Help me plan a Grand Canyon trip

[Brambor]

We are tentatively thinking about backpacking the Grand Canyon. Our expectations are pretty simple. We want to:

1. see the top and the bottom of the canyon
2. sleep in a tent or sleep in a hut at the bottom of the canyon
3. see the pueblo's (probably a separate trip)
4. have 6 - 10 days to do this.
5. stay away from commercial campgrounds

I have never been to the region and therefore would like to solicit tips this trip and the ideal time of the year to go (We are 4 season backpackers)

 

[DougPaul]

NPS GC website: http://www.nps.gov/grca/
Search on "Grand Canyon"--there are loads of websites (and several threads here).

There are also a number of guidebooks--"Hiking the Grand Canyon" by John Annerino is one of the better ones.

Best time is late March through early May.

There are NPS campgrounds at Indian Gardens and near Phantom Ranch.

Doug

 

[Darl58]

Are you planning a rim to rim hike???

The bright angel campground at the bottom is very nice and near Phantom Ranch. Indian Gardens is nice to stay a night also and go out on the plateau and watch the sunset!

I went in the Fall and it was very hot at top but got perfect temps at the bottom as we climbed down....and fewer crowds. Running water and bathrooms at bottom at Bright Angel Campground which is right along Bright Angel Creek with tons of mule deer and wild turkeys to keep you busy! You'll love it!

 

[Brambor]

Darl,

I am now thinking beginning of June. The fact that the Angel campground has running water is enticing - to use that location to replenish our water.

What do you think of this plan:

Day 1 - sleep somewhere at the rim (preferrably in a tent).
Day 2 - Hiking North Kaibab Trail down to Cottonwood Campground
Day 3 - Hike from Cottonwood Campground to Bright Angel Campground
Day 4 - Hike up to the top via South Kaibab Trail (sleep somewhere at the top - preferrably in a tent)
Day 5 - Hike to North Kaibab Trailhead

 

[Brambor]

re-thinking

I just read the average highs in June are 101 degrees Fahrenheit. I'm re-thinking hiking in June.

 

[DougPaul]

I just read the average highs in June are 101 degrees Fahrenheit. I'm re-thinking hiking in June.

There is a reason that the best time is late March to early May...
You can get ice and snow on and near the rims in winter. (N Rim is closed.) Fall is the rainy ("monsoon") season.

My first time there (I was a kid with my family) was in August. It was 113 deg ~6pm at Phantom Ranch.


I believe that camping on the rims is only allowed in the campgrounds. (I think this is also true on/near the corridor trails.) Camping at large is allowed in some of the remote areas. (I suggest that you stay near the corridor trails for your first trip into the canyon.) Cottonwood, Bright Angel, and Indian Garden campsites are all on corridor trails.

Doug

 

[MarkJ]

I was just there in late June and it was quite hot.At nite tho, it was in the 50's.
Stayed at the ten x campground outside of Tusayan which was so nice we stayed 2 days,only 10 bucks a nite and fires were allowed even tho there was a ban on that in town.Tusayan seems like a tourist magnet everything was way too expensive.The mcDonalds there jacks the price of everything to double the usual. We should have supplied in Flagstaff,better prices there.We were blown away by the scenery but I was kind of dissappointed by how touristy the S Rim has becomeIt does seem to be a destination point for world travelers judging by the atleast 5-6 different languages we heard on the buses.If I went back I would like to visit the N Rim.

 

[Billy]

Brambor,

Here's a trip I did in April 2009. Yeah, yeah, I know, too many pictures...but hey, I might never get back there again. Anyway, spring is a great time of year to go... not too hot, and the water sites are still wet (which isn't always the case when July/Aug/Sept come). I wrote a brief description on the first page (of the link above) to show where we were each day/night. Two major concerns to concentrate on: water availability and protection from the sun. Sounds obvious, which is why it's easily overlooked. I won't bore you with details of our trip, but if you want more info, let me know.

