The Grand Canyon, Part 2: South Rim to North Rim

Posted by Jim Steele on August 17th, 2016 filed in Grand Canyon

NOTE: This is my second article about my adventures in the Grand Canyon in the Spring of 2016. In April 2016, I hiked from the South Rim Village to Phantom Ranch and back. This article describes my May 2016 Rim-to-Rim hike from the South Rim to the North Rim. The article about my April hike to Phantom Ranch is here.

A Rim-to-Rim hike in the Grand Canyon is one of the truly iconic adventures in the national parks. We lived in Las Vegas for a year and while we were there, I wanted to check the Rim-to-Rim journey off my bucket list. Because who doesn’t want to hike 22 miles in a day while gaining more than a mile of elevation? My wife thought I was crazy, and she was probably right.

Unfortunately, the optimal season for this hike is short (basically mid-May to early June and mid-September to mid-October in order to avoid the worst of the heat at the base of the canyon and still make the trip while the North Rim Village is open). I hadn’t been able to plan anything in advance, so I was crossing my fingers that I would be able to put an adventure together at the last minute in the second half of May. But the logistics of a Rim-to-Rim hike are challenging at best. You generally need somewhere to stay on the South Rim, somewhere to stay on the North Rim, and transportation for the circuitous four-hour drive that links them. Reservations at the lodges, naturally, tend to fill up quickly. And it would be a shame to get everything planned and then be rained out.

The view from the Bright Angel Trailhead. The trail to Plateau Point is visible near the center of the photo.

With basically one feasible weekend left until we moved away (and that weekend quickly approaching), the situation was grim. The South Rim Village was booked (which I could work around by staying in the Route 66 town of Williams, which is an hour away). The North Rim Village was also booked (which is harder to work around). But the weather forecast looked good, so I held on to hope. Finally, just days in advance, I managed to secure a reservation for a cabin at the North Rim Village thanks to a cancellation. With the most challenging piece of the puzzle in place, I made a reservation on the Trans-Canyon Shuttle for a ride from the North Rim back to the South Rim the day after my adventure (assuming that I survived), then made a reservation in Williams while continuing to watch to see if any rooms became available in South Rim Village. All of the logistical pieces were in place. Now the only question was whether I would live through one of the most rigorous days of hiking I had ever attempted.

My trip started off with a burst of luck. Motel rooms in Williams were fairly expensive so I had booked an economy room. I checked for last minute specials and was able to get a room at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel for the same price. This hotel is massive (by Williams standards), is reasonably new, and seems to exist to house tour groups that arrive in town before they set off for the South Rim, 60 miles to the north, via the Grand Canyon Railway. The hotel was pleasant, my room was comfortable, and I got to see some of the train memorabilia that is scattered around the property. I was a happy camper. Williams is the last town of any significance before you arrive at the South Rim Village, about an hour to the north (excluding the tourist trap town of Tusayan), so I stocked up on supplies at the Safeway, headed back to my hotel, ate dinner, packed my backpack, and got to bed at sunset in anticipation of an early departure the next morning.

Switchbacks along the Bright Angel Trail.

Everything went according to plan the next morning, and I arrived at the Bright Angel Trailhead at 7:15 a.m. On my South Rim-to-Phantom Ranch-and-back adventure the month before, I had hiked down via the South Kaibab Trail and returned via the Bright Angel Trail. This would be my first time descending via the Bright Angel Trail, and I was excited to get a new perspective. The sense of awe that I experienced the first time I saw the Grand Canyon quickly returned. Words don’t do it justice. Neither do pictures. To really get a sense of the scale of the Grand Canyon, you simply have to see it.

I carefully began descending via switchbacks that are carved into the side of the canyon and can accurately be described as engineering masterpieces. I passed the Mile and a Half Resthouse and the Three Mile Resthouse without incident and saw plenty of people along the way – this was a Saturday in May, and there were numerous other people who wanted to explore the Grand Canyon. And I saw the trail to Plateau Point in the distance, remembering one of the most awe-inspiring places I had visited the month before. Finally I arrived at the Indian Garden Campground, where I refilled my Camelbak with the fresh water that is piped in by the National Park Service. The trailhead for Plateau Point is at Indian Garden Campground, but there was no time for that side trip today.

A blooming cactus.

