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| Backpack | 26.86 Miles |
6,688 AEG |
| | Backpack | 26.86 Miles | 3 Days | | |
| 6,688 ft AEG | | 30 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | From Friday, October 21, to Sunday, October 23, my hiking friend Lova and I did the "Rim to Rim" at the Grand Canyon.
DAY ONE:
We started at South Kaibab Trail around 6:30am on Friday, hiking downhill to Bright Angel Campground. We stopped at each of the four designated rest areas to remove our packs, enjoy a snack, take some photos, and use the restrooms (if available). The stops were "Ooh Ahh Point," "Cedar Ridge," "Skeleton Point," and "Tip Off." Saw lots of other hikers up and down the trails, including "rim runners." The trail terrain varies; some areas are nice and smooth, others have some rock, and there are places with wooden logs placed across the trail that require a step down. Some neat areas with switchbacks too, especially after Skeleton Point. It's highly recommended that trekking poles be used on this hike. After we crossed the bridge over the Colorado River, we found a campsite at Bright Angel Campground around 1:30pm,set up our tents, hanged our packs, and checked out Phantom Ranch. Bright Angel Creek runs alongside the campground, but there are spigots with water in between the campsites. Bathroom facilities with flushing toilets are available. There is a phone to make calls, but I had difficulty making long distance calls, it only went to an operator who is able to process local calls.
NOTE - There are no water sources along this trail and very little shade, so prepare accordingly and hike smart. Composite bathrooms are available at Cedar Ridge and Tip Off.
DAY TWO:
We hit the trail at 8:00am, heading north through "The Box." The trail is spectacular, following alongside the Bright Angel Creek and being surrounded by the rocky areas of the Grand Canyon, featuring layers of rock in a wide variety of colors. We took our time, hiking along and taking lots of photos. We even took a detour to check out Ribbon Falls which featured an amazing waterfall. We took a nice break here, removing our socks and shoes and soaking our feet in the cold water. We made it to Cottonwood Camp around 3:00pm and found a nice campsite. Most of the campsites are not shaded, but on the plus side it allows you to see the night sky with the stars and Milky Way, which is crystal clear without any artificial light getting in the way.
DAY THREE:
We packed up our tents and most of our gear before breakfast so that we could hit the trail at sunrise. Our final destination was North Kaibab Trailhead at the North Rim and we had quite a climb ahead of us and knew it would take a good portion of the day. We hit the trail around 7:45am and made numerous short stops to rest our legs and catch our breath. Manzanita rest area has bathrooms, a Ranger Station, and still had the water turned on (which is scheduled to be shut off by mid-November for the winter season). The Creek still flows along this site as well, though once you hit the trail again and head north, it begins to climb back up the Canyon and veer away from the Creek. Signs at Manzanita advised that water at Supai Tunnel was turned off, which means no more sources for water until we reached the Trailhead. We did stop at Supai Tunnel to remove our packs, have a snack and use the restroom, and had a friendly squirrel hoping for some free food handouts. We finally climbed to the top of North Kaibab Trail and reached the Trailhead around 2:30pm...legs feeling like Jell-O, feet a tad sore, but super stoked that we successfully finished the hike and conquered the Canyon!
I am planning to do more "Rim to Rim" hikes in the future, including one with my boyfriend sometime in the Fall of next year. October is a GREAT month for these types of hikes. The daytime temps are in the 80s, night temps are in the 50s, so the weather is perfect. Clear skies at night. My next Rim to Rim adventure will be SOBO, so I can experience North Kaibab downhill, stay a night at Indian Garden Campground, and hike up Bright Angel Trail. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
