10 Amazing Grand Canyon Hikes
This famously challenging hikers’ paradise actually offers a whole lot for everyone else.
Grand Canyon National Park just kicked off its centennial celebration year, and now with its peak spring and summer months upon us, all signs point to 2019 being an epic time to hike one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Where to start in the massive 277-mile-long chasm that’s actually the same size as Rhode Island? We chatted with Arizona Outback Adventures’ longtime Grand Canyon guide Annemarie Kruse and narrowed the routes down to the 10 most picturesque hikes to do this year, plus who they’re best for and when to go (note that the high alpine North Rim is only open from May 15 to October 15, 2019). “There’s a little bit of something for everyone and a pretty good range of options,” says Kruse, so whether you want to flip-flop it to a killer viewpoint or backpack for days in remote Havasupai lands, we’ve got you covered.
Cape Royal Viewpoint
Where: North Rim (open May 15–Oct. 15 only)
Best time to do the hike: Sunrise, especially from July to September (monsoon season) for incredible cloud drama
Distance: .6 miles (round-trip) from the parking lot
Highlight from the trail: Sweeping views to the eastern edge of the Canyon, and out toward the rocky badlands of the Painted Desert and Navajo Nation
Best for: Beginners who want an easy morning win with memorable sunrise views
Horseshoe Bend
Where: Just five miles outside of the national park, near Page, Arizona; a two-hour drive from the South Rim
Best time to do the hike: March, especially at sunset
Distance: 1.5 miles (round-trip)
Highlight from the trail: Looking over the uniquely U-shaped—and totally Instafamous—curve of the Colorado River, where it has sliced deep into sandstone and earth
Best for: Beginners who also want a reason to recreate at nearby Lake Powell and Antelope Canyon
Desert View
Where: At the eastern entrance to the South Rim
Best time to do the hike: Peak summer months of June through August, when most of the park’s crowds drive right past this viewpoint
Distance: a .75-mile round-trip walk from the parking lot
Highlight from the trail: Climbing to the top of the ancestral Pueblan-inspired stone Watchtower designed by architect Mary Colter for beautiful views of the Colorado River and Painted Desert
Best for: Beginners and non-hikers seeking top-of-the-Canyon panoramas
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Kolb Studio via the South Rim Trail
Where: South Rim
Best time to do the hike: September, when air conditioning offers a respite from the heat and the Grand Canyon Conservancy’s annual Celebration of Art kicks off (Sept. 11–Jan. 7). Nearby Lookout Studio (pictured) also affords views (and a gift shop, naturally)
Distance: 2.5 miles one-way from the Grand Canyon visitor’s center (take the free shuttle back to your car)
Highlight from the trail: Passing through the Trail of Time with its geology exhibits en route to the perilously perched Kolb brothers’ photography gallery built in 1905, now a hub for artists exhibiting works inspired by the Canyon
Best for: Beginners with a penchant for art and human history
Havasu Falls
Where: A three-and-a-half-hour drive from the South Rim
Best time to do the hike: June and July in the heat of the summer, if only for better odds in scoring the coveted permits that sell out within hours on February 1.
Distance: 20 miles out and back from the trailhead to Havasu Falls or a minimum of 30 miles total over the Havasupai tribe’s required four-day stay
Highlight from the trail: Being a kid again with days spent hiking to up to six different waterfalls—including Instafamous Havasu Falls—and cooling off in spring-fed, cobalt-blue pools on a remote Havasupai Indian reservation reachable only by trail
Best for: Experts ready to hike 10+ miles a day, carry their own gear and camp beneath the stars
Grand Canyon Lodge via the Transept Trail
Where: North Rim (open May 15–Oct. 15 only)
Best time to do the hike: September–October to walk amid changing, fiery-colored aspen groves
Distance: 4 miles round-trip
Highlight from the trail: Hiking directly from the popular lodge to the edge of the Canyon, alternating between dense woodlands and killer cliffside views of the Transept tributary and Bright Angel Canyon
Best for: Beginners looking to get their feet wet hiking at North Rim’s high elevation
Toroweap Overlook
Where: North Rim (open May 15–Oct. 15 only)
Best time to do the hike: May–June, before the muddy monsoon season
Distance: 2 miles round-trip from Tuweep Campground
Highlight from the trail: Backcountry vibes off the tourist map and the chance to stare down the edge of an abrupt gorge and a 3,000-foot sheer drop, the tallest in the Grand Canyon
Best for: Any level of hiker prepared for the rough drive (a high-profile vehicle is a must) and craving a rugged, remote option
Ken Patrick Trail to Point Imperial
Where: North Rim (open May 15–Oct. 15 only)
Best time to do the hike: June for spring wildflowers
Distance: 5.4 miles round-trip
Highlight from the trail: Hiking through a wooded alpine climate to the highest overlook point on the North Rim at 8,803 feet
Best for: Intermediate hikers who prefer minimal elevation changes
Bright Angel Trail to Indian Garden Campground
Where: South Rim
Best time to do the hike: October to December for minimal crowds, color-changing cottonwoods, and a festive finish with holiday cocktails on the veranda of the El Tovar Hotel
Distance: 9 miles round-trip
Highlight from the trail: Descending into Native American history with rock pictographs en route to the turnaround point of Indian Garden campground, a lush, creek-fed oasis once farmed by the Havasupai
Best for: Intermediate hikers who want a solid introductory descent into the canyon
South Kaibab Trail to Skeleton Point
Where: South Rim
Best time to do the hike: November–October, or anytime but April, when high winds can overcome this exposed hike
Distance: 6 miles round-trip
Highlight from the trail: A quick, switchback-laden descent that opens up to a ridge and 360-degree panoramas with views to the North Rim, across the river corridor to the east and west and then, from Skeleton Point, a rewarding perch about 1,000 feet above the rarely spied Colorado River
Best for: Experts looking for jaw-dropping views of the canyon and the river below