With age comes wisdom, or so goes the old adage. But, as any observer of the world can plainly see, that’s not always true. With age certainly comes knowledge, but whether that knowledge is converted to the making of wise decisions is, so to speak, a crap shoot.

Hiking in the Grand Canyon offers an excellent example. First of all, it’s challenging business. For us to successfully descend to the bottom and return to the rim in good health, we would have to gain adequate knowledge but we'd also have to apply it as well. It doesn’t help a thing if you know you should carry three liters of water but decide instead to pop a lone one-liter in your backpack at the last minute. After all, a lot of it’s downhill, right?

Sometimes knowledge actually creates the illusion of wisdom, resulting in misguided complacency. In other words, a little experience can make you blasé, and that’s never a good thing. I completed my first rim-to-river hike in the Grand Canyon in the fall of 2021. It was a tough hike, backpacking the Hermit Trail and day hiking to the Colorado River. But it was a complete success, with no accidents, illness or near misses. The campsite at Hermit Creek was idyllic and the hike to the Colorado through Hermit Creek Canyon both lovely and easy. Notwithstanding the steepness of the trail, which was easier going up than down, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

I fell in love with the Grand Canyon on that hike and the knowledge I gained of that magical place propelled me to schedule another hike with friends the following spring. Wanting to see a different area, one of the itineraries I submitted for my spring backcountry permit was the Grandview Loop. Starting from Grandview Point, on the eastern side of the South Rim, it’s a two or three day backpacking trip with one or two nights at Cottonwood Creek and/or Hance Creek.

Going to the Colorado River was a high priority for some of my hiking buddies, and I found in a trekking company’s itinerary a mention of the “Old Grandview Trail” to the river. It looked like a reasonable way to complete the rim-to-river goal and our only option on this route so, once I received approval for my requested itinerary, we decided to hike from Grandview Point to Cottonwood Creek on day one, day hike to the Colorado on the Old Grandview Trail on day two, hike from Cottonwood Creek to Hance Creek on day three, and hike out on day four.

A Grandview Hike Begins

There were five of us, three totally new to the Grand Canyon – Melissa, Mackenzie and Caleb – and one – my son Mark – who had hiked the Hermit Trail with me the previous fall. At the trailhead, Mackenzie realized she had a leaky hydration bladder. Not a good start. It turned out the opening was not sealing properly, and the bladder could hold only about a liter of water before spilling out.

Knowledge = Faulty hydration bladder, get on the trail anyway. Wisdom = Faulty hydration bladder, this is not just her problem. Take time to get her properly equipped. But we got on the trail anyway, mid-day on March 26, 2022. The weather was perfect for short-sleeved hiking although we all wore traction devices on our shoes because there was still snow and ice on sections of the trail. The few patches of snow disappeared as we descended, and soon we shed our YakTrax.

From Grandview Point the trail descends very steeply at first; some of the path is built on log “cribs” that were originally attached to the cliff face by chains or pins to provide a foundation for the trail. Steep and seemingly endless switchbacks of cobblestone soon appear. These large slabs of stone were set on their edges many years ago to create a stable walking surface, first intended to facilitate mule traffic from the mines below. At the end of the first mile of hiking and 1,200 feet of descent, Coconino Saddle provides a good spot for a rest in the shade before the slope becomes more gradual and the traverse to Horseshoe Mesa begins.

Heavy rains the summer before had washed out some of this section, so on the traverse we clambered over numerous piles of rock and dirt. Some of it was a bit rugged though none of it terribly difficult, when dry. We didn’t stay long at Horseshoe Mesa, 2,500 feet below the rim, just stopping at the three-mile mark for a breather and a quick look at the mining remnants around the old stone cabin. Our goal was to reach Cottonwood Creek to make camp that afternoon, another one and one-half miles. The trail down the west side of Horseshoe Mesa was very poor, much of it washed out, leaving just loose rock and dirt. It was very easy to lose footing and slide, placing a great deal of strain on the knees and requiring heavy reliance on trekking poles to prevent a spill. Several of us ended up on the ground anyway.

After another 1,000 feet of descent to the bed of Cottonwood Creek, we walked to the point where we could see water flowing in the creek and some other campsites. We made camp, filtered water, and soaked our feet in the creek…downstream from the spot where we were filtering. Except for some high winds, the night was uneventful, thanks to having solidly staked out our tents.

The next morning, after cleaning out the sand deposited in our tents by the wind, our goal was to continue along the bed of Cottonwood Creek to intersect the Tonto Trail, traveling west to the point at which a “big cairn” would be found, marking the entrance to the Old Grandview Trail, which would take us about 1,200 feet down to the river. I had done all the research I could to determine the nature of this “trail”. I had read that it did not require serious scrambling, but was steep. Also that it was rough but not scary, and did not have exposure if the correct route was taken.

