Best Hikes

We are travelling to the Grand Canyon in July and have 2 nights booked at GC hotels within the park at both South and North rims . What half day hikes would be best for enthusiastic 40 somethings who don%26#39;t want to end up taking on more than they can achieve ?

Best Hikes

At South Rim you can ride the shuttle to Hermit%26#39;s Rest and hike back. This is all level and mostly along the rim. You could also do a little of the Bright Angel. On North Rim there is also a rim trail or the North Kaibab to Supai Tunnel. My only misgivings about recommending trails that go INTO the canyon is in July the weather will be very hot and the farther in you go, the hotter it gets. If you are not seasoned hikers, this may be dangerous for you. I would stay along the rim and enjoy.

Best Hikes

South Kaibab down to Ooh-Ahh Point and back is a good half day hike if you%26#39;re looking for something to stretch the calf muscles a bit more. Get a dawn start if you%26#39;re going in July, and carry plenty of water; there%26#39;s none on the trail. I start with 3 litres in my backpack whenever I hike the Canyon, to be on the safe side.

If you both are in good shape and don%26#39;t mind getting up early you could do a hike into the canyon from both the North and South rim.

As the previous post suggests, it can be hot during the timeframe you are visiting. The North rim is about 1000 feet higher in elevation than the South rim therefore it will be cooler.

At the North rim I recommend hiking the North Kaibab trail down to Supai Tunnel or no further than the Redwall Bridge. Some people do a day hike down to Roaring Springs but this would be more like a full day. There is water and restrooms available at Supai Tunnel and Roaring Springs.

Distances are 2 miles to tunnel, 3 miles to Redwall and 5 miles to Roaring Springs. Elevation losses are 1400, 2200 and 3000 feet.

At the South rim I would choose the South Kaibab trail which follows a ridge into the canyon. The views are more open and impressive. The trailhead will have to be reached by a shuttle which is not a problem as long as you can read the bus schedule.

Hike down to Cedar Ridge which is about a 1 1/2 mile hike with a loss in elevation of 1100 feet or so. There is no water at Cedar Ridge, only a restroom. There is a water spigot near the shuttle drop off area, fill up here before you venture down the trail. You won%26#39;t be disappointed on this short hike.

Remember........... You';ll have to hike back out too. Some people say it takes twice as long to ascend as it does to descend. I actually make better times coming out than going down.

Have a great trip and remember it gets hotter the further you descend into the canyon. Some people believe it gets cooler, but that is not the case.

HI,

There is also a hike at the North Rim at Point Imperial which does not go below the rim but along the top of the rim. Some amazing views here. You can walk as long and as far as you want and then just turn around and walk back. It%26#39;s also the highest point on the North Rim! There%26#39;s also Coconino Overlook on the North Kaibab Trail that%26#39;s approx 1 mile down and is beautiful.

On the South Rim, you can walk down the Bright Angel Trail to either the 1 1/2 or 3 mile rest stops. It will be harder coming up and will probably take you twice as long. Be prepared for the heat and carry PLENTY of water!

Enjoy

SJG

Thanks for all of your suggestions . As an aside where would you say the best place to watch sunrise / sunset is ?

The whole place, just pick a spot and enjoy!

SJG