Grand Canyon Adventures - Hermit to Bright Angel

We headed out to Arizona for a 6 day backpacking trip through the Grand Canyon! We got to the South Rim of the canyon and headed out Hermit road to the Hermit's Rest trailhead. We descended down the trail from the rim stopping at both Dripping springs and Santa Maria springs. After that we continued down the trail dropping steeply through the "Rock Slides". Just below that we stopped and made the short climb out to 'Lookout point' before continuing down through the "Cathedral Stairs". The views over the Hermit gorge were really incredible the whole way as we dropped over 3600 feet from the rim all the way down to Hermit creek, where we made our first camp.

Group photo at the Hermits Rest trailhead

Getting dripped on at 'Dripping springs'

Views on the upper Hermit trail

Santa Maria springs

Looking back up at the south rim from the edge of the Hermit gorge

Lookout Point

Getting close to Hermit creek

Arriving at our camp by Hermit creek

Hermit creek

The next day we left our camp setup at Hermit creek and did a day hike down the creek through the Hermit canyon narrows carved through the Tapeats sandstone, eventually getting all the way down into the Vishnu Schist (the oldest formation in the bottom of the Grand canyon) and finally arriving at 'Hermit rapids' on the Colorado river! We hung out by the river for awhile and got to watch some rafters go through the rapids. That is always super exciting! Then we headed back up to our camp. We got back with enough time to do some swimming in the little pool in the creek by our camp and plenty of time just to relax and really take it all in. We had some dinner and I even made up a little popcorn to share with everyone before we headed to bed for the second night.

Starting down Hermit creek

Hiking through the incredible Tapeats sandstone

Arriving at the Colorado river

Hermit Rapids

Climbing on some giant chunks of Tapeats sandstone

Hiking back up through the Tapeats sandstone

The swimming hole by our camp

Back at camp after a fun day

Popcorn

The next morning we packed up our camp and started hiking east along the Tonto trail up onto the Tonto plateau around Cope Butte and then down to Monument creek which is named for a 130 foot pillar made of sandstone and granite that stands as the center piece of the upper canyon. From there we headed down the creek from the monument through another super cool narrow canyon all the way back down to the Colorado river at Granite rapids. We got down there just in time to see some more rafters go through the rapids! Then we found a nice beach to setup our camp. We swam in the river and relaxed on the beach, then later in the evening we were actually joined by another group of rafters who docked their boats just above the rapids and made their camp there on the same beach as us. We hung out with them and got to hear all their cool stories. So many cool people there. They had a full on kitchen with all kinds of food, fresh fruit and vegetables, sodas and beers, and they even baked a chocolate cake(which they were kind enough to share with us)! We had lots of fun talking with the rafters late into the night but eventually had to get to sleep so we were rested for the next day of our adventure.

Hiking along the Tonto trail

Views from the Tonto plateau

Cope Butte

Dropping into Monument creek

Me and the monument

Looking up canyon from the monument

Drying off after a swim in the Colorado river

Relaxing at camp

The rafters have arrived

Overlooking Granite rapids

Me at Granite rapids

The next morning we hung out with the rafters for a bit and took our time packing up camp so we could hang out long enough to see them go through the rapids before we took off. After waving goodbye to our rafter friends as they floated downriver, we hiked back up Monument creek and back on to the Tonto trail where we continued east passed Cedar springs, back up onto the Tonto platform for awhile, and then dropped into Salt creek where we set up our camp and spent the end of the day exploring down the narrow canyon below the creek as far as we could. That night we had a couple mice that were really pestering us while we made our dinner, but we were able to keep them at bay and keep our food safe for the night.

The rafters getting packed up in the morning

Watching the rafters head down river

Hiking back up Monument creek

Views from the Tonto plateau

Overlooking Granite rapids from the plateau

Passing Cedar Springs

Views of the river from the plateau

Arriving at Salt creek

Getting my tent setup at salt creek with the 'Inferno' and the 'Hopi Wall' towering above

Salt creek narrows

Exploring the narrows below Salt creek

Looking off the drop off at the end of the Salt creek narrows

Views from the bottom of the Salt creek narrows

Back at camp making dinner

On day 5 we left Salt creek and continued east on the Tonto trail. Back up onto the plateau around Dana Butte, down through Horn creek, and then back up onto the plateau again going around the 'Battleship', and eventually coming to Bright Angel creek and the Indian Gardens camp. We picked out a camp spot and got our tents setup and then made the hike from there out to Plateau Point, an excellent point on the plateau (hence the name) that had amazing views in every direction including views down to the river in the canyon bottom. We took lots of pictures there and then headed back to camp for our final night in the Grand Canyon.

Passing Horn creek on the Tonto trail

Views from the Tonto plateau

Arriving to the lushness of Indian Gardens

Views from Indian Gardens

Mule corrals at Indian Gardens

The trail to Plateau point

Arriving at Plateau point

Views from Plateau Point

Mom standing on Plateau point

Group photo on Plateau point

Looking down to the Colorado river from Plateau point

Sitting on the edge of Plateau point

And then I slipped and fell off the point never to be heard from again...

Just kidding!! There I am, safe and sound.

Our camp at Indian Gardens

Deer by our camp

So the next morning we woke up and packed up camp for the last time and began the over 3,000 foot climb up the Bright Angel trail back up to the South rim. I took my time climbing back through all the different geologic layers, the views were just awesome the whole climb. In what seemed like no time at all we were up on the Rim with all the tourists putting and end to our great adventure. We got some photos from the rim and then celebrated our accomplishment with some food and drinks before heading home.

Views from the Bright Angel trail