NORTH KAIBAB TRAIL
So, you’ve hiked the Bright Angel Trails and the South Kaibab trails, what’s next to check off your Grand Canyon trail hit list? The North Kaibab Trail on the North Rim is one of the most difficult trails out there and is not for the faint-hearted. However, it offers amazing views of fir, aspen trees and wildflowers, and desert vegetation and two refreshing waterfalls, Roaring Springs and Ribbon Falls. Are you up for a new challenge? Let’s go!
The North Kaibab Trail is considered to be the most difficult of the previously mentioned maintained canyon trails and maybe that's why it’s the least visited. It takes backpackers an average of 3-4 days to hike the trail spending a night at Cottonwood Campground, half way down the trail and a night at Bright Angel Campground near the Colorado River.
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The trail is said to pass through every ecosystem found between Canada and Mexico. At the rim, you will see fir and aspen trees, ferns and wildflowers whilst further down, when you look back up at the canyon walls, you will see both wetland vegetation, typical of rivers and streams, and desert vegetation. The trail itself is blasted directly into the Redwall limestone rock in half-tunnel sections. As oases in the desert, 2 side trips on this trail offering respite from the sun are Roaring Springs and Ribbon Falls.
Today the trail crosses the Bright Angel Creek only 6 times but on the older route, built in the 1920’s to match the quality of the South Kaibab trail, you would have crossed it 94 times!
Fun Fact
The North Kaibab begins with a steep descent down the valley head via a series of switchbacks. From the lush green and breathtaking views below the trailhead, the trail reaches the Supai Tunnel. Here hikers will find potable water (mid-May to mid-October) and pit toilets, but no emergency phone. The route has numerous switchbacks which continue to the towering cliffs of Redwall Limestone, where the trail has been blasted out of the cliff for long stretches in a half tunnel. The exposure of this Redwall section is awe-inspiring in the true sense of the word.
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Where most of the trail’s descent meets the flatter bottom of Bright Angel Canyon, Roaring Springs is a worthwhile mini diversion. Water gushes directly out of the cliffs here and cascades into Bright Angel Creek which runs with you all the way to the Colorado River. Roaring Springs provides drinking water for every visitor and resident within Grand Canyon National Park and is delivered to the South Rim via a pipeline buried beneath the North Kaibab Trail since 1970. The pipeline is visible stretching across the Colorado River underneath the Bright Angel Trail's Silver Bridge. At about 5.4 miles along the trail, a house once known as the Pumphouse Residence or the Aiken Residence comes into view. For decades, artist and park employee Bruce Aiken lived, painted and worked here.
In past years, lucky hikers could get a refreshing cup of lemonade from one of Aiken’s children who were raised at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
Fun Fact
The Pumphouse is now automated and serves as a ranger station. Nearby, hikers also have access to the Manzanita Rest Area which affords access to Bright Angel Creek, a toilet, drinking water and shaded benches. Passing the old Pumphouse is a welcome sign for the descending backpacker signalling the approaching Cottonwood Campground. If you are fortunate to camp overnight here, you will have time to explore a beautiful oasis, Ribbon Falls located 1.6 miles down-creek from the campground. The waterfall is located in a grotto on the west side of Bright Angel Creek, so reaching it is a short but extremely rewarding detour. If you arrive here in the heat of the day (10 a.m. to 4 p.m) you should seriously consider having a siesta or recharging your batteries.
PLEASE NOTE: Success and enjoyment rely heavily on proper planning and preparation. Just keeping out of the sun between 10 am and 4 pm may be the most critically important decision you could make. For this reason, hiking the North Kaibab trail in a single day is not recommended as it's almost impossible to avoid hiking in the heat of the day.
Name: North Kaibab Trail
Location: trailhead is half a mile from the North Rim Campground and ends at Phantom Ranch
Duration: 3 or 4 days
Difficulty: strenuous
Length: 14 miles / 23 km
Elevation change: 5,660 ft (1,730 m). The highest point on the North rim is 8,060 ft (2,460 m)
How to get there: by car it is 41 miles South of Jacob Lake on HW 67 and 1.5 miles North of Grand Canyon Lodge (GCL). Transportation can be arranged from GCL twice per morning. Check lodge for times and fares. On foot, it's half a mile from North Rim Campground
Parking information: there is a small parking area with limited parking at the trailhead
Facilities: North Rim park facilities (lodge, store and gas station) close on October 15
Water stations: potable water is available at the trailhead, Supai Tunnel, Roaring Springs, the Manzanita Rest Area, Cottonwood Campground and Bright Angel Campground. Except for Bright Angel campground, all water sources are seasonal and are turned off in Autumn
When to go: Spring to Autumn
What to take: see Ultimate Packing Guide
Permit required: you need a permit in advance to camp in the Canyon
Lodgings: no at-large camping - you must camp in a designated campground. Cottonwood Campground is 7 miles (halfway) from the trailhead and Bright Angel Campground is at the bottom of the Canyon 14 miles from the trailhead and adjacent to the Colorado River
Note: trail conditions vary according to the seasons. The upper section of the North Kaibab Trail at Roaring Springs Canyon can be perpetually ice-covered and snowbound during the winter months. Hikers need to be well prepared for extreme winter conditions. Likewise, in the summer months (May-September), hikers must have the discipline to begin hiking well before dawn or after 3pm
Warning: between Cottonwood Campground and Bright Angel Campground the trail enters the Inner Gorge which can be a particularly dangerous stretch of trail during summer months. This is because the entire 7.2 mile stretch is at low elevation and becomes extremely hot from early morning to late afternoon. The gorge of black rock through which the trail passes can be likened to an oven. Always plan on reaching Bright Angel Campground before 10 am. The North is 1000 feet higher in elevation than the South Rim.
Why is it for you: you are super fit and need a challenge after doing other trails
Sherpa Sam's recommendations: Random acts by erosion may cause these pipelines to break periodically. Don't rely on the potable water sources, consider them a bonus! Always bring a lightweight form or water treatment with you so you always have a backup supply from natural sources.
