Backpacker Magazine – June 2011

National Parks: Grand Canyon

Discover surprising solitude and endless vistas on an easy-access multiday trip between rim and river.

by: Michael Lanza

Tags:
• National Parks
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• Grand Canyon National Park
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• Arizona
|
• Destinations
|

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TRIP PLANNER

The Way The way The park is 77 miles northwest of Flagstaff via US 180 and AZ 64. Start: Take Desert View Dr. 12 miles east to Grandview Point. End: Shuttle via taxi; (928) 638-2822.

Season March to May and October to November. Inner canyon temps from June to September are often above 100 degrees.

Key gear Wide-brim hat and six liters of water storage

Map/book Trails Illustrated Grand Canyon ($12, natgeomaps.com). Hiking Grand Canyon National Park, 3rd Edition, by Ron Adkinson and Ben Adkinson ($19, falcon.com)

Permits $10 per permit, plus $5/person per night. Apply (nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/backcountry-permit.htm ) on the first of the month four months prior to your hike date (e.g., June 1 for a hike beginning in Nov.) and fax it to (928) 638-2125.

Water There are four water sources along this route, and only Grapevine Creek (mile 8.8) flows year-round. The other sources--Cottonwood Creek (mile 3.3), Boulder Creek (mile 14.2), and Lone Tree Creek (mile 17.1)--usually dry up by June.

Contact Backcountry Information Office: (928) 638-7875 (from 1 to 5 p.m., Monday to Thursday), nps.gov/grca

Trip data Download a GPS track, complete with waypoints and turn-by-turn directions, at backpacker.com/hikes/deepspace.



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