Here's a great site. On the right side of the page is a link to a bunch of his backpacking trips in Grand Canyon. An amazing amount of info and photos and maps. You can easily get happily lost on his website for hours.

 

[Brambor]

Still hoping for first week of June as the kids are out of school

Do you think that first week of June will already be in the 100's ?

 

[roadtripper]

Grand Canyon tips....all just my opinion of course...

(1) Since it is your first time hiking there, take the mileage you would like to do and reduce that amount by about 1/4 or 1/3. Hiking in the Grand Canyon is VERY hard. The dust, the strong sun, and the crazy temperatures inside the canyon all make hiking difficult. Plus, the whole fact that you hike down first, then up. You absolutely need to plan on 100s in the inner canyon in June, although you may get lucky. Hundreds of deaths have occured from heat-related incidients in the grand canyon (250+ rescues per year). I would carry no less than 1.5 gallons of water per day, per person. I personally would carry 2 gallons of water per day, per person all the way from June-September.
(2) You could also consider a 2-night backpack down to Havasu Falls. It's one heck of an experience (almost 3rd-world like), but keep in mind there are some serious downsides to it (crowded, trash, etc.). It does contain the most beautiful set of swimming holes in the entire country, though. It's a few hours west of the South Rim. Make reservations in early January for this via phone. It can sell out quick.
(3) If you plan on staying at any of the lodges or campgrounds on the rim, make your reservations NOW. You'll probably find that many accomodations are already full for next June (crazy, i know).
(4) Flagstaff has any camping/hiking supplies that you'd need. It's also a cool little town worth staying in for a night.
(5) If you have time, head over to Page, where you can see "Horseshoe Bend" and "Antelope Canyon". Both are gorgeous. Antelope requires reservations and a hefty fee though.
(6) The South Kaibob Trail is 4x as nice as the Bright Angel trail in my opinion.
(7) The Bright Angel Restaurant is the best food for a reasonable amount of money on the rim.
(8) The highpoint of Arizona is only about 1-2 hours from the Grand Canyon.
(9) Don't spend your money on the Skywalk. It's a complete ripoff. If you want to be a true tourist, the helicopter rides are actually pretty fun (except for the fact that they have a long history of accidents).
(10) National Geographic has phenominal maps on the Grand Canyon

 

[Billy]

Do you think that first week of June will already be in the 100's ?

Scroll to the bottom of this page

 

[Chip]

Do you think that first week of June will already be in the 100's ?

Yes. It's nearly that hot there in May.

A couple years ago we were thinking of going to the GC/Mesa Verde/Arches in the summer, rethought that and went to Tetons and Yellowstone instead.

 

[Snowflea]

To give you an idea of weather conditions at any given time of year, you can check historical data on the Weather Underground site:

www.wunderground.com

If you're really concerned about the possibility of 100+ degree temps in June, could you consider going during spring break instead?

My GC experience is limited to three rim-to-rim-to-rim "runs," i.e. down South Kaibab, up/down North Kaibab, up Bright Angel, done in the months of May, October, and March. Great weather/temps each time. If you can do it as a "day hike," you don't need a permit...

There is good piped water at Phantom Ranch, on the North Kaibab Trail in 2 or 3 spots -- check with rangers to make sure the water has been turned on -- and also at the campground on Bright Angel, but NO WATER on the South Kaibab Trail (which is why I use it on the descent only, returning via Bright Angel). You will see a lot of folks on the Bright Angel, much less on the North Kaibab. The trail footing on these high-use trails is very good by White Mtn. standards.

Bring a bit of $$$ -- among other limited refreshments, you can buy beer (!) at Phantom Ranch, even if you're not staying there.

 

[Billy]

Grand Canyon tips....