After Indian Garden, I continued descending toward the Colorado River and saw numerous blooming cacti. These are strangely beautiful, with their waxy blooms and surprisingly bright colors. I also began running into trail runners that were doing the Rim-to-Rim run from the North Rim, and people who were hiking Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim from the North Rim. Mid- to late May is one of the optimal times to do this hike, and plenty of people had received the memo. I was among hundreds of people who hiked Rim-to-Rim that day. Making this trip on a Saturday is not recommended if you are in search of solitude.

After 7.5 miles, I finally reached the Colorado River at Pipe Creek Beach. Having taken both trails, I was able to conclude that the views from the South Kaibab Trail are definitely more sweeping than the views from the Bright Angel Trail, but that both make for an awe-inspiring trip into the Grand Canyon. After dipping my hands in the water and taking a selfie, I was back on the trail for the hike to Phantom Ranch, where I planned to have lunch. This section of the hike is very pleasant – the trail undulates along the shores of the Colorado River, giving you plenty of time to contemplate the forces that carved the dramatic canyon. But it was at this point that the magnitude of what was ahead of me – 14.5 more miles of hiking and about 6,000 feet of elevation gain – started to hit me. It made it harder to enjoy the setting.

The Colorado River at the base of the Grand Canyon. Both footbridges are visible.

At 11:30 a.m., I passed the Bright Angel Campground and arrived at Phantom Ranch. Grand Canyon veterans will know that I wasn’t exactly setting a world-record pace, but I was taking care not to antagonize my knees. There were dozens of other hikers at Phantom Ranch at that time, most doing some kind of a Rim-to-Rim or Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim hike and enjoying a lunch that they had packed in or a sack lunch that they had purchased from the Phantom Ranch Canteen. I had spent a night at Phantom Ranch the month before and thoroughly enjoyed this secluded oasis – miles from roads and supplied by mule – that offered meals and beds to campers. It was fun to return, even if it was just for a quick meal and an opportunity to top off my Camelbak.

A section of “The Box.”

After I ate, I continued to the north along the North Kaibab Trail. The trail follows Bright Angel Creek for quite a while and crosses on two bridges while situated in a tight section of Bright Angel Canyon called The Box. Even without the sweeping views, this segment of the hike is pleasant. This section of the trail is a dramatic contrast with the rims, with desert critters (I saw numerous small lizards) and cacti along the route. After a few miles, the canyon opens up and my sense of the scale of the Grand Canyon was quickly rekindled.

The problem is that for eight miles after Phantom Ranch, the elevation gain is very gradual and you gain “only” 2,000 vertical feet as you hike through The Box, pass a short spur trail to Ribbon Falls, pass the Cottonwood Campground (which seemed like it would have been a great place to camp; note that seasonal water is available), and finally arrive at the Pumphouse and the residence for its caretaker. As this was my first Rim-to-Rim hike, I kept wondering when the real work would begin and just how bad it was going to be. I found out when the trail split from the Old Bright Angel Route, took a turn to the northwest, and began gaining elevation very quickly. From this point, you gain 3,700 feet over about four miles. Fortunately, the views distracted me from the misery. This section of the trail is comparatively lush (especially compared to the desert-like segments near Phantom Ranch), with more trees. The colors are also striking. I was taken aback by the deep reds of the canyon walls, particularly their sharp contrast with the trees. It’s a different experience from the base of the canyon, and a different experience from the South Rim.

The climb to the North Rim.

But the elevation gain is relentless, and this section of trail was exhausting. I watched as the rim slowly got closer and closer, stopping near Supai Tunnel for water and finally arriving at the North Kaibab Trailhead after 7 p.m. after surviving a relentless series of switchbacks. I had completed the Rim-to-Rim hike in around 12 hours. I was thrilled with my accomplishment. And I was thrilled to have seen the amazing scenery along the way. My adventure had been challenging and spectacular. As much as I hate to use a bad cliché, it’s a day I’ll never forget.

And, fortunately, my adventure wasn’t over. Trans-Canyon Shuttle generally offers two shuttles per day from the North Rim to the South Rim (one shuttle per day in the second half of October) and I had scheduled the late shuttle (leaving at 2 p.m.) in order to give myself some time to explore the North Rim area. But first I had to get to my cabin. The North Rim Lodge is located about two miles from the North Kaibab Trailhead via the Bridle Trail. While most people would probably ask someone for a ride, I chose to walk. I arrived at the Lodge after sunset, quickly registered, and took a minute to enjoy the view of the Grand Canyon from the great room of the Lodge. It was a postcard view and I was glad I would have some time to explore the next day. I felt that the views from the North Rim were even better than the views from the South Rim, likely helped by the fact that the North Rim sits 1,400 feet higher than the South Rim, but also assisted by favorable topography.