Well, yes. It was all of that. Let’s not be careless, after all! Deceptively gentle at the top, toward the bottom it was little more than a rock slide. But we all made it to the river. There’s nothing you can reasonably call a beach at this spot on the Colorado, but there are a couple of very small sandy areas on the shore and some rocks where you can take a rest. We ate lunch and waded in the river. Surprisingly, the river was colder than the waters of Cottonwood Creek. All in all, it was a pleasant interlude. Mackenzie had to filter water at the river because of her leaky hydration bladder. That was okay but it would have been so much better if she hadn’t needed to. It was just a few weeks later when Norovirus was reported in the canyon, with the river its likely source.

The climb out was rough, but we were elated to have made it to the river and back to the Tonto. At camp, we gathered at the creek again to filter and soak, and began to talk about a possible change of plans. With rain in the forecast, I was concerned about the challenge which wet rock and slippery mud could present for our ascent. The washouts on the traverse above Horseshoe Mesa were my primary concern but there were plenty of sketchy places that could be a problem. Would the group want to hike all the way out the next day rather than camping that night at Hance Creek? It would mean about nine miles rather than five.

There was unanimous agreement to hike out the next day and get ahead of the weather. On tired legs the next morning we began what would be a 4,000-foot ascent over a nine-mile distance. Our route would take us around Horseshoe Mesa to Hance Creek, up the east side of the mesa, and back to Grandview Point. My idea, perhaps not well thought-out, was to go ahead and complete the loop we had first intended and give people the option to change their minds and stop at Hance Creek.

From Cottonwood Creek we first traversed north and east on the Tonto Trail for a pleasant walk around Horseshoe Mesa, enjoying the long views. We soon came upon a marker for the mesa’s northernmost trail, which ascends the east side of the western arm of the "horseshoe" and is reportedly the most “civilized” of the mesa’s three trails. Not having planned to use that trail, I hadn’t considered its possible value for a good re-route (knowledge lacking, in this case). But looking back, it would have made our hike shorter and our day much easier had I captured that knowledge and transformed into wisdom.

Arriving at Hance Creek, everyone was ready to keep going and complete the hike that day. Climbing up the east side of Horseshoe Mesa was challenging, on a trail both difficult and exposed, but beautiful and, frankly, exciting. We stopped to explore a mine tunnel and take advantage of its shade. Back up on Horseshoe Mesa it seemed as if we should be nearly finished, but the toughest part still lay ahead for our tired crew. It was a long, slow slog up to Grandview Point and Mackenzie ran out of water. Thankfully, her husband Caleb was able to spare some. And of course the heat diminished as we ascended, lessening the difficulty somewhat.

Another Grand Canyon Hike Comes to an End

Finally we made it out. As I approached the finish line, fatigued, I saw tourists standing on the rim taking selfies and thought, “but...you haven’t done anything!” Don’t judge me, you might think that too at such a moment, and after such an exhausting, trying, and tiring experience.

Now, we had to go find a campsite at Mather Campground for the night. It was cold at the rim and we quickly set up our tents, then spent the evening keeping warm in the restaurant at Yavapai Lodge. None of us was really prepared for cold weather camping but we managed. During the night, it began to snow and we awoke to a beautiful layer of white on our tents, the towering pines in the campground, and the upper layers of the canyon. We were thankful then, both to be already out of the canyon and to be seeing the Grand Canyon in the snow.

It was a good end to the trip. After all, we’d just spent two nights camping in the Grand Canyon and hiked all the way to the Colorado River, and now we deserved to feel satisfied with our accomplishment.

But I could have been a better leader. I wasn’t a paid guide, but I was the "organizer". Looking back, we were lucky no one twisted an ankle on the Old Grandview Trail or completely ran out of water while separated from the group. I won’t depend on luck again. In the future I’ll not take anyone new to the Grand Canyon on trails I haven’t already experienced. And, when leading a trip, I’ll also focus more on the corridor trails. My next Grand Canyon hike is a rim-to-rim dayhike, with an entirely different set of challenges. Hopefully I’ll fully arm myself with knowledge and translate all of that into wisdom, depending neither on luck nor illusions.

Need to Know

Information

The Grand Canyon, located in northern Arizona, is considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Grand Canyon National Park occupies 1.2 million acres and nearly 2,000 square miles and was established as a national monument in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt, then designated a national park in 1919.The Colorado River runs 277 miles through the great gorge, which averages 10 miles in width and one mile in depth. The park averages 6 million visitors a year and was the second most visited national park in 2019. Camping in the inner canyon is controlled by a backcountry permit system.

Best Time to Go

For inner canyon hiking, summer months are better avoided because of very high temperatures. Spring and fall are typically good times to go, although between October 15 and May 15 the North Rim is closed, so the canyon must be accessed via the South Rim during that time.

Getting There

From Flagstaff, Arizona, take Interstate 40 west to Exit 165, AZ-64 N, in Williams. Take AZ-64 north about 55 miles to Grand Canyon Village. The Grandview Trail leaves the rim at Grandview Point, located about 12 miles east of Grand Canyon Village via the Desert View Drive. Use the upper parking lot for overnight parking.

Books and Maps

Hiking Grand Canyon National Park by Ron Adkison. National Geographic Trails Illustrated map, Grand Canyon North and South Rims.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in Issue 54 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here for additional photos and content.