Rim Trail - Bright Angel Trail

Several year ago my wife and I visited the north rim of the Grand Canyon. In the fall of 2018 I finally made it to the south rim for the very first time. We decided that we would park our car near the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, and then walk along the Rim Trail to the Bright Angel Lodge. From there we would drop into the canyon along the Bright Angel Trail for a little over a mile.

All Along the Watchtower:
Prior to our hike, however, we stopped at the historic Desert View Watchtower. Built in 1932, the tower stands along the edge of the rim, and rises 70 feet above the ground. I highly recommend stopping inside to see the wall murals painted by Hopi artist, Fred Kabotie, as well as the views from the windows and observation areas:

After soaking in the aesthetic and cultural aspects of the tower, we proceeded to the visitor center to begin our hike along the rim:





Along the route we spotted a couple of tarantulas....



...before heading down the famous Bright Angel Trail. The name of the trail comes from Major John Wesley Powell. While exploring the canyon during his historic float down the Colorado River in 1869, Powell came across a muddy creek, which had named the “Dirty Devil.” Regretting this name, he gave the name “Bright Angel” to the first creek he passed with sparkling clear water. This creek empties into the Colorado near the Phantom Ranch, on the opposite side of Bright Angel Trail.



Trail: Rim Trail - Bright Angel Trail
RT Distance: 4.0 Miles
Total Elevation Gain: ~1000 feet
Max Elevation: ~7000 Feet
TH Location: Grand Canyon Visitor Center
Map: Grand Canyon Trails Illustrated Map

Hiking Grand Canyon National Park provides first hand descriptions and detailed maps for all of the developed trails in the park - from easy day hikes suitable for novices and children, to extended backpack trips geared for intrepid wilderness travelers. The guide covers 15 hikes on the South Rim and 13 hikes on the North Rim. Also included are tips on safety, hiking with children, access, and services, as well as indispensable information about backcountry regulations, permits, and water sources.

Taking in Bryce Canyon from the Rim Trail

As part of our "grand tour" of the southwest during the fall of 2012, Kathy and I moved on to our next stop at Bryce Canyon National Park where we spent two days of hiking above and within the canyon walls.

Our first hike was a relatively short one, but a classic. It traversed the rim of Bryce Canyon from Sunrise Point to Inspiration Point.

The entire Rim Trail extends from Fairyland Point to Bryce Point, and offers hikers the opportunity to see Bryce Canyon from "on top" along a one-way route that extends for 5.5 miles. Since the trail more or less parallels the main road through the park, hikers have the option of taking the shuttle to various points along the trail and hiking as much of it as they want. The most popular section runs between Sunrise Point and Sunset Point. We extended that section to include Upper Inspiration Point.

The section of trail between Sunrise Point and Sunset Point is an easy, flat paved surface. However, just beyond Sunset Point the trail starts to angle upwards, with the last quarter-of-a-mile up to Upper Inspiration Point being very steep.

Down through the millennia Bryce Canyon has been sculpted by geological forces, and continues to be shaped by the freezing and thawing of water. The red, orange and pink colored limestone in the canyon is the result of iron oxidation. The deeper colors of red indicate higher concentrations of iron in the rock. White colored limestone, on the other hand, represents an absence of iron.

One of the overlooks along the canyon is called Fairyland Point - a very appropriate name for this park.

Although the hike gave us a nice overview, dropping down into the canyon the next day provided a far more intimate view of the park. The next day we would explore the Queen’s Garden Loop.


Trail: Rim Trail from Sunrise Point to Inspiration Point (and back)
RT Distance: 3.6 Miles
Total Elevation Gain: 300 feet
Max Elevation: 8316 Feet
TH Location: Sunrise Point
Map: Bryce Canyon NP Trails Illustrated Map

Hiking Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks covers 56 hikes in the two parks, as well as the surrounding areas, such as Cedar Breaks National Monument. From day hikes to backcountry treks, the books provides comprehensive trail descriptions, trail maps, route profiles, difficulty ratings, recommended hiking seasons, as well as invaluable trip-planning information, including a checklist of essential equipment and supplies.