4-5 day Grand Canyon Trip Help

There’s an taxi service that operates within the Village and to S Rim trailheads.
928-638-2822
They don’t take reservations, but they are efficient, I have never waited more than a few minutes.   Cash only as I recall.

It’s a bit difficult to recommend a route without knowing your abilities & fitness, and what time of year you plan to go.   The obvious ones are those you have mentioned:   Hermit-Tonto-BA,  Grandview-Tonto-SK/BA,  Tanner-Escalante-New Hance (or extend to Grandview).    The Escalante Route is more difficult, and not usually recommended for first timers.  There’s a cairned use trail the whole way, but it’s rough in places, and a there’s a short hands-on-rock climb at Papago.

To add:  if you did Escalante, you’d drive your car with the taxi to the New Hance trailhead and leave it there, then have the taxi take you on to Lipan Point for the Tanner TH.   The New Hance trailhead is not easy to find, deliberately so to discourage casual hikers, but the taxi driver will know it, you can park along the road nearby.

Thanks for the tips.  Knowing there’s a taxi is nice.  As far as fitness, everyone is in decent shape.  We are not marathon runners, but we usually do 10-15 mile days here in the northeast.  I realize that going into and out of the canyon is going to be difficult.  For me going into the canyon is probably gonna bother me more, I remember my wife and I day hiking from Glacier Point down into Yosemite valley a few years ago and my legs were pretty darn sore the next morning.  We also probably aren’t doing this until April of 2020.  I’m a teacher, so the only sustained break I get that would be condusive to hiking in the Grand Canyon is early April, and this April is out because of family commitments.  So lots of time to plan, but thats is one of my favorite parts of this hobby.

Here is my 2 cents and it is probably a not a typical view,

When going to a place like the Grand Canyon, the views are spectacular there are not many places like that in the world.  I would not worry about the mileage and focus on the experience.  That being said, I would hike down, develop a base camp and explore a bunch of side canyons, particularly on the North side if possible (1 day down, 1 day up, 2 days to explore).  Keep in mind that the temperature difference between the top and bottom can be 15 to 20 degrees, April should be nice

I made my first backpack into the Grand Canyon in April of this year. It was a pretty easy but enjoyable trip, with water at every camp site. Here’s the route we did:

• Day 1: parked car at the Backcountry Permit Office, took park shuttle down to the Hermit trailhead, then hiked down to Hermit Creek and set up camp. We had planned on hiking down Hermit Creek to the Colorado River to see Hermit Rapids, but it was much hotter than expected (in the 80s or low 90s), so we just relaxed by Hermit Creek
• Day 2: short and easy day to Monument Creek along the Tonto Trail. After setting up camp, we hiked down Monument Creek to the Colorado River. This was probably my favorite part of the trip. There were rapids (Granite Rapids?) with boaters going over them, and then a great shady beach that I spent the whole afternoon relaxing and reading at. The boaters were really nice (offered us beer and asked if they could pack out any trash for us). I also got to take a dip in the Colorado, but it was super cold.
• Day 3: hiked along the Tonto Trail to Indian Gardens, about 10 or 11 miles I think. Pretty great day of hiking. Indian Gardens was crowded, as expected, but everyone was quiet and respectful.
• Day 4: hiked back to the top by Bright Angel trail. We started hiking up a little before first light to beat the heat

I’d like to explore the North side next time, or maybe more of the Tonto Trail.

One other thought:  you could use the Boucher trail instead of Hermit to extend that loop a little bit.    Boucher is one of my favorite easily accessible areas in the GC.   You could spend a couple of nights here and explore up Boucher Creek or down to the river, both easy walking.   There’s great camping at Tonto/Boucher (Boucher’s cottage), at the sandy Boucher beach, and at Yuma Point (dry, spectacular views) about halfway up the Boucher Trail.    If you do that, I’d suggest doing the loop in the opposite direction, i.e. go down BA, west along the Tonto, and out via Boucher.    That’s because the Boucher trail is rough in places, and it will be much easier going up it with light packs than going down it with heavy packs.

April is the ideal time of year to go, but also the most difficult to get permits.   Make sure you have your ducks in a row to get the application in on time, fax in at end of Nov (before Dec 1st) for April start dates, preferably with some flexibility on exact dates and itinerary.     If you have not hiked in the GC before, expect some pushback on getting permits for Boucher, New Hance, or the Escalante Route – these are rough, difficult trails, requiring basic scrambling skills, and you will have to make a case that you are competent to do these based on other hiking experience.

