Hiking the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim is a bucket list adventure. Over the course of nearly 24 miles, hikers descend below the level of the rim, cross the mighty Colorado River, and climb back up the other side. Itās challenging, itās exhilarating, and it is truly an unforgettable experience. I've had this dream for a very long time running the Grand Canyon from the north to the south in One Day! Extremely difficult!
After 14 hours of run and hiking š„¾ š§š½āāļøšš½āāļøQuick Overview of the Trailšŗ
Most people hike the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim starting on the North Rim, taking the North Kaibab Trail to Bright Angel Campground. From here, you have a choice to make. The Bright Angel Trail is the more popular and wiser choice, with less elevation gain, more shade, and several water stations on the trail. The South Kaibab can be a second choice: is a beautiful trail, but since it does not have water stations and very little shade, it is best avoided for the hike out of the canyon.
The road to the North Rim is only open from mid-May through mid-October, giving hikers a very narrow window for this hike. Since most people end up hiking in the hot, summer weather, you need to be prepared for 100+ degree temperatures. My yourney happened in July, and it was 107F (42C).
Distance: 23.5 miles Difficulty: Extremely strenuous Elevation Change: 5761 feet elevation loss (North Kaibab trailhead to Bright Angel Campground) and 4380 feet elevation gain (Bright Angel Campground to the South Rim on the Bright Angel Trail). Length of Time: Typically done as a 2 or 3-day backpacking trip. Can be done as a day hike if you are extremely fit and fast.
Doing This as a Day Hike š„¾ The National Park Service does not recommend doing this as a day hike. There are numerous warnings on the Grand Canyon National Park website and the trailheads telling people not to do this as a day hike.
Even so, there are many people who hike rim-to-rim in one day like me:). I hiked the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim in one day in July 2015. It is a beast of a hike, by far the most difficult day hike I have done so far. I was successful but I was so exhausted that I couldn't go to my car, after I finished the whole trail. I spent few months training and preparing for this hike and it was stil extremely difficult. In order to do this as a day hike, you need to be extremely fit and fast and know what you can handle. Hiking experience, preferably with hikes lasting over 8 hours with lots of elevation change, is ideal. You also need to be able to handle 100+ degree temperatures, especially if you are hiking from May through September.
How Hard is This Hike? š
I have hiked a lot of trails around the world and this is definitely the hardest hike in my life.
There are several things that make the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim hike so challenging. For one thing, itās 23.5 miles. If you are doing this as a day hike, thatās a long way to go in one day. Marathon runners may not think so, but this is much harder than running a marathon.
I love to run down, but remember after running down the muscles and bones are exhausted. What really makes this hike so difficult is the elevation profile. You hike a miles down into the canyon which can really tire out your legs. Then, you have to climb up nearly another miles to get you back onto the South Rim.
Throw in soaring temperatures, the weight of liters of water on your back, not to mention whatever else you are carrying in your backpack, and this is one tough hike.
How Fit Do You Need to Be? š§š½āāļø
1. If you plan to hike rim-to-rim in one day, you need to be extremely fit, fast, and well-prepared.
2. If you are doing this as a backpacking trip, you also need to be fit, since you will be hiking with more weight on your back.
3. You also need to have hiking experience. There are no technical sections and the trail is so well marked that it would be almost impossible to lose your way, but it helps to have experience doing big climbs and big descents. This is not a good hike for beginners since it covers such a long distance with so much elevation change.
4. If you plan to do this hike, you need to be in great physical shape. You should be able to walk 15 miles while wearing a backpack with little difficulty. You need to be prepared for lots of elevation change and you also need to be prepared to hike in temperatures reaching over 100Ā°F. I climbed Mont Blanc, but Grand Canyon is not only mountains but also desert and temperatures here can kill you.
How to Stay Hydrated š¦
Staying hydratedā¦this is one of the most important things to do in order to have a successful hike especially in Grand Canyon in July.
Over the course of the day, I drank over 10 liters of water.
I carried my backpack with water reservoir that could hold 3 liters + 4 bottles 1l of Power Ade (sports drinks). As I hiked, I would refill the reservoir at each water station, but you don't have so many. And believe me 7 liters of water is heavy.
Pro Travel Tip: To get updated information for your hike, go to the Visitor Center the day before your hike to find out which water stations have water. There will also be signs posted at the trailheads with updated info. Top off your water at each station.
How Much Should You Eat? š
Itās better to eat small, frequent snacks than a big meal every few hours. While exercising, it is hard for your body to process a full stomach of food.
Every two hours, I stopped and ate a snack. I ate energy bars, beef jerky, salty pretzels and bananas (I had 2). Forget about chocolate, it's too hot. This sends a steady supply of calories and salt into your body, which not only helps keep you fueled, but it also helps with your hydration status.
Packing List š
I carried a hiking backpack with:
Food: energy bars, beef jerky, pretzels, bananas.
Water in a 3 liter reservoir, 4 bottles 1l of Power Ade (sports drinks)
First Aid Kit
iPhone (I only had service on the final 4 miles of the Bright Angel Trail)
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Hat/Visor
Lightweight Jacket
Additional white t-shirt
Trial map
Box of matches
Tips to Have the Best Experience š
ā ļøHydrate the day before. Itās very important that you start this hike fully hydrated.
ā ļøStart at sunrise or earlier. This will give you the maximum amount of daylight and let you hike a nice chunk of the trail before it heats up. If you are doing this as a day hike, start no later than sunrise. I started at 3am.
ā ļøGet to Phantom Ranch by 10 am. Hike through the box as early as possible to avoid sweltering conditions.
ā ļøStay hydrated. Top off your water at each water station and donāt forget to take in electrolytes.
ā ļøAvoid hiking between 10 am and 4 pm. This is the hottest time of the day. Take a nice, long break at Phantom Ranch or Indian Garden to avoid hiking in the hottest conditions.
ā ļøHike Wet. Once it heats up, take advantage of the cool creek next to the trail. Splash some water on your skin or even lie down in the creek (it feels wonderful!). Leave the synthetic shirt at home and wear cotton. It will absorb your sweat and the creek water and this wetness will help keep you cool.
ā ļøEat frequently. I ate a snack, roughly every two hours while hiking. This steady supply of calories kept me fueled up for the final climb.
Born to Flyš
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