Route description
Like the Hermit Trail, Grandview Trail receives relatively little use compared to the corridor trails. In part this is due to its location — the trailhead is a 25-minute drive from Grand Canyon Village. The parking lot may be jam-packed with cars, but most of these belong to motor tourists who are entering or exiting the park along the South Rim scenic drive. Few of these visitors will stay longer than fifteen minutes, and only a small handful will venture past the first switchback.
A guided hike on the Grandview leaves the crowds behind on the rim, and brings you inner-canyon panoramas that few visitors will ever experience.
From the rim, the trail descends down a series of switchbacks through two layers of limestone, the Kaibab and Toroweap Formations. On the Grandview Trail, as is generally the case elsewhere in the canyon, the Kaibab Formation has weathered into cliffs. The Toroweap Formation forms steep slopes beneath these cliffs. Across a nearby chasm, a tilted rock formation known as Sinking Ship is visible. A forested valley far below provides habitat for Mexican spotted owls.
Beneath the Toroweap Formation, the trail crosses through the Coconino sandstone. In this part of the canyon, crossbedded rock has eroded into weathered, sculptured forms. A shaded picnic spot at the bottom of the Coconino layer makes an excellent rest spot and turnaround point.
Inexperienced and acrophobic hikers should consider themselves advised: Although the trail is wide enough to provide safe passage, it skirts some truly vertiginous drops. But for hikers who aren’t bothered by the heights, Grandview may be one of the best trails you’ll ever experience.
Ready to hike the Grandview Trail? Reserve your trip using the form below the photo gallery, or send us an email.
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