Hi Terrie,

It’s always good to hear from you. You ask a good question about when the North Rim will reopen in the wake of the Dragon Bravo fire this year and I have not heard an answer to it yet. On top of that, the president is proposing historically deep cuts to the National Park Service, which appear likely to severely impact the ability of parks to keep up with routine maintenance. I don’t know whether the Nankoweap trailhead area was affected by the fire. And who knows when the current government shutdown will end and recreation.gov will resume accepting backcountry permit reservations.

At times like this, though, I think the best strategy is to closely monitor when permit reservations reopen and jump on making yours as soon as that happens (if it’s not too early to make a reservation for your dates). And if you have to cancel a reservation, you’ll get all or most of the cost refunded, anyway.

Good luck. Thanks for the comment.

Hi Tom,

I’d say the first week of June is pushing the season and you will likely encounter pretty hot temps, but with smart planning and strategies like hiking very early and late in the day and likely hunkering down in any shade by water you can find during the hot middle hours of the day, it can work. Definitely don’t go to the canyon then expecting fairly comfortable temps; daytime highs are likely to be in the 90s in the inner canyon. My advice would be to pick another place that’s higher in the Southwest or farther north, but if you’re ready for the canyon’s heat, you’ll probably be fine.

Good luck.

I’m glad you did some smart research on that route and concluded that you’re comfortable with it, Irena. That’s exactly how to handle those decisions about trip planning. Have fun and I’d love to hear how it goes.

Michael, thank you so much for your reply and for your advice!
I researched those hard sections, and watched a few videos and saw the photos in your blog as well, and I can see that they are not as bad as I thought, I’ve encountered similar scrambling segments on some day hikes I did in the past. So I’m pretty sure if I’m careful and take my time, everything will be good.
If everything goes as planned, I’ll leave my feedback to this trail in the end of April.

Thank you !

Hi Irena,

Thanks for buying those two Grand Canyon e-guides. As you’ve seen, they both describe very beautiful and very different trips, with the rim to rim a classic following the park’s most accessible and “friendliest” trails and the South Kaibab to Lipan Point hike involving some serious, exposed scrambling in sections.

You have an impressive backpacking resume and have done long multi-day hikes in some tough terrain. Those are all good preparation for the South Kaibab to Lipan trip. What you might not have encountered on any of those hikes, though, is the kind of exposed scrambling you’ll see on the Escalante Route. I don’t think the scrambling is particularly hard, but there’s definitely loose rock in places that demands caution and there’s exposed scrambling where a fall could be very bad. You would want a cord to lower packs or haul them up, depending on which direction hike it. (This is all covered in the e-guide.)

I suggest you look closely at the photos in my blog story about that trip, “The Best Backpacking Trip in the Grand Canyon,” where photo captions will help you identify the most difficult sections of the Escalante Route. (That story, like many at my blog, is partly free for anyone to read but requires a paid subscription to The Big Outside to read in full.) The e-guide also has many photos of the route that should be helpful.

I think it really comes down to personal comfort level with exposure and that’s not a question I can answer for all of you, but it is one you can all answer for yourselves. Check out the photos.

Thanks again. Good luck.

I purchased Best Backpacking trip in Grand Canyon and the Best First Backpacking Trip in Grand Canyon to compare and choose the best route for us, but I wanted to ask your advice:

We have 8-9 days in our calendar for this backpacking trip, and while the South Kaibab to Lipan Point appeals to us very much with it’s adventurous track and solitude, I’m worried about some segments of Escalante Route that you found a bit dangerous.

I’ve backpacked Teton, Glacier, Olympic, North Cascade, Wind River, Four Pass Loop. Most of those backpacking trips had 7-8 nights, and covered around 70-90 miles, with heavy backpacks. So I would say we do have experience in backpacking, but we have never been to Grand Canyon, so will it be an overload to aim for such a first trip, even if we stretch it to 8-9 days, and prepare for it with all the precautions. We plan to book this trip in the first two weeks of April.

And I have to mentions that we do love solitude and uncrowded routes, so I’m afraid if we choose the Rim to Rim it might be a bit too crowded for our liking in that time of the year, or are there enough side day hikes to stretch the Rim to Rim to 7-8 days, with trails that are less traveled?

