Roughly 6 million people visit Grand Canyon National Park in a year, but fewer than 100,000 of them spend a night in the park’s backcountry.
My wife and adventuring buddy of more than 30 years had never seen the Grand Canyon, so we figured, why not really visit the place. The only person willing or crazy enough to come along on our wilderness jaunts is my wife’s brother, a physician from Iowa. He joined us with his good humor and roomy van that eased the marathon commute from the Chicago suburbs to Arizona.
To venture below the canyon’s rim, visitors must walk, raft or ride a mule. We chose the first. Starting at the South Kaibab Trailhead, a few miles east of the touristy Grand Canyon Village via shuttle bus, the trail drops close to 5,000 feet during almost seven miles of descent into panoramic vistas. The deeper you hike, the greater the visual rewards. But even a casual walker can scamper down just short of a mile to Ooh Aah Point for a stunning view.
Within the national park’s massive, silent beauty, humanity seems insignificant compared with time and nature. On the other hand, every step you take is a testament to human drive, innovation and hard work. The trail was literally cut into the cliffs nearly 100 years ago, largely with manual tools. The heavy cables holding up bridges far below were once carried down on the shoulders of Native Americans.
When you finally catch a glimpse of the river, it’s still many steps away.
At the canyon floor, most first-time hikers’ goal is to get to the confluence of the Colorado River and rumbling Bright Angel Creek. There lies an oasis that includes the bustling Bright Angel Campground and the rustic-but-comfortable Phantom Ranch, with its small cabins, communal bunkhouses and a common dining room. The remote, natural setting turns this otherwise simple lodge into an indulgent luxury. (Reservations are available via an online lottery system up to 13 months in advance; www.grandcanyonlodges.com, or 888-297-2757.)
Phantom offers meals, prepaid, by reservation, but it’s also a popular spot for people to drop by to buy lemonade, beer, snacks and souvenirs. River rafters on weeks-long float trips often stop at Boat Beach and hike the quarter mile to the ranch for cold beer and mule-delivered mail before tackling more rapids.
To get a backcountry camping permit, apply through the park’s backcountry office four months in advance. Because the area is so scenic, it’s also in high demand. Campsites are stacked like spawning salmon. Be prepared for an experience more like car camping with chatty predawn neighbors and plenty of light pollution from today’s high-lumen headlamps.
Despite such drawbacks, the once-in-a-lifetime trip to the depths of the canyon is well worth it. Eventually, though, you have to head back up.
