Grand Canyon – Rim to Rim Hiking

Typically, Hikers doing the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim start at the more remote North Rim and end at the South Rim, which is where most tourists visit and also less uphill climb at the end than the other way (South to North Rim). This means that you have to leave your car on one side and take a shuttle to the other. You can either do this before or after the hike; We elected to do it before. We started driving from Orange county at 4:30 AM on Saturday morning, reached the North Rim at around 1:30 PM and parked our car there. We took a shuttle at 2 PM and reached the South Rim at around 6:30 PM.

If you’re having trouble imagining the scale of the Grand Canyon think about this: That shuttle took 4.5 hours to get around the canyon to the South Rim. 4.5 hours!!!

Those planning a Rim to Rim trip must make a bunch of important decisions.  Among them:

1. North to South, or South to North?
2. Bright Angel Trail, or South Kaibab Trail?
3. How many days to take?
4. What time of year to go?

Here are the choices we made in regard to the above questions:

We chose South to North, which turns out to be the less popular and more challenging way to do this (due to more uphill climbing at the end – almost 4000 feet of elevation climb in last 5 miles).

The two trails are definitely different but both have great views with the edge going to South Kaibab. Without knowing everyone’s overall physical condition it’s hard to recommend distance. Both trails will require stamina as well as good physical condition. We chose the South Kaibab trail as it is more steeper than the bright angel trail.

Most people don’t do R2R hike in 2 days. The most common is one day and after that, probably 3 days (camping at Bright angel/Indian garden or Bright Angel/cottonwood) or 4 days. But getting the permit to stay in phantom ranch is very very tough. It will be sold out months in advance. If you are doing this in a single day, make sure you know what you are doing.

The best time to attempt this day hike is definitely during October or from March to April. Because the North Rim will be closed for the winter in November and will only open during the month of May. You don’t want to do this hike during May to August as the temperature in the bottom can reach a scorching 100-105’.

This hike begins at the South Kaibab Trailhead and runs to the North Kaibab trailhead, 23.4 miles – if you skip the Ribbon falls. Going to Ribbon falls and coming back to the trail head will add another 2 miles – 25.4 miles.

It was 4:30 am when the alarm sounded and we quickly dressed, grabbed our packs and headed for the car. The 10 minute, 7-mile drive from our hotel at Tusayan to the parking lot was lit with a silvery half-moon glow. From here, the parking lot, you have to walk like 10 minutes to the start of the trailhead.

Much to our surprise, when we arrived, the parking lot was almost full! Our early 6 am start time appeared to be the usual and other hikers were milling around and getting ready to hit the trail. The temperature was in the low 40’s at the 7,000-foot trail head, so I opted to have my coat and take a long-sleeved shirt, knowing that the temperature in lower elevations would be much warmer. (at least 10’ warmer than the rim).

Due to some hiccups, we started our hiking at around 6:45 AM instead of 6.

Steep and strenuous, the South Kaibab Trail is the South Rim’s most direct route to the bottom of Grand Canyon. While most Inner Canyon trails follow side canyons, the South Kaibab Trail follows open ridge lines, providing spectacular views in all directions, which is great for day hikers. For most of its 7 mile length, the South Kaibab Trail follows the top of a ridge and so has extensive views along the Grand Canyon in both directions, however there is little shade. The trail descends 4,820 feet in total.

The South Kaibab Trail ends at the Kaibab Suspension Bridge, which heads to Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch.

If you’re planning an overnight backpack to Bright Angel Campground or Phantom Ranch, consider hiking down the South Kaibab Trail and returning via the Bright Angel Trail, which is longer but slightly more gradual.

Trailhead The trail starts near Yaki Point. Free shuttles head to the South Kaibab Trailhead throughout the day from Canyon View Information Plaza.

The path begins by descending into a Pipe Creek, but soon the walls open out allowing for magnificent views both west and especially east along the canyon. After 1.5 miles and a descent of 940 feet the NPS have installed restrooms along Cedar Ridge, which is a sensible target for a half day hike; certainly far fewer people progress beyond. The trail continues fairly straight, going down steadily but not too steeply, curves around O’Neill Butte after 2.5 miles and then descends very sharply with a long series of switchbacks towards the Tonto Plateau after 4 miles.

An easier, flatter section passes a place known as The Tip Off which is just above the rim of the Inner Canyon Gorge – here are located more restrooms and an emergency phone. The rocks in the canyon walls opposite are composed of ancient metamorphosed granite, mineralized and particularly colorful, exhibiting many shades of red and purple. The last section is steep again, especially the part just above the river, which is clearly visible for the last mile or so of the descent.

At the end of the trail there is a short tunnel which leads directly onto a suspension bridge, one of two which cross the Colorado River (the other is for the Bright Angel Trail, half a mile downstream). The bridge is sturdy enough but it is still a little alarming to be perched high above the muddy, fast-flowing river, swaying slightly in the wind.

After a short distance walking along the north side of the Colorado river, one arrives at the Phantom Ranch buildings – a guest house, campsite, ranger station, mule stables, etc. and suddenly, lots of people – most of the trail is pleasingly empty especially during the middle of a hot, sunny day. Drinking water is provided, from a hand pump, and there are plenty of cool places to rest alongside the nearby Bright Angel Creek;

From here the North Kaibab Trail leads to the North Rim visitor complex, 14 miles away. Some people stay the night at the ranch before hiking out the next day but this requires booking a long time in advance – maybe up to one year. This is also the place to phone for help if needed.

After passing the Phantom Ranch, around 5th mile, look for a sign pointing to Ribbon Falls. It takes about 10 minutes to reach the falls after leaving the main trail. If you are approaching from Phantom Ranch, it is possible to take a spur trail that crosses the creek without the use of the bridge. However, this route should not be attempted if there has been a recent rain storm. The Ribbon Falls area is a in a small canyon filled with lush vegetation. This area is an extremely fragile environment.

Roaring Springs, is one of the North Rim’s awe-inspiring attractions. It is also a vital source of water, providing drinking water for every visitor and resident within Grand Canyon National Park. At an elevation of 5200 feet, Roaring Springs is a majestic sight, like something from a fairy tale.

Actually, I thought I would feel far worse afterward. Sure, I was so stiff by the time I got to home that I could barely walk from the car to my home’s front door, and I was probably a bit dehydrated. If you’re considering hiking the Grand Canyon but not sure whether it’s worth the effort: DO IT! It’s definitely worth the effort. But also make sure you do it safely by exercising appropriately beforehand. Trust me; you’ll be glad you did.  It is the one thing that I do where I can look back at one single day and see what I accomplished.  I proudly say “I DID THAT”.

It is a dangerous place, and this is a dangerous hike.  But at the end of that day, as you look out over the dark abyss below, you see the twinkling lights on the other Rim of the Grand Canyon and you realize you just walked across that whole thing in just one day.  I think we forget how strong we really are, and what great things we may accomplish, in just one day.

The video of this hiking is here: