Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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and from here you can catch a shuttle bus back to the village. Alternatively, you could
start hiking from Grand Canyon Village (it's just more than 8 miles from the west end
of the village to Hermit's Rest) or any of the seven shuttle-bus stops en route, or take the
shuttle all the way to Hermit's Rest and then hike back.
If you're looking for an easy hike and want to leave the crowds behind, then consider
the short walk to
Shoshone Point.
The route to this secluded overlook (actually a reserv-
able group picnic area) is along a flat dirt road that makes this a good bet for a family
walk (just keep a tight rein on the kids once you get to the canyon rim, as there are no
fences here). There are no signs for Shoshone Point, so you'll have to watch for the small
dirt parking area and gate on the north side of the road at mile marker 246. You can't
drive in without a permit, and if the gate is open, it usually means that a group is using
the site. If this is the case, you'll probably want to skip this hike. You'll find the parking
area 19 miles west of the Desert View entrance to the park and 2.3 miles east of the
Grand Canyon Village end of Desert View Drive.
The
Bright Angel Trail,
which starts just west of Bright Angel Lodge in Grand Can-
yon Village, is the most popular trail into the canyon because it starts right where the
greatest number of park visitors tend to congregate (near the ice-cream parlor and the
hotels). It is also the route used by mule riders headed down into the canyon. Bear in
mind that this trail follows a narrow side canyon for several miles and thus has somewhat
limited views. For these reasons, this trail is worth avoiding if you're on foot. On the
other hand, it's the only maintained trail into the canyon that has potable water, and
there are four destinations along the trail that make good turnaround points. Both 1
1
/
2
Mile Resthouse (1,131 ft. below the rim) and 3 Mile Resthouse (2,112 ft. below the rim)
have water (except in winter, when the water is turned off ). Keep in mind that these rest
houses take their names from their distance from the rim; if you hike to 3 Mile Rest-
house, you still have a 3-mile hike back up. Destinations for longer day hikes include
Indian Garden (9 miles round-trip) and Plateau Point (12 miles round-trip), which are
both slightly more than 3,000 feet below the rim. There is year-round water at Indian
Garden.
The
South Kaibab Trail
begins near Yaki Point east of Grand Canyon Village
and is the preferred route down to Phantom Ranch. This trail also offers the best views
of any of the trails into the canyon, so should you have time for only one day hike, make
it the South Kaibab Trail. From the trail head, it's 3 miles round-trip to Cedar Ridge and
6 miles round-trip to Skeleton Point. The hike is very strenuous, and no water is available
along the trail.
If you're looking to escape the crowds and are an experienced mountain or desert hiker
with good, sturdy boots, consider the unmaintained
Hermit Trail,
which begins at Her-
mit's Rest, 8 miles west of Grand Canyon Village at the end of Hermit Road. It's a 5-mile
round-trip hike to Santa Maria Spring on a trail that loses almost all of its elevation
(1,600-1,700 ft.) in the first 1.5 miles. Beyond Santa Maria Spring, the Hermit Trail
descends to the Colorado River, but it is a 17-mile hike, one-way, from the trail head.
Alternatively, you can do a 7-mile round-trip hike to Dripping Springs. Water from these
two springs must be treated with a water filter, iodine, or purification tablets, or by boil-
ing for at least 10 minutes, so you're better off just carrying sufficient water for your hike.
March through November, Hermit Road is closed to private vehicles, so during these
months, you'll need to take the free shuttle bus out to the trail head. If you take the first
bus of the day, you'll likely have the trail almost all to yourself.
The
Grandview Trail,
which begins at Grandview Point 12 miles east of Grand Can-
yon Village, is another steep and unmaintained trail that's a good choice for physically fit
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