The Hermit Loop

Day One

Hiking mileage: 9.3 miles
Start/finish elevation: 6,640 ft. / 2,995 ft.
Route: Hermit Trail to Tonto Trail, Tonto Trail to Monument Creek

On day one, we follow the Hermit Trail seven miles to the Tonto Bench, where the Tonto Trail covers our remaining two miles to Monument Creek. Beautiful views abound form the scenic Hermit Trail, but make no mistake: This is a challenging hike. Acrophobic and inexperienced hikers will want to choose a different trip.

Once the crown jewel of Grand Canyon’s trail system, the Hermit Trail fell into disrepair after a luxury inner-canyon camp was abandoned in the 1930s. Today, the Park Service describes this local favorite as “a major step up in physical difficulty and potential hazard” for hikers whose Grand Canyon experience is limited to the better-maintained corridor trails.

Day Two

Hiking mileage: 3.2 miles
Start/finish elevation: 2,995 ft. / 2,995 ft.
Route: Out-and-back trip to Granite Rapid from Monument Creek base camp

Day two on the Hermit Loop takes a more leisurely pace. In the morning, we follow the Monument Creek drainage 1.6 miles from our campsite to the Colorado River. We’ll spend the day here exploring a Colorado River beach, with a background soundtrack courtesy of Granite Rapid. Before night falls, we return to our base camp up Monument Creek and get ready for the next day.

Day Three

Hiking mileage: 10.7 miles
Start/finish elevation: 2,995 ft. / 3,800 ft.
Route: Monument Creek to Indian Garden via Tonto Trail

This is a long day with some big views. An early start affords us better hiking weather as we hike the Tonto Trail. Traversing a wide, inner-canyon bench, we contour around Salt and Horn Creek, whose drainages cut more than a thousand feet into the rock below us. A desert scrub environment means lots of wide-open views to the north, where beautiful rock formations tower above us. Upon arriving at Indian Garden, we take a well-earned rest.

Day Four

Hiking mileage: 4.8 miles
Start/finish elevation: 3,800 ft. / 6,860 ft.
Route: Bright Angel Trail to canyon rim

Dawn breaks at Indian Garden, and we break camp before saying goodbye to the inner canyon. The last of our high-mileage days are behind us. Instead, we’ll be ascending the Bright Angel Trail 3,000 vertical feet to the canyon rim. Gaining elevation, we hike through different life zones, leaving behind open desert and reaching juniper-pinyon woodlands Finally, the Bright Angel Trail emerges on the canyon rim, not far from modern-day amenities like ice cream and cold drinks.

What’s provided

You know that friend-of-a-friend who has tons of cool gear, legendary skills, and an encyclopedic knowledge of local terrain? Canyonology Treks is like the down-to-earth version of that guy.

We take care of the big-ticket gear: Packs, tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, and trekking poles. For clothing and various personal items, we provide a concise packing list. Ever struggled with a finicky camp stove? Good news: Meals in the backcountry are prepped and served by your expert guide.

Additional considerations

Alternate itineraries: Itineraries may vary slightly from those described here. The most common cause of variant itineraries is backcountry permit availability. Canyonology Treks won’t submit a permit request for different dates or locations without talking to you first.

Group size: Other hikers may be joining you on your trip. Multi-day trips accommodate mixed groups, with a maximum of six guests total.

Rates: Listed rates are per person per trip. Guests are responsible for the cost of clothes, toiletries, and other items on their packing list. Guests are also responsible for arranging transportation to and from Grand Canyon. Flights into Flagstaff are available, but many guests prefer to fly into Phoenix or Las Vegas. From Phoenix, shuttle services and rental cars are available. From Las Vegas, rental cars are available.

Gratuity: Guide gratuity is not included in the trip fee. Typical gratuity is between 10 and 20% of trip cost.

Difficulty: Trekking Grand Canyon is not easy. We ask prospective clients to honestly evaluate their abilities, and to consult with a physician. Overnight trips in Grand Canyon involve an added degree of difficulty to which clients may not be accustomed. Although your guide will be carrying a disproportionate amount of the group’s gear, practical considerations mean that the trip is not fully portered, and clients will be hiking with technical backpacks.

Cancellations: For information on cancellations and refunds, see our terms and conditions.

About your guide

Your guide is Mike Campbell, a Grand Canyon local and owner of Canyonology Treks. In between guiding Grand Canyon hiking trips, Mike has written for various canyon-related publications, including Canyon Views, the quarterly publication of the park’s official non-profit partner organization. He has also worked for Grand Canyon Whitewater and led classes for the Petrified Forest Field Institute.

Hermit loop trip dates

Trip departure dates are based on hiker needs

Inquire with the dates that work best for you. Canyonology Treks then submits a backcountry permit request based on your needs. For hikes during the summer months, we recommend the Rim-to-River route.

Because registration is subject to backcountry permit availability, early applications are preferred.