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Tag: North Kaibab trail

Hike to Cottonwood Grand Canyon

Mike & Gaelyn at North Kaibab trailhead North Rim Grand Canyon National Park Arizona

In order to get to the Colorado River rafting trip I had to hike 14 miles down the North Kaibab trail. Mike joined me for the first 7 miles hike to Cottonwood campground. Nice to have company and break up the long hike.

Sunrise over Walhalla Plateau from North Kaibab trail North Rim Grand Canyon National Park Arizona

During the heat of August isn’t my preferred time to hike into Grand Canyon so we left shortly after sunrise.

Mike with North Rim above North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park Arizona

Although I’d hiked this section of the rim-to-rim corridor trail before, Mike had only hiked to the Redwall Bridge, 2.6 miles down.

Looking down North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park Arizona

It’s a long and winding trail into Roaring Springs Canyon…

Roaring Springs from North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park Arizona

…and 4.7 miles to Roaring Springs where a huge waterfall pours out of the canyon walls.

Bright Angel Creek at Roaring Springs Ranger Residence North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park Arizona

Then only a mile further a welcome rest stop at the Roaring Springs Ranger residence sitting along Bright Angel Creek.

Mike crossing Bright Angel Creek along North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park Arizona

After a cool down and water refill we crossed the creek.

Tapeats sandstone along North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park Arizona

Walked through the ancient Tapeats sandstone deposited about 525 million years ago near a receding western shoreline.

Bright Angel Creek Cottonwood campground along North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park Arizona

And enjoyed dipping our toes into Bright Angel Creek most of the hot afternoon at Cottonwood campground.

The next morning I would continue hiking to the Colorado River.

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Rim to Rim Grand Canyon hike Day 1 – Part 1

Gaelyn's backpack weighs 23 pounds North Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaMy pack weigh in 
Packed the night before our rim to rim Grand Canyon hike and I was sure Amy’s pack weighed much more than Jan or mine’s. But they were 24, 25, and 26 pounds. Not too bad. They did seem to get heavier along the way though.
Gaelyn, Amy & Jan North Kaibab trail head North Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaGaelyn, Amy and Jan
Left about 9:30am and mid 40sF. FabGrandma drove us to the trailhead so we wouldn’t have to leave a car or walk an extra two miles. Thanks Karen!
Fall colors Roaring Springs Canyon North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaView into Roaring Springs Canyon from North Kaibab trailhead
The fall colors of Quaking Aspen and Rocky Mountain Maple were still brilliant as we quickly dropped in elevation through the Douglas-fir forest. The ladies were already in awe. They had driven in the night before and hadn’t even looked into the canyon.
View south from North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaNorth Kaibab trail into Roaring Springs Canyon
Our route began at 8250 feet (2515 meters) and it’s a 3000 foot (930 meters) drop to the intersection of Bright Angel Canyon.
Only 10 miles (16.1 km) across as the Condor flies.
Mule riders at Coconino overlook North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaMule riders on Coconino overlook
It’s .7 miles (1.1 km) to this first great overlook. Many day hikers come this far. The overlook sits at the bottom of the Toroweap limestone deposited some 270 million years ago by an inland sea and on top of the Coconino sandstone formed by dunes some 275 million years ago.
North Rim from North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaFall colors below the Coconino sandstone
Two miles (3.2 km) down it was almost 60F where we removed layers at the Supai Tunnel, blasted into the rock by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the 1930s. Also used the services, compost toilet, and topped off water bottles for the 4 miles (6.4 km) to the Roaring Springs Ranger residence where the next water was available. Unfortunately the water spigot at Roaring Springs only 3 miles (4.8 km) away had been broken most of the summer.
Redwall bridge below North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaLooking down to the Redwall Bridge
The habitat below the tunnel changes to a pinyon-juniper woodland with cliff rose, broadleaf yucca, Utah serviceberry and rabbitbrush. The stair-stepped red rock of the Supai Group formed between 315 and 285 million years ago.
Still a long way to go ladies.
Fossil in Supai group North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaFossil of possibly a conifer
The Supai reveals a variety of rock reflecting changes in coastal conditions as sea levels fluctuated.
Calcite crystals North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaCalcite crystals
Conglomerate North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaConglomerate of pebbles
Geology interpretation sign North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park Arizona
We crossed the Redwall Bridge into a desert environment and continued hiking down canyon to our camp for the night at Cottonwood.
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The Box – Rim to rim Grand Canyon Day 2 – Part 4

Gopher snake North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaGopher snake
We left the beautiful Ribbon Falls behind and returned to the canyon’s Sonoran desert headed to The Box. This, the only snake seen along the trail. I would have liked to see the pink rattler found only in the Grand Canyon, from a distance.
Boardwalk North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaAmy on boardwalk over swamp
Where a side stream feeds into Bright Angel Creek a swamp has formed, complete with cattails. Yet another contradiction to the dry desert in the canyon.
Looking up North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaUnknown canyon butte
The 7 mile (11.3 km) stretch of the North Kaibab trail between Cottonwood Camp and Phantom Ranch is the longest leg without drinking water. So we all carried about 4 liters each, but could have filtered the creek water if necessary.
North end The Box North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaNorthern end of The Box
This narrow canyon with towering walls is one of my favorite sections of the North Kaibab trail. It can also be one of the hottest, during summer’s mid-day sun.
North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaBright Angel Creek and Bass Formation
The contact between the sedimentary limestone of the Bass Formation (where stromatolites are found) deposited 1.25 billion years ago and the 1.7 billion-year-old Precambrian metamorphic schist directly below leaves a gap of more than 50 million years in the canyon’s geologic time line called the Great Unconformity. An unconformity can mean mass erosion or no deposit at all.
Vishnu schist and Zoroaster granite North Kaibab trail The Box Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaVishnu schist and Zoroaster granite
When the North American continent was smaller and far below the equator, a chain of volcanic islands formed along a subduction line off the coast. Because of plate tectonics, the island then collided with the land increasing the size of the continent and forming what would someday be the Southwest. In addition, subducted crustal slabs of ocean deposits mixed with volcanic ash and lava flows melted and squeezed into the overlying rock to form pink veins of igneous Zoroaster granite.
The Box North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaCanyon walls in The Box
The Vishnu basement rocks (grey) with igneous rock (pink, white and black) mixed in forms the vertical walls that surrounded us. It’s like walking in an ancient geologic museum.
Bright Angel Creek The Box North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaAmy and Jan cooling off in Bright Angel Creek
The creek offers a narrow strip of lush riparian growth with box elder, grasses and sedges yet only a few steps away lays the aridity of the desert.
Bright Angel Creek The Box North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaBright Angel Creek in The Box
I took so many pictures of this canyon, and the rock intrusions that look like geologic art to me.
Bright Angel Creek North Kaibab trail Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaApproaching Phantom Ranch
This was the last of the easy downhill part of our rim to rim hike. The canyon widens towards the mouth of Bright Angel Creek forming a delta where the first tourist camp was built in 1906. We were motivated to get to the Canteen at Phantom Ranch for a cold beer and chocolate.
 
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