springs on a day hike.

The trail descriptions cover many canyon paths, including turnaround points for day hikers. However, I've refrained from writing about some trails (including the South Bass, North Bass, Nankoweap, Tanner, New Hance, Boucher, Thunder River, Bill Hall, and Deer Creek trails) because of their remote locations or rugged conditions. You can ask questions about these trails and obtain free descriptions of them at the Backcountry Information Center (tel. 928/638-7875), located across the train track near Maswik Lodge on the South Rim. The Backcountry Information Center is open daily from 8am to noon and 1 to 5pm, and also offers information over the phone Monday through Friday from 1 to 5pm; the line is often busy, so be prepared to try more than once. Information is also available in the Backcountry Reservations office on the North Rim (about 11 miles south of the North Rim entrance gate, and marked by a sign; no phone number). For more detailed trail descriptions, look in guidebooks and individual trail guides sold through the Grand Canyon Association (tel. 800/858-2808; www.grandcanyon.org).

Wherever you hike, carry plenty of water and know where the next water sources are. Eat and drink regularly so you don't create an electrolyte imbalance. If you hike into the canyon, allow yourself twice as much time for the trip out as for the descent. Tip: Always confirm with the visitor center or backcountry office the availability of water on the trails you intend to hike.

Shuttles for Hikers -- Buses provide transportation between Canyon View Information Plaza, the South Kaibab trail head, Yaki Point, and Pipe Creek Vista. In addition, a hiker's shuttle, which picks up at Bright Angel Lodge shuttle bus stop and the Backcountry Information Center, travels to the South Kaibab trail head at early each morning. Consult The Guide for hours.

Backpacking for Beginners

By camping inside the canyon, you give yourself time to explore the park's lower elevations. However, the extreme temperature and elevation changes can make the Grand Canyon a nightmare for inexperienced or unprepared backpackers. The jarring descent strains your knees; the climb out tests your heart. Extreme heat often precludes hiking during the middle of the day, and water is scarce. Taking these hazards into account, a first-time backpacker should confine hikes to corridor trails.

Exploring the Backcountry

For the purposes of this guide, I've divided the park trails into three categories: rim, corridor, and wilderness. In the Grand Canyon, most of the rim trails and all of the corridor and wilderness trails are considered part of the backcountry.

Rim Trails -- As the name implies, rim trails are on the canyon's rim, rather than descending down into the canyon. Some rim trails stay in the park's developed areas; these are usually paved, with relatively gradual inclines. They can be very busy, but sometimes afford nice views. Other rim trails go farther away from developed areas and into the nearby piñon-juniper, ponderosa pine, and spruce-fir forests. These have a few steep or rugged stretches, but most are quite manageable. Many lead to scenic canyon overlooks and are often uncrowded.

Corridor Trails -- When descending into the canyon for the first time, even experienced backpackers should consider one of the three corridor trails, North Kaibab, South Kaibab, or Bright Angel, discussed in detail below. Well-maintained and easy to follow, these are regularly patrolled by park rangers. Each has at least one emergency phone and pit toilet. Drinking water is available at several sources along both the Bright Angel and the North Kaibab trails (some of these sources are seasonal), but not on the South Kaibab. Check at the Backcountry Information Center for current water availability before starting your hike. While hiking the corridor trails, you can spend your nights at Bright Angel, Cottonwood, or Indian Garden campgrounds, each of which has a ranger station, running water (seasonal at Cottonwood), and toilets.

Ranger Stations & Emergency Phones -- Backcountry ranger stations are at Indian Garden (year-round), Phantom Ranch (year-round), and Cottonwood campgrounds (May-Oct only). Emergency phones, connected to the park's 24-hour dispatch, are in front of each ranger station, and at the rest houses along Bright Angel Trail and near the intersection of the South Kaibab and Tonto trails. On the North Kaibab Trail, an emergency phone can be found near Roaring Springs. Note that cellphones are unlikely to receive any signal inside the canyon.

Wilderness Trails -- By hiking on corridor trails, you can acclimate to the conditions in the canyon without having to negotiate the boulder-strewn and sometimes confusing wilderness trails, which also go into the canyon. Rangers are rare on wilderness trails, which are not maintained and can be difficult to discern, as they have washed away in some places, and, sometimes, descend steeply down cliffs. On the less traveled wilderness trails, help can be very far away if something goes wrong.

The corridor trails provide access to backcountry campgrounds, but most wilderness trails accommodate only at-large camping, meaning that it's up to each hiker to find a campsite. Unlike the campgrounds, the campsites along wilderness trails do not have purified water or ranger stations nearby, and only a few have pit toilets. On the busiest wilderness trails, campers may be limited to designated sites.