2018 Arizona Official State Visitor's Guide - 8

TREKKING ARIZONA
Ribbon Falls, Grand Canyon
COURTESY ARIZONA OFFICE OF TOURISM

ARIZONA TRAIL

SECTION
GRAND CANYON
INNER GORGE * 21.8 MILES
It wouldn't count as an Arizona Trail if it didn't cross
the Big Ditch. This passage
begins at the South Kaibab
Trailhead and swoops down
the canyon wall in a series
of switchbacks. Just shy of
a mile, it breaks free at Ooh
Aah Point, thrusting out into
the gorge with views breaking wide all around you.
The trail follows a spine of
rock down to Cedar Ridge,
then curves past O'Neill Butte
and reaches the top of the
redwall formation at a beautiful overlook called Skeleton
Point. It zigzags down the
cliffs to the Tonto Platform
and makes a steep descent
across the inner gorge.

The trail crosses the Colorado River at the Black
Bridge, an engineering
marvel built in 1928. Head
downstream to Bright Angel
Creek and past the campground to Phantom Ranch,
a great place to stop for cold
lemonade. Follow the creek,
and as you leave the ranch,
the path becomes the North
Kaibab Trail.
Climb through The Box,
with exposed rock walls closing around you. The trail
crisscrosses the creek on
footbridges before reaching
the short path to Ribbon Falls.
This is a must-stop detour

SECTION 38
SHORT VERSION
From the South Rim, it's 1.5 miles
to Cedar Ridge, a rest area with
restrooms. From the North Rim,
it's 1.7 miles to Supai Tunnel.
Hiking in the Grand Canyon
PHOTO BY A.T. WILLETT

leading back to a picturesque
grotto and a silver cascade
that looks as if it were plucked
from a tropical island.
From the falls, the trail
continues along the creek to
Cottonwood Camp. At last
it leaves the stream behind,
passing the turnoff to Roaring Springs, a frothy geyser
that provides all the drinking
water for the Grand Canyon.
You'll pass through a tunnel
and climb the final switchbacks to the forested heights
of the North Rim.

For more details and
directions to trailheads,
visit AZTRAIL.ORG.
8 Arizona 2018 Official State Visitor's Guide



http://www.AZTRAIL.ORG

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2018 Arizona Official State Visitor's Guide

https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/madden/az_ovg18
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/madden/az_ovg16
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/madden/az_ovg15
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/madden/az_ovg14
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/madden/az_ovg13
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/madden/az_ovg12
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/madden/az_ovg11
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/madden/az_ovg10
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