Grand canyon how long to hike down

Drivers must yield to shuttle buses and observe posted speed limits. If you have only one vehicle, it is best to park it near the trailhead where you exit the canyon.

Be sure not to drive off-road, block another vehicle, or otherwise obstruct traffic when you park. Valuables should be secured out of sight in a trunk if possible , glove compartments left open for inspection and the vehicle locked. On the South Rim, the Bright Angel Lodge offers a storage service for valuables for a fee on a space available basis.

The service is arranged from above the rim only. Visit the Bright Angel Lodge transportation desk after you arrive at the park. A: A good place to start would be the Grand Canyon Conservancy bookstore. It is fair to say that most of our backpackers would like to visit the canyon without seeing other people on the trails and in the campsites. Most of the canyon offers visitors the chance to have a very remote wilderness experience.

However, if you have never hiked the Grand Canyon you should consider the Corridor trails for your first visit. The Corridor has been very popular for over a century because it offers the most dramatic views of the most familiar monuments. Here a hiker can enter the deepest exposed rock layers of the Inner Gorge and cross the Colorado River to the north side.

A: There are very few. Not all campsites have toilet facilities. Be prepared to provide your own toilet paper. Where toilets are available, you must use them. Only human waste and toilet paper should be deposited in the toilets. Along the Colorado River, urinate directly into the wet sand at the river's edge.

A: A map is essential for planning a trip and staying oriented during your hike. Overnight hikers on the Corridor trails will be able to hike safely with the general map they will get with their permit but topographic maps are needed anywhere else. Grand Canyon topographic maps are available for purchase from the Grand Canyon Conservancy. A: When hiking the Grand Canyon, it is desirable to travel as light as is reasonable. Even though it is a desert, it does rain occasionally in the canyon.

Rain is most likely to occur in July and August and during the winter months. A tent can offer protection from rain. During summer consider taking a lighter sleeping bag or even a sheet to save weight if you decide to carry a tent. Another option is to take only the rain fly or a bivy sack as shelter. During winter, tents are desirable equipment.

A: You need to balance the weight of a stove and fuel against your desire for hot meals. During the heat of summer, cold meals are often more attractive. During cold weather, a stove may be important for survival. Fires are prohibited throughout the backcountry.

A: In warm months each hiker should carry and drink about a gallon 4 liters of water per day. Watch your "ins and outs". Drink enough so that urine frequency, clarity, and volume are normal. You are not drinking enough water if your urine is dark, small in quantity, or non-existent in the course of a day's hiking.

In addition, eating adequate amounts of food will help you replace the electrolytes salts that you are sweating. Because the inner canyon air is so dry and hot, sweat evaporates instantly making its loss almost imperceptible. Do not wait until you start feeling thirsty to start replacing lost fluid.

By the time you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated! Your body can absorb only about one quart of fluid per hour. Drink one-half to one full quart of water or sports drink each and every hour you are hiking in the heat. Carry your water bottle in your hand and drink small amounts often. A: Purified drinking water is only available at a few locations in the canyon along the Corridor trails.

NOTE: all pipelines in the canyon are subject to breaks at any time of year, cutting off water supplies. Always carry water with you. Visit the Backcountry Updates and Closures page for current information on the availability of drinking water along the Corridor trails.

For other locations, water may be obtained directly from the Colorado River, creeks, and potholes, but must be treated before drinking. Be aware that many water sources in the canyon are intermittent and unreliable. A: There are three common methods for treating water: boiling, iodine tablets, and filters. Because of occasional pipeline failures, it is a good idea to be prepared with one of these methods even when hiking Corridor trails.

Hikers should also be prepared to let high sediment loads from the Colorado River settle out overnight during spring floods. A: Plenty. Eating is equally important to both day hikers and overnight backpackers. Carry high-energy, salty snacks as well as meals. The hike out is much easier when you provide your body with enough calories to support the extreme physical activity you are engaged in. Unlike other hiking trails on this list though the Havasupai Trail is actually not in the Grand Canyon National Park and instead is located in the Havasupai Indian Reservation.