Hi Michel,

Yes, I’ve backpacked several times in the Grand Canyon and I could certainly help you plan that trip. I’ll email you with more thoughts about that and my Custom Trip Planning.

Thanks for asking.

Yea, go for it, Jennifer! HUUUUGE day. Just be sure you’re ready for it. Take a look at my expert e-guide to hiking the Grand Canyon rim to rim.

Good luck!

Hi Matthew,

This story describes the hike from Hermits Rest to the Bright Angel Trailhead. If you’re just referring to backpacking down and back up only the Hermit Trail, that’s a more limited and shorter itinerary and obviously involves backtracking your route. A permit with fewer nights and camps is almost always easier to get, of course. Good luck.

Hi Dave,

Thanks for buying one of my Grand Canyon e-guides and for asking a good question.

In fall or spring in the Grand Canyon, you can use the same air mattress you’d use for summer backpacking trips in the mountains almost anywhere in the U.S., expecting overnight temps anywhere from the 50s to around freezing. An R-value around 3 is conservatively warm enough for those temps but you’ll find that many newer, three-season, lightweight air mats have R-values above 3 and even above 4 without being prohibitively heavy or bulky for most backpacking trips.

This Sea to Summit blog post explains the R-value standard.

See all of my air mattress reviews at The Big Outside.

Have a great hike in the canyon with your daughter!

I’m planning for a Grand Canyon backpacking trip with my daughter for October. Your eGuide and other articles have been very helpful.

In general, what would be a good R-value for a pad in Grand Canyon that time of year? We’re only doing south side — down South Kaibab, up Bright Angel.

Thanks!

Dave

I couldn’t agree more, Martin. I have a permit reservation to explore another area of the Grand Canyon this spring and I’m very excited about it. Thanks for sharing those thoughts.

Hi Lynne,

Thanks for the nice words about my blog. I have not hiked the Lava Falls Trail near Toroweap Overlook in the Grand Canyon. I’ve read about it and it’s extremely steep and rugged, descending more than 2,500 vertical feet in under two miles, which is well over 1,000 feet per mile. That’s extremely difficult and I’d only attempt it with very fit, expert hikers. I hope that’s helpful.

Enjoy and learn so much from your articles. Thanks!

Have you ever hiked the Lava Falls Trail near Toroweap Overlook? I was there on a day trip and wanted to hike it, but I didn’t have time. It’s a remote but beautiful area.

Thanks again for your inspiration and education!

Lynne Krulich

Thanks, Dennis. The canyon is truly a place of wonders.

Sad to know that only 1% take advantage of the beauty and exhilarating experience that the inner canyon holds. An R2R window decal is a badge of honor. Thanks for enlightening your readers.

Thanks, Jerry, great suggestion. Backpacking the Clear Creek Trail to Cheyava Falls has been on my radar for a while.

Hi John,

It’s always a pleasure to read your observations about any trip. I’m glad you’ve added the Grand Canyon to your lengthy list of great world destinations. Like me, I expect you will want to return again and again. And I agree that, to paraphrase Powell, the best way to see the GC is by descending into it and spending a lot of time. I’m sure you will enjoy the Thunder River-Deer Creek Loop, and I do highly recommend Paria Canyon as one of the Southwest’s very best.

Happy new year. Be well.

Happy New Year and thank you for the great hiking and backpacking gems.

My wife and four friends enjoyed six days in the GC in November. We hiked down South Kaibab, into Clear Creek, day hiked up Clear Creek, returned to Phantom Ranch and then a leisurely two days up Bright Angel plus some other exploratory hikes. For five of us it was our first time into the Canyon. Our group leader has been 20+ times and when I asked her why Sue response was “it feels like home.”.

I understand approximately 1% of GC visitors hike into the Canyon in a meaningful way. This is one 1% club I am proud to be a member.

My first experience in the Canyon was mystical and mesmerizing. Seeing it from the rim is one thing. Being in the Canyon is a whole other experience. It rivals some of my experiences in the high mountains of the World.

I am planning to return possibly the Thunder River and Deer Creek route. Hopefully in conjunction with another Michael recommendation Paria Canyon. Now to get the permits!