(1) Since it is your first time hiking there, take the mileage you would like to do and reduce that amount by about 1/4 or 1/3. Hiking in the Grand Canyon is VERY hard. The dust, the strong sun, and the crazy temperatures inside the canyon all make hiking difficult. Plus, the whole fact that you hike down first, then up. You absolutely need to plan on 100s in the inner canyon in June, although you may get lucky. Hundreds of deaths have occured from heat-related incidients in the grand canyon (250+ rescues per year). I would carry no less than 1.5 gallons of water per day, per person. I personally would carry 2 gallons of water per day, per person all the way from June-September.
(2) You could also consider a 2-night backpack down to Havasu Falls. It's one heck of an experience (almost 3rd-world like), but keep in mind there are some serious downsides to it (crowded, trash, etc.). It does contain the most beautiful set of swimming holes in the entire country, though. It's a few hours west of the South Rim. Make reservations in early January for this via phone. It can sell out quick.
(3) If you plan on staying at any of the lodges or campgrounds on the rim, make your reservations NOW. You'll probably find that many accomodations are already full for next June (crazy, i know).
(4) Flagstaff has any camping/hiking supplies that you'd need. It's also a cool little town worth staying in for a night.
(5) If you have time, head over to Page, where you can see "Horseshoe Bend". It's gorgeous.
(6) The South Kaibob Trail is 4x as nice as the Bright Angel trail in my opinion.
(7) The Bright Angel Restaurant is the best food for a reasonable amount of money on the rim.
(8) The highpoint of Arizona is only about 1-2 hours from the Grand Canyon.
(9) Don't spend your money on the Skywalk. It's a complete ripoff. If you want to be a true tourist, the helicopter rides are actually pretty fun (except for the fact that they have a long history of accidents).
(10) National Geographic has phenominal maps on the Grand Canyon

hey roadtripper, good tips. I'll add on to yours.

1) Hopefully, the rangers who approve your backcountry itinerary prior to giving you a permit SHOULD make sure you're not trying to do an 18-mile day. I have a slightly different take on the difficulty and water issue. I can only speak for myself, but having payed close attention to having adequate water and protection from the sun, I didn't find hiking in GC any more difficult than anywhere else I've been. Keep in mind I went in April, though. As far as how much water to carry, that heavily depends on when and where you go. Check with the backcountry office the day before you begin your hike to see if the known water sources on the remote trails are flowing. During the busy season, BA Trail has piped water at 1.5 miles, 3 miles, 4.5 miles, and 9 miles....so it depends what trail(s) you'll be on, and what time of year.
2) No comment
3) Yes, book as early as possible
4) Agree
5) I've only seen photos, but yup.
6) Agree, but there's no water on South Kaibab Trail, so that's a good trail to descend.
7) No comment
8) No comment
9) Excellent advice about the skywalk. I wouldn't go there if they payed me.
10) yup

 

[Stan]

A few more things to add here.

The North Rim is about 1,000 feet higher elevation than the South Rim, thus it is cooler and offers another reason (for me) to hike North to South rim to rim rather than the other direction. My other reason would be that climbing up the higher North Rim would have the sun bearing down directly on you rather than more obliquely as on the South Rim climb. This subtle difference could make a difference in your own comfort and body temperature.

Obtain permits and reservations as soon as possible. I have heard of waits of up to two years. There are 13,000 backcountry permits issued each year ... and 30,000 requests! It helps to have an alternate plan, or two, as the permitting can be extremely difficult.

The floor of the canyon is the hottest part of the journey and is a desert clime and conditions. Even in the shoulder seasons, some find it preferable to hike early and late in the day and settle down during the heat. If you haven't experienced desert hiking, you should probably try it on a more modest scale before backpacking.

The heat of the summer is the least desireable time to do this hike and it is complicated by the possibility of severe daily thunderstorms usually between mid-July and mid-September (as with much of the Rockies). The danger is flash flooding in addition to lightning.

The rim to rim hike is typically done in three or four days.

NPS has a "Backcountry Trip Planner" which you should obtain. I expect much of the information is on-line but it sure is a good reference to have in hard copy. I second the motion of the quality and detail of the National Geographic map.

Notwithstanding the Colorado River at the floor of the canyon, water can be difficult to obtain.