We did the Escalante route several years ago. Here is my friend’s description of our itinerary; I think it was about 35 miles.

“..it is a partially off trail excursion along the banks of the Colorado, which is usually not accessible. We begin at Lippan Point and head down the unmaintained Tanner Trail and spend the night about halfway down. This will be a “dry camp”, so we will have to carry enough water. The next morning we hit the river late morning and turn left onto the Escalante and camp that evening at Cardenas Beach. The next day will be the most interesting physically with a climb in and out of Seventyfive Mile Creek Canyon and the “scramble” up and over the Papago Wall. That night we spend at the mouth of Red Canyon at Hance Rapids. The next day we begin our 2 day climb out by traversing the relatively flat Tonto Platform and then up to Hance Creek Camp where there is a perennial stream. The following day is straight, straight uphill on the generally in good shape, though still supposedly unmaintained Grandview Trail.”

Jon,

I actually like this idea a lot.  If you were to do this, what would you use as your “base camp.” I’m assuming something near awesome views, a reliable water source and a campsite that I’d be able to reserve for 4 nights in a row at a busy time in the canyon.

Are there any sort of out of the way sites on the colorado that give us a chance to explore numerous side canyons and stuff?

N Rim access is more remote and complicated in April, before the road opens.   It means a long drive on FS roads.   I wouldn’t recommend it for a first trip.

You could do something along the lines of what Jon suggested by going down Hermit and returning up Boucher, spending (say) first night at Boucher, 2nd and 3rd at Slate, last night back at Boucher.   There is perennial water from Boucher Creek, and Slate will always have water in April.   Boucher, Slate & Agate are all rewarding to explore.    This is quite adventurous for a first trip, but none of these side canyons are too difficult if you’re okay with some scrambling, and obviously you can just go as far as you are comfortable with.   Boucher is easy walking down to a nice beach at the river, and easy for quite a long way upcanyon.   There are some notes on Slate & Agate here.

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Grand_Canyon_Hikers/conversations/messages/79507

Permits for Slate will be easier to obtain than the other routes discussed above.

“For me going into the canyon is probably gonna bother me more, I remember my wife and I day hiking from Glacier Point down into Yosemite valley a few years ago and my legs were pretty darn sore the next morning. “

The best exercise I’ve done prior to a GCNP, Half Dome or Whitney trip is actual, real stairs.  Like the ones in my house.  Just going up AND DOWN them for 10 minutes every morning makes a huge difference for me because while I walk the dog most every day, all the hills and mountains are an hour away from my house.  Treadmills at the gym don’t count.  On a treadmill, you’re not actually rising your body weight against gravity.  Even on a stairclimber, your center of mass mostly stays in one place.  And on neither of them do you go downhill – which is always what leaves me the sorest on an actual trail.  So when I’m staying in a hotel, I don’t care where the exercise room is, I ask where the fire-escape stairwell is.

Well, if you choose a base camp, I am partial to Bright Angel.  The reason being, if you get down there before 4, you can grab a beer.  The hike down isn’t bad however; it is basically all downside and you are using 1 set of muscles.  Depending on what shape your friends are in, they may want the next day to chill.  Hiking out to Cotton wood is pretty easy.  In April, you will probably not be able to make it to the North Rim: this hike form Cottonwood to the North Rim is cool however; it will get pretty steep.  With Bright Angel as a base camp, explore other section of the canyon.  Additionally, Phantom Ranch is open to the everyone after diner, so you can have a drink, play games and /or socialize with the other guest.T he night before you head up have the Stew or Steak diner and Phantom Ranch (make reservations).  It really depends on what you want to do: UL backpacking or indulging and concentrating on enjoying just being there.  My 2 cents.

If it’s your first trip they’ll try to point you to “the Corridor” which ain’t too bad,  It’ll have a lot of people but so will the Tonto outside the Corridor.   Seeing Phantom Ranch is pretty cool.

My only advice is it’s harder getting out, especially if this is your first desert trip.  Start upwards before daybreak as well as sideways.  I remember our little group from the neighboring Chihuahuan desert hiding behind rocks during one March trip along the Tonto to stay in the shade…

Your first instinct may be the best option. Down Hermit trail coming out on Bright Angel is a very beautiful taste of Grand Canyon. The campsite at Salt Creek was my favorite, best view from a crapper ever.