It’s not a secret to many hikers that acquiring permits for backpacking trips in the Grand Canyon has become an intensely competitive process with thousands of requests arriving every month and many people leaving empty-handed. One of the reasons for this is the overwhelming focus by many on “The Corridor” which comprises the most moderate – and most popular – trails in the Canyon. For this hiking review I’m going to focus on an equally beautiful area with much more solitude and one tenth the permit competition. We call it the Horseshoe Mesa, Hance Creek and Colorado River Adventure.

Beginning at Grandview Trailhead, you’ll descend the Grandview Trail for 3 steep miles on a maintained trail. This trail is aptly named for it’s amazing views of a large expanse of the Canyon as well as distant view of the Colorado River snaking its way from the east.

This trail was built by Pete Barry, one of the Canyon’s original entrepreneurs. He began mining, but even after finding some of the richest copper ore in the world, the transportation costs of getting the ore out ate up his profits. He eventually turned to tourism, even building a small lodge on the rim (which is no longer there). Horseshoe Mesa still boasts some amazing relics from the Pete Barry era, including his old cabin and an array of old, rusty mining machinery.

At the Mesa you’ll see a trail cutting to the right (east) and that’s the one you want to get down to Miners Spring and/or Hance Creek (2 of the 3 closest water sources). I recommend going all the way to Hance Creek the first day, which will take you another mile and a half past the Mesa, for a total of 4.5 miles of hiking that day.

The drop off the Mesa down to Hance Creek is steep and rugged and should be traveled with caution. There are some spots where tripping is not an option. Hance Creek is a beautiful oasis in the desert, with a perennial flow of spring-fed, clear water makes for excellent camping.

I recommend spending two nights here at Hance Creek and making a day trip to the Colorado River on your layover day, which is approximately 13 miles round trip. It’s a long day but totally doable. Hance Rapid is a breathtaking area of the Colorado River, decorated by the famous Red Canyon – one of the most beautiful layers in the Canyon.

From here you can exit via the New Hance Trail, but I recommend camping the last night on Horseshoe Mesa. Start by circling around beneath Horseshoe Mesa on the Tonto Trail to Cottonwood Creek. Fill up your water here, with plenty for the night and the next day because there’s no water on the Mesa. Set up camp and go check out Cave of the Domes, which is the only cave in Grand Canyon National Park that guests are allowed into. Hike along the western edge of the Mesa until you come to the point where the last major ridge coming down off the butte in the center of the Mesa meets the trail. Keep an eye out to your left for a thin path that leads to the cave. It’s at the end of one of the major gullies that drains off the Mesa on the western edge. Bring headlamps along and be sure to turn them off to experience some absolute darkness (can’t even see your hand waving in front of your face).

The last day will take you back up to the Grandview Trailhead at the South Rim, where you’ll fully deserve the shower and all-you-can-eat buffet that I’m sure will await you. Enjoy!

Thanks to  Scott Cundy, owner of The Wildland Trekking Company, for this report. For more info on  Grand Canyon hiking tours be sure to check out his company’s website.  Then you can book your next adventure.
www.wildlandtrekking.com

The National Park Service recommends the 3-miles resthouse as a good turn around spot, but if you continue in the summer it’s highly recommended that you turn around at the Indian Garden at 4.6 miles (making a 9.2 mile round trip).

I hiked this trail a few years ago and still have good dreams about the canyon.  If you’ve seen the Grand Canyon you understand why I say that it can’t be described in words or truly shown in pictures.  If you haven’t been to the Grand Canyon I suggest this day hike as a way to experience this natural wonder.

Pros and Cons of Hiking the Bright Angel Trail

Pros:

Amazing views
Well maintained
Provides some areas of shade
Water available (seasonally at some resthouses)
Easy walk down

Cons:

Busy
You still should carry water as it’s limited and not always available
Difficult walk back up (don’t forget about this as you stroll deeper and deeper into the canyon.)

Hiking Tips for the Bright Angel Trail

Carry water bottle or Camelbak
Be physically prepared / in shape
Wear comfortable but sturdy shoes or hiking boots
Bring moleskins for blisters
Bring extra socks in summer
Layer your clothing as it can be cool if you start early, but can quickly become hot
Wear a broad brimmed hat, carry sunglasses, and sunscreen

Photo by Peter Stevens

If you have a hiking trip report about hiking the Grand Canyon, or just a picture or two you want to share, let us know so others can enjoy and learn from your experience.