Rim to rim has the more difficult logistical challenge of a couple hundred miles back to the trailhead but if you can deal with the rest of this journey I expect this will be a worthwhile problem to solve. A loop from the South Rim can be sweetened by the use of pack mules ... no shame in that as far as I'm concerned ... and limit youself to a small daypack for water, snacks and other convenience items.

... the more I think about it the more I want to do it myself. Have fun!

 

[DougPaul]

There is good piped water at Phantom Ranch, on the North Kaibab Trail in 2 or 3 spots -- check with rangers to make sure the water has been turned on -- and also at Bright Angel Campground, but NO WATER on the South Kaibab Trail (why I use it on the descent only, returning via Bright Angel). You will see a lot of folks on the Bright Angel, much less on the North Kaibab.

Bright Angel Tr has water at Indian Gardens, and may or may not have water at 2 or 3 rest spots above (seasonal).

The trail footing is very good by White Mtn. standards.

The trails listed above are the corridor trails which have mule as well has human traffic. Some of the spots on the non-corridor trails are much rougher and may have serious exposure.

Doug

 

[DougPaul]

Still hoping for first week of June as the kids are out of school
Do you think that first week of June will already be in the 100's ?

If you must go during summer vacation, the beginning of June or end of May is probably better than Aug-Sept.

But as a number of responders have noted, neither is that great a choice...

Doug

 

[max]

Darl,

I am now thinking beginning of June. The fact that the Angel campground has running water is enticing - to use that location to replenish our water.

What do you think of this plan:

Day 1 - sleep somewhere at the rim (preferrably in a tent).
Day 2 - Hiking North Kaibab Trail down to Cottonwood Campground
Day 3 - Hike from Cottonwood Campground to Bright Angel Campground
Day 4 - Hike up to the top via South Kaibab Trail (sleep somewhere at the top - preferrably in a tent)
Day 5 - Hike to North Kaibab Trailhead

Since I now live out here in Prescott AZ (2 hours from the canyon) and hike there every week, I'll chime in a bit.

Day 1 - Sounds doable. I have only been to the north rim once but I believe they do have campground facilities so your plan here would work.

Day 2 & 3 - Good choices. You will have lots of time for "hanging around" with this schedule. Phantom Ranch and Bright Angel Campground is 14 miles from the north rim, but the last miles are flat-ish and easy so you'll have time on your hands on both days for exploration.

Day 4 - This is doable, but get an early start if you plan to exit the canyon via the South Kaibab. It is a shorter route than the Bright Angel trail, but there is no water available once you leave Bright Angel Campground. That said, it will have significantly less traffic than Bright Angel trail too, and the views are mucho spectacular. On the other side of the scale, the Bright Angel trail is longer but there is water available at Indian Gardens (4.5 miles from the top) as well as at the 3.0 mile house and the 1.5 mile house. The water will be on in June at the 1.5 and 3.0 miles houses. They just turned it off last week due to cool temperatures.

Day 5 - I don't understand this. I think you mean getting a shuttle ride back to the north rim? When you exit the canyon at the south rim, the north rim is now 250 road miles away. There is a shuttle bus that can take you over there. The cost this season was $80 per person. Shuttle leaves in the mid day, so making the shuttle after hiking out all day on the Kaibab is probably not doable unless you are leaving super early from the bottom and hammering along. If you don't make it, there are campground facilities at the south rim where you can pitch a tent and spend the rest of the day exploring the park, then taking the shuttle ride to the north rim on the following day.

Camping permits inside the canyon can be obtained 4 months in advance and they go quickly, especially to popular sites like Cottonwood and Bright Angel campgrounds. Check out the NPS site for all the details.

Oh...it will be HOT in June!!

http://www.nps.gov/grca/

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

The time of year is critical, as you know. I hiked on the Tonto Trail (el. 3000-4000 feet) in mid-May '09 with daytime temps over 100F. Knowing that you can obtain water once a day from a DEPENDABLE source is equally important. I definitely plan to go back.

 

[Brambor]

return

Sorry. The last day made no sense to you - because you live there and know the area. It was a simple way of saying we will return to where we started from - to get to our rental vehicle and drive to our next venue.