South Rim of the Grand Canyon and Havasu Canyon

with The World Outdoors (www.theworldoutdoors.com)

(September 2002)

Introduction

Note: I highly recommend this hike and will be happy to answer question from anyone 

who is interested in this trip.   minnick.bj@verizon.net

South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park

For most people, the approach to the Grand Canyon is either along US 180 from Flagstaff or AZ 64 from the west. Both routes cross the largely flat Coconino Plateau  with no hint of the great abyss over the horizon. The village Tusayan is located two miles south of the park boundary and is the location for the proposed car-park that will mark the limit of approach to the Canyon for private vehicles. After entering the park, the canyon is hidden from view by a gradual incline until only a few meters away. The road divides just before the edge; to the west is the main visitor area and various viewpoints while to the east, AZ 64 continues alongside the canyon for 30 miles before leaving the park and joining US 89.

Grand Canyon Village:  The usual place to see the canyon for the first time is either Mather Point or Yavapai Point ; the latter has more parking and slightly better views. Around the next bend lies the GC Village--a hospital, railway station, shops, restaurants, trailer village, and campground.

Hermit Road: This road (formerly the West Rim Drive) continues several miles further but it is narrow and has limited parking so it is closed to private vehicles during the day in peak season and free shuttle buses are provided. Another half dozen viewpoints may be visited and there is a rim trail which links them, making it possible to walk between selected points before resuming the shuttle.

Bright Angel Trail: This is the most popular hiking path into the canyon and begins near the railway station; other more strenuous and less-frequented routes start near Hermit's Rest which is at the far end of the paved Hermit Road.

Desert View Drive:  AZ 64 (formerly the East Rim Drive) passes through thick pine forest with only occasional glimpses of the canyon. Stopping places include Yaki Point after 1 mile which is near the South Kaibab trailhead and the aptly named Grandview Point after 12 miles. The final viewpoint along this drive is from a high promontory just before the east entrance station, it is possible to look out over a huge area of the Grand Canyon to the north and west including the Little Colorado Gorge to the east and the colorful Painted Desert to the northeast. This is one of the few South Rim overlooks from which the Colorado itself can be glimpsed.

Wilderness:  The Grand Canyon contains countless waterfalls, pools, narrow ravines, and oases that cannot be reached by the casual tourist. Many of the wonderful side-canyons require a day or more of hiking or complicated journeys involving boat trips down the Colorado to reach them. It is perhaps comforting to think that no matter how crowded and over-developed the South Rim overlooks become, most of the canyon will remain empty and essentially unvisited.

This map shows the Grand Canyon National Park and the small blue rectangle 

marks the Hualapai Canyon on the Havasupai Indian Reservation that we hiked into. 

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South Kaibab Trail

This trail is 6.3 mile long and follows a ridge which has extensive views along the canyon in both directions. The trail descends 4,500 feet in total. Because of steepness, exposure to the sun and lack of water the South Kaibab is more difficult and strenuous than the Bright Angel although it is slightly more scenic.

The trail begins by descending along a short side ravine but soon the walls open out allowing for magnificent views. After 1.5 miles and a descent of 940 feet there are restrooms at Cedar Ridge. The trail continues fairly straight, going down steadily but not too steeply, then  after 2.5 more miles it descends very sharply with a long series of switchbacks towards the Tonto Plateau.

Just above the rim of the Inner Canyon Gorge there are more restrooms and an emergency phone. The last section is steep again. At the end of the trail there is a short tunnel which leads directly onto a suspension bridge, one of two which cross the river (the other is for the Bright Angel Trail, half a mile downstream).

After a short distance along the north side of the Colorado one arrives at the Phantom Ranch.  From here the North Kaibab Trail leads to the North Rim, 14 miles away. 

Ooh-aah Point 780 feet down was our first stopping point

looking down at Cedar Ridge & more of the trail

4 geologic layers are visible (Kaibab Limestone, Toroweap Foundation, Coconino Sandstone, & Redwall)

mule train coming up from Phantom Ranch passes us

our group resting at Cedar Ridge (1140' feet down from the rim)

Mauv Limestone (a 5th geologic layer) is dominant in this photo

me at Skeleton Point (2040' feet down & our lunch & turn around point)

Phantom Ranch from Skeleton Point with a zoom lens

Colorado River from Skeleton Point

Colorado River with zoom lens

looking back at trail as I'm hiking up to the rim

our 2nd hike was on the Hermit Trail

some of our group on lower switchbacks

hut at Santa Maria Springs (previous picture with zoom lens)

North Rim as seen from the Santa Maria Springs viewpoint

North Rim with zoom lens

Hut at Santa Maria Spring (we ate lunch here)

as you can see The World Outdoors provides good lunches

it was raining & hailing when we got off the shuttle bus & shortly afterwards this beautiful rainbow appeared

Hualapai Hilltop to Havasu Canyon Campground

The trailhead at Hualapai Hilltop overlooks Hualapai Canyon. About 6 miles down the trail Hualapai and Cataract Canyons intersect to form Havasu Canyon, one of the many side ravines that link with the Grand Canyon. Hualapai and much of Havasu Canyons are located on the Havasupai Indian Reservation. The road to Hualapai Hilltop ends at a parking lot and a cluster of buildings  at the edge of a sheer cliff and a well-marked trail descends steeply down the canyon walls and continues for 8 miles to Supai, the home of the Havasupai Indians for hundreds of years. The campground is another 2 miles beyond Supai.  The trail descends about 2,400 feet from the 5,200 feet elevation at Hualapai Hilltop to about 2,800 feet at the campground, a relatively easy hike by Grand Canyon standards.

The main attraction is Havasu Creek, which flows past the village and descends 3,000 feet passing over 4 beautiful waterfalls (Navajo, Havasu, Mooney, and Beaver) on its way to the Colorado. The canyon has become busier in recent years, but the difficult access still means that few people visit. Accommodation is in either an expensive lodge in Supai or a campground adjacent to the creek.

  Sources: www.rockhounds.com/grand_hikes/hikes/havasu_canyon  &

  www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/grand_canyon/havasu_canyon.html

The World Outdoors van & trailer parked at Hualapai Hilltop

Stephanie & Erika fixing lunch before we start our 10-mile hike

map of Havasu Trail

looking at Hualapai Hilltop from trail

Hualapai Canyon

view of the trail

dittto

our first view of the blue-green Havasu River (lime gives the water its unique color)

75' Navajo Falls from the trail

Navajo Falls as seen from the river (literally because we are standing in the water)

the entire group except for our 2 guides

Stephanie & Erika, our guides

Havasu Falls from the trail

the entire group

playing in the travertine pools below the falls

falls from the cliffs above 

pools from the cliffs above 

200' Mooney Falls 

(Mother of the Waters is the Havasu name)

part of our group at Mooney Falls

Kevin starting down a series of chains & ladders to the base of the falls

me at the top of the ladder

Stephanie climbing back up from the base of the falls

for pictures of other vacations return to the Vacation Photos page