Hiking across the Grand Canyon from rim-to-rim (R2R) is a pretty ambitious undertaking. Most people who visit this national park don’t ever venture inside the canyon itself. But there’s always a few ambitious souls who long to take a much closer look.
Whether you take this on a massive one-day hike, or stretch it out into something longer by camping within the canyon, it’s sure to be an unforgettable experience.
But, what does this adventure really entail? Is it too difficult? When should you go? How long will it take to complete? What permits do you need? Where do you get water resupply inside the canyon?
I had all these questions (and so many more) when I first started researching my own R2R2R Grand Canyon trip.
After successfully completing this monumental hike in May 2017, I wanted to consolidate all my research into a guide to help others as they contemplate a similar adventure.
So you want to hike across the Grand Canyon?
If your heart is set on hiking the Grand Canyon from rim-to-rim, here’s a short overview of what you’re getting yourself into.
Making your way down from the South Rim to the Colorado River is less than 10 miles of hiking. That’s a relatively easy hike for most long distance hikers. But there’s a massive 4,500 foot elevation loss to contend with during your descent.
So, no matter what age you are, or how well-conditioned your body might be, your knees will definitely feel sore when you get to the bottom.
Hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon is the easiest part of this journey though. Choosing to continue on to the North Rim requires 14 more miles of hiking through the blisteringly hot sun.
Not only is the trail on the north side of the Grand Canyon longer, it holds several additional challenges.
First, there’s the infamous “box” of the narrow inner canyon walls. The steep walls reflect the sun as it beats down in the middle of the day.
This section can quickly become is the hottest part of the Grand Canyon while the sun is directly overhead. So, you’ll need to schedule your passage through it carefully.
Once you exit this narrow canyon, the terrain opens up tremendously into flat, shadeless Sonoran Desert. This brutal 5-mile stretch is completely waterless with very few places to rest from the blistering heat.
Finally, you begin to slowly ascend out of the canyon on tired legs. The North Rim sits near 8,000 feet above sea level – a full 1,000 feet higher in elevation than it’s southern counterpart. So the trail goes up and up, and up…and seems to never end.
But when you finally get to the North Rim, there is a profound appreciation for the Grand Canyon as you look back at what a spectacular sight lies before you.
The downside of hiking one-way
It’s easy to see what draws adventurous people to hike across the Grand Canyon. There’s the spectacular beauty. And the pride in knowing your body endured such a physical feat.
But, hiking from one point to another always leaves you at a minor disadvantage. Once you reach your destination, you still have to figure out how to get back home.
Of course there’s several options to solve this problem. Some people arrange to have friends or family meet them at their finishing point. There’s also a handful of shuttle services that will drive you the five hours around the east side of the Grand Canyon (if you arranged for one at least a day in advance).
And then there’s the “hardcore” solution that doesn’t require any additional transportation. Why not just hike the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim-to-rim (or R2R2R)?
Yes – you read that right!
Hikers and ultra runners attempting this feat begin at one rim of the Grand Canyon, make their way down to the Colorado River, then trek up to the opposite rim – all before turning around and doing it all over again – often as quickly as possible!
The reality of hiking rim-to-rim-to-rim
I’m here to tell you that completing a R2R2R hike of the Grand Canyon was one of my absolute favorite adventures of all time. At nearly 50 miles long and 22,000 vertical feet of elevation change, this massive trek is sublime!
However, before I go any further – a word of warning!
Hiking across the Grand Canyon in a single day is absolutely NOT for inexperienced hikers.
If you ask any Park Ranger about hiking the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim in a single day, they will STRONGLY discourage you from doing it. The threat of injury without any immediate emergency support is a very real factor to consider.
The physical stamina required to hike this distance is immense. You’ll experience relentless climbs, intense heat, precious little shade, and limited water sources.
So, if hiking R2R in a single day is strongly discouraged – then you can definitely bet that hiking R2R2R in a mere day or two makes the National Park Service cringe!
Despite this disclaimer, there are still plenty of hardcore folks out there who dream of completing this epic physical challenge, and who have the skills to take it on.
A guide to hiking the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim
If you want take on this adventure as much as I did, you are probably already scouring the internet looking for as much information as possible.
There’s lots of great nuggets out there too. Some of it is geared toward ultra runners, while other sources is hiker specific.
I want everyone who trains for and attempts this hike to complete it safely and successfully. And so, I’m putting together a series of blog posts over the next few weeks to address:
- What Time of Year is Best for a Rim-to-Rim Hike?
- How Much Water Do You Need to Hike the Grand Canyon?
- Comparing the North Rim and South Rim as Starting Points for Your Hike
- Route Planning: Should I Take the Bright Angel Trail or South Kaibab Trail?
- Timing Your Rim-to-Rim Hike: 1 Day, 2 Days or More?
- Gear Every Rim-to-Rim Hiker Should Consider Taking
My aim in putting together a guide on this subject is not to encourage anyone to add another notch to their belt. My hiking style isn’t about FKTs or one upsmanship. Instead, I hope to consolidate and share information to make you a better informed hiker.
See you out on the trail!