Every American (okay, every human for that matter) owes it to him/herself to head to Arizona and visit the Grand Canyon at least once in their lifetimes. It’s truly amazing to see how a little trickle of water eventually turned into the Colorado River, which eventually carved out the Grand Canyon.

You can approach your trip to the Grand Canyon in a couple different ways. One way is to stay within the park at one of the lodges on the South Rim and take time to experience all the different things the park has to offer. The other way is to stay in one of the surrounding Arizona towns and take a day trip to the Grand Canyon for a “hit and run” view of the Canyon. Both have their plusses.

The part of the Grand Canyon The South Rim is the part of the Grand Canyon most people are familiar with. It sits on the Arizona side and can be accessed all year round. The North Rim is closed from mid-October to mid-May, and is not as visited as the South Rim.

The benefit of staying within the park is the ability to take your time to view the magnificent Canyon from different viewing points, which you can access by walking the rim trail or taking a shuttle from point to point. For those of you staying for several days, a trip to the Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon would be a lovely addition, though the drive is about 4 – 5 hours long. For those not wanting to drive, there is a shuttle which provides rim to rim service from mid-May to Mid-October.

For those staying on the South Rim, there are numerous trails down the canyon, as well as a trail along the top of the Canyon called the “Rim Trail.” If you’re staying in one of the lodges and are planning a day hike into the inner Canyon, just be aware that you probably cannot make it down and back in one day. As a matter of fact, each year around 250 people are rescued from the inner Canyon, the majority of whom are able-bodied young men between the ages of 18 to 40 who attempted to hike down and back in one ay. Don’t be one of them. A good day hike would be a couple hours down and then back up. The hike up will take longer than the hike down. Also, be sure to wear good hiking shoes as some trails can be very rocky.

Some people choose to hike down one day and either camp at the bottom or stay in the Phantom Ranch. Be aware, however, that you have to make arrangements well in advance of your trip if you choose to stay at the bottom. Campers require a backcountry permit, and Phantom Ranch is usually booked months ahead. Permits are sometimes available on that day, but why risk it? For reservations at the Phantom Ranch, you can call 888-297-2757.

Some people prefer to stay outside the park and visit the Canyon for a few hours and move on. There are numerous areas in Northern Arizona where one can stay and take a side trip to the Grand Canyon, such as Sedona and Flagstaff. While such locations are still lengthy drives (an hour from Flagstaff, two from Sedona), it’s still close enough for a day trip. Both Sedona and Flagstaff are lovely places to stay, with Sedona being the most ‘touristy” of the two towns. Flagstaff, to me, is the quirkier of the two, perhaps because it is a “university town,” home to Northern Arizona University.

Sedona and Flagstaff are also visually different. Flagstaff is surrounded by a pine forest, while Sedona is in “red rock” country. Sedona abounds with numerous high-end resorts, galleries and expensive eateries. Flagstaff is cheaper all-around, with inexpensive lodging and restaurants. Both are close enough for a day trip to the Grand Canyon.

Of course, you can always opt for an even quicker bus tour, hopping from one tourist stop to the next. But, why not take a cue from that little trickle of water which started it all? Take your time and enjoy the view.

About the Author:
Diane McCalley is an accountant, avid traveler and creator of www.thetravelerscompanion.com, where you can learn about such things as vacation cabins which are pet friendly.

One of the best places in America to see fall leaves is the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina.  Millions of people visit this National Park each year and for good reason.  It is beautiful.  And not just in the fall, but year round.  Back in college we would travel from Young Harris to Gatlinburg twice each winter.  A couple hundred of my favorite college students would cram into a rented hotel or condo and spend the weekend enjoying the town and the Great Smokey Mountains that bordered Gatlinburg.  Later I went to Gatlinburg in the fall and realized that the region was even more beautiful during its fall foliage peak.

The leaves in the Great Smoky Mountains will first change at the higher elevations, above 3500 feet.  These leaves can best be seen in the first week of October.  The next phases of fall color can be seen throughout October and into early November.  Most of the leaves have usually dropped by mid-November and it starts to get cold in the higher elevations by this time.

One of my favorite fall trips is to start in Asheville, North Carolina and work my way through the mountains to Cherokee, North Carolina and then take the Blue Ridge Scenic Highway to Gatlinburg.  Both Cherokee and Gatlinburg are a cheesy, but they are also really fun places for kids or to take a break after a hike.  Speaking of hiking – check out the trails around Clingman’s Dome Road (at the TN and NC state lines on the Blue Ridge Pkwy).