Grand Canyon Rim to Rim Hike - RV-Dreams Community Forum

subra1228 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Grand Canyon Rim to Rim Hike

Judy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Go to Google and type in hiking rim to rim grand. You will find endless info there to read on people that have done this. I believe it is 25 miles across when hiking. We met some people that did this at the Canyon one yr and they trained in Utah to do this hike.
southwestjudy

Judy the Other · RV-Dreams Family Member

Depends on the time frame in which you plan to do the hike. If you're not in the 24 hour Rim to Rim crowd, it really shouldn't be a problem for experienced hikers. And watch the time of year.

Dixie · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi Judy,

What a great idea. You will love going down into the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I always felt sorry for the people that stood at the rim looking down and never really saw the most beautiful parts down below.

I have hiked the south rim from S. Kaibab trail to Bright Angel 3 different time and once in one day. Wouldn't recommend the one day trip though.

You will need to do some planning about 6 months in advance for doing the trip during the better time of year. You will need permits and coordinate your days and campsites.

If it were me I would start at the S. Kaibab trail (South Rim). Spend the first night or two at the Phantom Ranch campground or in the cabins if you want. Then I would hike to the top of the North Rim and stay 2 nights, then back down to Phantom Ranch campground stay 2 nights and up the Bright Angel and stay at Indian Springs? which is half way up Bright Angel and stay there a night or 2. Then you can hike out on the Bright Angel to the top in one long day. The reason I say to spend the night at least one night or 2 is because your legs n feet will be sore and there are a lot of beautiful places to see close to each campground. You can take +_six hours going down to the bottom and that is hard on the legs. Call the Backcountry office at the Grand Canyon South Rim and they will tell you all about it. Be sure to plan ahead and make reservations. I faxed mine.

Hope this helps.

Melanie

subra1228 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks, Melanie. It hadn't occurred to me that we should spend a few days at various campgrounds. We were planning to spent a night at Phantom Ranch, but now will perhaps plan to spend more time along the way as well.

Again, thank you,
Suzanne
www.campingandtravels.com

Dixie · RV-Dreams Family Member

You can decide what you want to do and it all depends on the amount of time you have to spend. That is just the way I would plan it the next time. Make sure you don't go in the spring or whenever there are flash floods because you will be hiking in real narrow canyons on the North Kaibab trail and you will have no place to go. People die getting caught in the flash floods and end up downstream in the Colorado. Taking the trip from the south rim to the North rim and back to the south rim, you won't have to figure out how you are going to get back to where you started by car. They are a long way away from each other by road.

I believe everytime I went was in September or October.

We are putting our house up for sale in May and hope to sell it by October:)

Then we are going to go fulltime and one of the places I look forward to going it the North Rim.

I have a picture on our wall here that my husband took of a small canyon that jets off of the N. Kaibab trail, just north of the phantom ranch. There is a very big waterfall coming down off the very top and greenery every where. You can climb up half way and go behind the waterfall. Just a beautiful place people miss from the top looking down.

Melanie

subra1228 · RV-Dreams Family Member

We hiked in the North Rim a few years ago & at that time thought about a rim to rim hike. Now that we're in the south rim (woke to 17 degrees this morning - brrrrr!!!), we're thinking about it again, but this time with a plan. =)

Now that we've learned a bit - we'll definitely do the hike over the course of a few days. Also plan to check with the backcountry folks while we're here & see what else we need to do.

You'll like the north rim - very different than the south rim.

Well, off to hike today!
Happy Travels & thanks again,
Suzanne
http://www.campingandtravels.com