The Epic Rim to Rim Hike in Grand Canyon National Park
Sunset North Rim of the Grand Canyon
What would you constitute as a “Bucket List” Hike? It had to be special and that’s how I landed on doing the Rim to Rim Hike in Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona!
The bucket list hike was the question I pondered as I gazed at my 52 Hike Challenge Adventure Series List. One of the various “checkmarks” required to complete the challenge was to go on a “Bucket List” hike.
I’m not one for bucket lists. I mean I have nothing against them but I don’t go create a list to scratch something off of it. However the more I thought it about the more I realized what they were asking me (and all other participants) was to dig deep and find a hike that was quite epic and could be deemed as a once in a lifetime hike.
My list was short. In fact it had three entries based on what I thought was possible in a year with a trip to Alaska, Cycling in Belgium, and Working a Yoga Festival in England already on the docket.
One of them was the supposedly unbelieveable Rim to Rim Hike in Grand Canyon National Park.
My great friend Matt’s father has a house in Sedona Arizona (two hours from the Grand Canyon’s South Rim) and I knew he loved the Canyon so I asked if he would join me. His answer was yes, we would go to Sedona afterwards, and my bucket list hike was booked.
We were going to hike Rim to Rim of the Grand Canyon. (24.6 Total Miles.)
Messages of inspiration at Menzanita Spring.
There’s a laundry list of facts and know how’s about hiking Rim to Rim of the Grand Canyon. Here’s our Rim to Rim Must Know’s!
I’m hoping to share in this story some must know’s and highlights about the journey!
How do you choose how to hike it?
We chose to do the hike in one day based on not getting a backcountry (overnight) permit on our chosen nights. This was partly due to us requesting on a holiday weekend I believe.
How long did it take us?
It took us just a shade under 12 hours to complete. We left the North Kaibab Trailhead (North Rim) on the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend in 2018 at 4am and finished at the top of the Bright Angel Trailhead at 4pm that same day.
Looking into the Canyon!
The NPS recommends to NOT do this hike in one day. I can’t blame them for recommending that. If you are a seasoned hiker and can run a marathon or ultra and know decent survival skills in the wilderness AND you train your ass off then you can try to attempt in one day.
However I think it would be more fun next time to snag a backcountry permit and do it in multiple days with some nights inside the canyon. As I like to say life is different “below the canyon!”
Be smart, train like a boss, and do your research before attempting a hike like this!
Above picture in the middle is the famous dinner bell at Phantom Ranch. Maybe next time we’ll get to stick around to here it ring! Picture on the right was my steps, mileage, and elevation for the day on the Rim to Rim Hike.
Rim to Rim Grand Canyon Hike Items to Consider:
Hiking Rim to Rim North to South will save you an extra 1,000 feet of elevation gain. Rather than South to North.
The South Kaibab Trailhead does NOT have water spots, is steeper, shorter, and has no shade on it. Therefore Bright Angel Trail is the more popular South Rim trail out.
The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is not easy to get to. It’s remote and is only open May 15 thru Oct 15 or so of each year so plan accordingly!
Grand Canyon temperatures fluctuate drastically. It was in the upper 90’s during early afternoon as we hiked through the “Box” by the river and it was a cool day for September!
I personally drank over 200 ounces of water during the 12 hour hike. Plan accordingly.
Wear long sleeve white cotton T-shirts in the hat and dunk them in every water space you can find. Same with your bandana.
Create a thorough packing list before you go.
I trained by doing 8-12 miles hikes and trails runs in July and August humid days in the midwest at the hottest time of the day. It was miserable but it worked.
Have fun…it will be one of the greatest experiences of your life!
Oh yeah I forgot the actual hike. North Kaibab to Bright Angel Trail is 24.6 miles, almost 6,000 feet down, and 4,500 feet back up. Pack your trekking poles (most important behind water and good shoes/socks!)
Only a few options!
Rim to Rim Grand Canyon Hike Fun Stuff:
I’m shocked how many people I know have never seen the Grand Canyon. We met women from Kenya on the trail who said this was a “Dream come true for us!” It’s easy to brush the Grand Canyon off as a “another destination” but it’s probably the coolest place I have been in the lower 48 states.
You can stay at Phantom Ranch if you book early enough. I had a cup of coffee there and it’s one of the most quaint places to sleep in the world I’d imagine.
Backcountry/overnight permits are available four months out from the first day of the desired month your hike would start.
Rim to Rim is an exclusive club. This isn’t just a day hike. We got high fives and people wanting to take their photo with us because we completed the trail. It’s truly a “bucket list” item no matter how you define bucket list.
We connected with trail runners who were running Rim to Rim to Rim that day! Put our little Rim to Rim hike to shame to say the least.
The Colorado River inside the Grand Canyon.
Rim to Rim Grand Canyon Hike Concluding Thoughts.
When I first started thinking about what my bucket list hike would be I had no idea it would lead me to back to one of my favorite places on the planet.
That’s what I adore about traveling though and living with your eyes wide open. Rumi said “What you seek is seeking you” and I am forever seeking the beauty and the feeling I have when I take my life “Below the Canyon.”
The Rim to Rim Hike is not to be taken lightly. However it was one of the more memorable experiences of my life and as my friend Matt and I collapsed in each other’s arms in an embrace at 4pm that Saturday it made me realize if I had the chance to go back to the North Rim at 4am with my headlamp on again to start the trail I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Mike R and Matt C at the North Rim Trailhead at 4am, then at the Bright Angel at 4pm all done!
That’s when you know it’s been a “bucket list” hike! Whether I believe in bucket lists or not, that is beside the point.
Thanks for reading!
Do you have any questions about this hike or the National Park? Or want to share your favorite experience on your visit to the Grand Canyon?
Comment below, we’d love to hear it!
Because Adventure Feeds the Soul,
Mike R
