Grand Canyon Hike: South Kaibab Trail - Tonto Trail West - Bright Angel Trail

About three-quarters of a mile after beginning your descent on the South Kaibab Trail, you'll come to this aptly named point, which got its title from hikers who turn to the west and say, "Ooh," then turn to the east and follow that up with an "Aah." (Or vice versa)

As mentioned, the South Kaibab trail is well-maintained by the Park, but it's relatively steep in places and, being a ridge trail, is exposed to the sun the whole way down all day long. So this is an especially hot trail in the summer months, and there's no water available at all. For this reason, the South Kaibab is not the ascending trail of choice when hiking back to the rim from the river. The majority of hikers prefer to descend the South Kaibab and ascend the longer Bright Angel Trail to the west, which offers more shade and opportunities to refill your water bottles.

At 1.5 miles down from the rim on the South Kaibab Trail, you'll reach a large, flat area called Cedar Ridge, where you'll find an outhouse and good places to take a load off and rest for a bit while taking in the view. This is another popular turn-around point for a shorter day-hike.

At 3 miles from the rim, you'll reach Skeleton Point.

The junction of the South Kaibab Trail and Tonto Trail is located 4.4 miles from the rim, just before the Tipoff, where the South Kaibab Trail leaves the Tonto Plateau for the descent to the Colorado River. Here you'll find a solar-powered outhouse for your convenience before you turn to the west.

About a quarter-mile beyond this junction (on the South Kaibab Trail), there's an emergency phone on the east side of the trail.

If you're doing this 13-mile dayhike, you're going to turn to the west on the Tonto Trail. Except for a couple of glimpses, you won't see the Colorado River on this hike.

The 4.6-mile section of the Tonto Trail between the South Kaibab and Bright Angel trails is the most heavily traveled portion of this east-west trail and the easiest to follow, due to the number of people who tread on it. Camping along the Tonto Trail is allowed by permit only and only at certain use areas, but there is little water available. Your best bet is Pipe Creek, but check with the backcountry office to see if it's running. And always filter water from backcountry sources that don't come from potable water spickets, such as those on the Bright Angel Trail.

I recommend wearing long pants -- such as convertible pants, so you can remove the bottom portions later -- while hiking on the Tonto. While this particular section isn't as overgrown as other parts of the Tonto Trail, you can get quite scraped up by the brush if you wear shorts.

Also, heat is extreme on the exposed Tonto Trail during the late spring to early fall, so if you really want to hike across parts of the Tonto Platform during that time of year, hike early or hike late and carry a LOT of water -- more than you think you'll need.

About two miles from the junction of the South Kaibab Trail and the Tonto Trail, you'll come to Pipe Canyon and little Pipe Creek. A short detour from the Tonto Trail will bring you to this nice spot for a rest and snack or lunch break. A short distance further, you come to the pour-off.

Offering bunkhouses and cabins, Phantom Ranch is the only lodging below the rim of Grand Canyon. There is also a canteen where meals, beverages, and sundries are available. No backcountry permit is required, but reservations must be made -- usually far in advance -- through Xanterra. Reservations are accepted up to 13 months in advance.

After crossing the Colorado River via suspension bridge and half a mile before reaching Phantom Ranch, you'll come to Bright Angel Campground. Unlike Phantom Ranch, which is operated by a concessionaire, Bright Angel Campground is run by the Park Service, so a backcountry permit is required to stay here.

Phantom Ranch is located 10 miles from the Bright Angel Trailhead and 7 miles from the So. Kaibab Trailhead. Guests can access Phantom Ranch and Bright Angel Campground on foot, by mule or by boat.

Nine miles from the start of your hike, you'll reach the end of the Tonto Trail section and the oasis in the desert, called Indian Gardens. Here, you'll find shade ramadas, potable water year-round, a ranger station, mule corrals, and a campground. You can also dip your feet and cool off in Garden Creek.

If you can get a permit to camp at Indian Gardens, this is a great way to break this hike up into two days (or more). From Indian Gardens, you can make the 3-mile, round-trip, easy hike out to Plateau Point, where you can look down another 1,000 feet to the Colorado River.

From Indian Gardens, you have 4.6 miles and nearly 3,000 feet of elevation gain on the Bright Angel Trail to reach the South Rim. There are two rest houses at 3 miles and 1.5 miles from the rim, and potable water available seasonally (from May thru September) at each. Check with the Grand Canyon backcountry office to be sure if the water is on or off. There are also outhouses located at these points.

When my friends and I did this hike in late April, lots of different kinds and colors of wildflowers were beginning to bloom, some of them popping out of the tiniest cracks and crevices.

There are approximately 650 herbaceous wildflowers found in Grand Canyon National Park, including the following (Click on the names to see photos of these flowers):

White flowers:

• sacred datura
  
• evening primrose
  
• tidy fleabane
  
• yarrow
  
• baby white aster
  
• desert tobacco
  
• watercress
  
• white violet

• broom snakeweed
  
• yellow ragweed
  
• hymenopapus
  
• groundcherry
  
• common mullein
  
• Hooker's primrose
  
• blanket flower

• globe mallow
  
• red columbine
  
• skyrocket
  
• penstemon
  
• Indian paintbrush
  
• crimson monkeyflower

• Rocky Mountain bee plant
  
• fleabane
  
• Palmer lupine
  
toadflax penstemon

• Grand Canyon phacelia
  
• Rocky Mountain iris

This Grand Canyon cactus flower image is available on my Zazzle store, Ramkitten's Adventure Emporium, as a print, card and mousepad.