Grandview Trail

Infobox Hiking trail
Name=Grandview Trail
Photo=Horseshoe Mesa.jpg
Caption=Horseshoe Mesa (lower left), the terminus of the Grandview Trail.
Length=
Location=Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, United States
Start/End Points=Colorado River
Use=Hiking
ElevChange=
HighPoint=
LowPoint=
Difficulty=
Season=
Sights=Grand Canyon
Hazards=Severe Weather
Overexertion
Dehydration
Flash Flood

The Grandview Trail is a hiking trail located on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, located in the U.S. state of Arizona.

Access

The trail begins at the north end of the Grandview Point parking area, off of Arizona state route 64 between Grand Canyon Village, Arizona and Desert View.

Description

The trail begins at the point and makes a quick descent through the Kaibab Limestone and Toroweap Formation, making a couple of switchbacks early. Portions of this section of trail were reconstructed in the summer of 2005 after a couple of storms washed them out.

The trail generally follows the western side of the ridge that extends northeast of "Grandview Point" which marks a natural break in the Coconino Sandstone. The trail turns to the north and makes a final descent through the Hermit Shale and Supai Group until it reached "Horseshoe Mesa" Convert|3|mi|km|0 from the trailhead.

Camping is allowed on the mesa in a designated area on its easter side by permit only, issued by the parks' Backcountry Information Center. Signage on trail indicates the location of the campsite. Composting toilets have been installed, but no water is available on the mesa.

On the mesa, the trail splits. First, a spur trail leads east down a steep break in the Redwall Limestone on the eastern side of the mesa closer to the rim. The spur trail is very steep, leading past "Miner's Spring", which is often dry. The end of this spur is about Convert|4.5|mi|km|1 from the Grandview trailhead at a junction with the Tonto Trail.

About Convert|0.25|mi|km|1 after the Miner's Spring spur junction, the trail forks again. To the north, a trail leads to the end of the western arm of the mesa. To the west, the Grandview Trail cuts through a break in the Redwall Limestone to descent the western side of the mesa. About Convert|1.75|mi|km|1 miles past the fork is the end of the trail, at a junction with the Tonto Trail.

The only reliable water source along trail is at "Cottonwood Creek", which runs near the junction with the Tonto Trail. All water taken from this source must be filtered, treated, or boiled before consuming.

References

* [http://www.nps.gov/archive/grca/backcountry/trails/grandview_to_s_kaibab.htm Grand Canyon National Park Official Site, Grandview Trail Description]
* [http://www.kaibab.org/bc/gc_tr_gv.htm Grand Canyon Explorer, Grandview Trail description]

ee also

* The Grand Canyon
* List of trails in Grand Canyon National Park

External links

* [http://www.nps.gov/grca/ Grand Canyon National Park, Official site]