Also, day hikes to the Havasu Falls are not permitted and overnight backpacking or mule riding is required to see the Havasu Falls. To hike the 10 miles to the Havasu Falls along the Havasupai Trail it should take approximately 5 hours depending on your pace. Remember though that this is an out and back trail so in order to hike the entirety of the trail and return back to the trailhead, you will actually have to hike 20 miles which should take approximately 10 to 12 hours of hiking to complete.

Remember though that you cannot day hike this trail and you must camp overnight near the Havasu Falls before hiking back out. Another popular trail located on the North Rim is the Widforss Trail named after Gunnar Widforss who was renowned for his watercolor paintings of the Grand Canyon. This trail does not hike down into the canyon and instead hikes along the North Rim itself with very little elevation change making it a great hike for beginners.

The Widforss Trail offers amazing views of the Grand Canyon from the North Rim, before heading into a shaded forest area of ponderosas along the trail until finally popping out again at the canyon at Widforss Point. The out and back Widforss Trail has a length of 5 miles making the round trip 10 miles, allowing most hikers to complete the hike in about 5 hours depending on their pace and how often they stop for pictures and photo ops.

Cape Final Trail is a great beginner trail to get your hiking legs under you before you move on to more challenging hikes at the Grand Canyon.

The Cape Final Trail is located along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and follows along an old abandoned service road making the trail very easy to follow with very little elevation change. The trail starts out by hiking through a wooded area before opening up and reach Cape Final which offers amazing and breathtaking views of the Grand Canyon from the North Rim.

With a total round trip distance of about 4 miles, the Cape Final Trail is one of the shorter and easier trails at the Grand Canyon, allowing most hikers to complete the trail in about 2 hours. If your looking for a less traveled trail that also hikes to the Colorado River from the South Rim the Hermit Trail is a great trail to consider. However, this trail is very rugged and steep and should only be hiked by seasoned hikers that are familiar with difficult trails and substantial elevation change.

As with other hiking trails at the Grand Canyon that hike to the Colorado River from the rim it is not recommended that you try and day hike the entire Hermit Trail and instead use one of the popular turn-around points located along the trail such as Santa Maria Spring.

Hermit Trail is an out and back trail that hikes from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon all the way to the Colorado River that usually takes around 4 to 5 hours to hike one way. Indian Wells approximately halfway down the trail also make it a great turning point for day hikers, who should still carry a stocked day pack , food, and water even if they plan to return to the Rim same day. The National Park Serves strongly advises against trying to hike all the way to the river and back out in one day.

While the South Kaibab Trail is the shortest route 6. Typically, it takes most hikers between four and five hours to get to the river no matter which trail they choose.

On average, it takes hikers seven to eight hours to get back out. A good rule of thumb is to double the amount of time it took you to get down when calculating how long it will take you to hike back out. Backcountry permits can be obtained in person at the Backcountry Information Center up to four months before your hike. The items you pack depends on when you go and whether you overnight. No water west of Bright Angel Lodge. By using the shuttle buses, you can customize your hike to meet your needs.

Part of the trail is paved and accessible. Some shade. Seasonal water subject to pipeline breaks. Upper portion of the trail may be extremely icy in winter or early spring. Access to the trailhead is by shuttle bus Kaibab Trail Route. Offers day hikes that range in distance up to 6 miles round trip. Best views for a relatively short hike. Steep trail, no water, little shade. Water available seasonally at the trailhead. Unmaintained steep trail requires caution. Begins feet west of Hermits Rest.

Water from springs must be treated before drinking. For experienced desert hikers. Hiking boots recommended. Begins on canyon side of retaining wall at Grandview Point on Desert View Drive 12 miles east of village. Bright Angel Point Trail 0. A short walk on a paved trail to a spectacular view of the canyon. The trail begins at the log shelter in the parking area by the visitor center or at the corner of the back porch behind the lodge.

Self-guiding nature trail pamphlets are available from a box along the trail. Transept Trail 3. Pets on leash and bicycles are permitted on this hard-packed trail.