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I am the trip leader of 5 guys to the GC in early March and I need to get my permit application in ASAP. We are wanting to do an intense 3 days in the Canyon. I was thinking of this itinerary:

1) Start from Grandview Pointe
2) Take the Tonto Trail west
3) Camp near Grapevine Creek (end of Day 1)
4) Continue west on Tonto Trail
5) Camp near or past Cremation Creek (end of Day 2)
6) Continue west on Tonto and then take South Kaibab down to the river.
7a) Take the River Trail over to Bright Angel and then take Bright Angel out
*OR*
7b) Take South Kaibab out from the river(end of Day 3)

What are your thoughts on this? I know water will be an issue though. Thanks.

Seems reasonable given

1) Prior Grandcanyon experience - Grandcanyon usually end up tougher than you expect.
2) All hikers are in good/excellent shape & used to backpacking in places where there is no shade ( Tonto offers little to no shade )
3) There may be ice on upper reaches of your access/exit trails
4) It gets dark fairly soon so plan for that as part of your daylight hours

Noticed you posted from GA .... Please be preared for the rigors of hiking in the desert -- Tonto is more desert hike rather than the wooded rim of Grand Canyon. Inner Canyon temps are 20 F higher than the rim temps ( ave is arounf 71 but I have expereienced 80's in March in Inner Canyon)

Here's the mileage breakup as planned

Day1: 10 miles (Steep downhill on Grandview and fairly flat on Tonto) Dry Camp
Day2: 12.2 miles (Tonto - mostly flat is good! ) Dry Camp
Day3: 13.5 miles ( 4.2 down to Bright Angel Camp + 9.3 uphill on BA)Your last day is quite agressive

If you all are super aggresive hikers used to long hikes with backpacks on fairly steep terrain this plan seems OK .....if not, It would be nice if you another camp night

You might want to make see if you can camp at Bright Angel (since you will be hauling your camp with you anyways) and hike out on Day 4 instead of pushing Day 3. I would not want to be on the upper reaches of Kaibab or Bright Angel in the day on a cold day when there could be ice on the trail.

If you guys are smoking up the Bright Angel on Day 4 you can always take a detour to Plateau Point from Indian Gardens ...or you could camp Day 3 at Indian gardens ....This will give you time to explore Phantom Ranch Bright Angel Creek abit at the bottom or take a trip to Plateau point

The only concern on hiking out of S Kaibab -- What are you planning to do for your water ? Kaibab is much tougher climbing out....and if you exit late you have a fairly long walk back to the lodges ( I dont think you park by trail head anymore -- )

Read "Death in Grand Canyon" before you make the trip.

In response to desertgirl's reply: I believe in Jan and Feb are the only two months that you can park at the trailhead at Kaibab. There is no shuttles running at that time. And the trails are always covered in ice at least on the Kaibab at the first switch backs and have seen it down to the Cedar ridge. Also Bright Angel trailhead is always covered sometimes down to the second tunnel down. Bring Crampons or get them at the general store in the village...

Just did this trip 3 weeks ago.
Especially in March, you should generally (almost always) find water @ Cottonwood, Grapevine (always), Lonetree (downstream in the "narrows", Cremation (again, downstream of the camp area, in the narrows).

Hiking down these aforementioned canyons is really nice - you can even hike to the Colorado, given the time..... to "blow by" these canyons might be regretable, but it's your call.

As an idea..... maybe hike the Tonto to I.G., and then day-hike down the lower B.A. to Phantom (beer) & back (+/- 10 mi. R/T); camping at I.G. & then out the B.A. to the rim the A.M..
You'll be in "Canyon-shape" by then, and out in <2 hours from I.G., I'd guess.

There are nice camps @ Cottonwood, Grapevine, on the Tonto just after it bends west again after leaving G-vine, and just out of the west arm of Cremation is a nice camp, too.

I prefer to come up the South Kaibab because it is shorter, and ends better. The BA is two miles longer, you can see the end for an hour before you get there, and it usually has more foreigners who, as you're trying to keep a pace while sucking serious wind, look you in the face, grin stupidly, and NEVER yield the right-of-way.