The North Rim Lodge.

I grabbed a sandwich at the Deli in the Pines in the Lodge (there were no reservations available in the dining room) and took it back to my cabin. As I walked back to my cabin, I started to shiver. (Given its higher elevation, the North Rim tends to be considerably cooler than the South Rim, and the evening was brisk). I hurried back to my cabin, turned on the heater, and warmed up. I had no doubt that my body was telling me that it was done for the day. The message was received loud and clear, and it wasn’t long before I went to bed.

The view from Bright Angel Point.

The next morning I headed back to the Lodge to take advantage of the amazing view, then headed out to the Bright Angel Point Trail (which is a half-mile hike, round trip, from the Lodge onto an outcropping above the canyon). Bright Angel Point offers an even better view of the canyon than the Lodge. I was able to retrace much of my route from the day before, as some of the South Kaibab Trail is visible and the area that the Bright Angel Trail passes through is obvious. Bright Angel Point should definitely be one of your first stops if you visit the North Rim.

A view from the Transept Trail.

I then walked to the North Rim Campground via the Transept Trail, a three-mile (roundtrip) route that follows the canyon rim. The trail is reasonably flat and offers numerous points with amazing views from the edge of the canyon. I was certainly sore from the day before, but not excessively so, and I thoroughly enjoyed both of these North Rim hikes.

A Pueblo foundation along the Transept Trail.

After returning to the Lodge via the Transept Trail, I repacked my backpack, checked out of my cabin, and had lunch in the main dining room of the Lodge. The dining room wasn’t busy and I was able to score a table in front of the massive windows that directly overlook the canyon. Enjoying this view while I ate was the perfect way to wrap up my morning at the North Rim. The South Rim Village is bustling, with numerous lodges, massive parking lots, a full bus system, and even a school, as the South Rim is the easiest to get to from Phoenix and Las Vegas. The North Rim, on the other hand, is quiet and laid back, with only one lodge, two restaurants, one campground, and a gas station. The climate is also materially different, as the North Rim’s higher elevation results in lower temperatures. Hiking on the Transept Trail, in fact, reminded me of Yellowstone National Park, with a slight chill in the air (remember that this was in May) and tall evergreens. Rest assured that if you have only been to the South Rim, an entirely different type of adventure awaits you at the North Rim.

Then at 2 p.m. my shuttle left to return to the South Rim via Jacob Lake, Marble Canyon and Cameron. Our driver pointed out many of the sights along the way, and one of the highlights was the view of the Vermillion Cliffs. By around 6 p.m., I was back at my car, thrilled with my trip but sad that it was over. I will never forget my Rim-to-Rim hike.

Note: As I wrote in Part 1, I have only hiked the Grand Canyon twice and don’t claim to have any particular expertise. However, I learned a lot while researching this trip and had a great time, so I am sharing this article in hopes that someone can benefit from my experiences. There are plenty of ways to experience the Grand Canyon and there is no shortage of information online. Remember that what worked for me may not work for you. With that said, here are a few more notes:

• The Park Service bends over backwards to advise people not to hike Rim to Rim in a day, or to hike from the Rim to the Colorado River and back in a day. While I have no doubt that this advice is appropriate for 99 percent of visitors, it obviously doesn’t mean that a Rim-to-Rim hike can’t be done. Whatever adventure you are planning, know your limits and make sure you factor in the variations in weather between the North Rim, South Rim and Phantom Ranch.
• Having hiked down via both the Bright Angel and South Kaibab trails, the views from the South Kaibab Trail definitely are better than the views from the Bright Angel Trail. But the Bright Angel Trailhead is somewhat more accessible and the availability of water along the Bright Angel Trail is a major selling point.
• Service from the Trans-Canyon Shuttle was outstanding. My shuttle left on time and arrived early. The driver made sure to point out notable landmarks along the way and never got tired of our questions.
• Remember that hiking from the South Rim to the North Rim entails 1,400 more feet of elevation gain than hiking from the North Rim to the South Rim. If you have any doubts about whether you are ready for this trip, go from North to South.
• If you don’t want to go all the way to the Colorado River, day hikes to Supai Tunnel (from the North Rim) or to Plateau Point (from the South Rim) are also great options. Even these hikes, however, can be challenging; know your limits.
• Cell coverage at the North Rim is hit and miss. It seemed to be overflow coverage from the South Rim, so don’t expect a strong signal.