Grandview Trail
Grandview Trail |
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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 Horeshoe Mesa Template:Unit mile 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 Template:Unit mile from the Grandview trailhead at a junction with the Tonto Trail.
About Template:Unit mile 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 Template:Unit mile 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 consumning.
References
- Grand Canyon National Park Official Site, Grandview Trail Description
- Grand Canyon Explorer, Grandview Trail description