The Grand Canyon has something for every body. For those who don’t want to go below the rim there are paved rim trails, accessible by wheelchair. At the other end of the scale some hardcore hikers do the rim-to-rim trails.
Our hike this time was the Dripping Spring Trail. The book 100 Hikes in Arizona rates as this moderately difficult, but I found the six-mile hike to be strenuous and much harder than many 10-15mile trails.
The hike begins at 6,700 feet and drops to 5,200 feet before you have to climb back out, but with ups and downs we actually climbed a total of 2,700 feet. That’s not the difficult part.
There are three reasons this trail can be hard. First, many of the steps on the trail drop at least a foot, so those with short legs (like me) can find this hard on the knees and feet. This is not as popular a trail as some of the others, so it is not as well maintained. We went on a Saturday and there were only a dozen other hikers on the trail, most of them saying it was tough.
Second, in early August it was hot in the lower reaches of the trail, pushing 90°F.
Third, there is not much shade when you’re climbing out, although we were lucky to get some rolling clouds.
The cool part of the hike was that Prescott resident Nick Huige, 79 years young, kept going at a steady pace to make the hike fun. Some of the younger hikers remarked that they hope they are able to hike what we’re doing at our age.
Between May and September day hikers must park at Grand Canyon Village and take the free shuttle to the trailhead. Buses run at 15-minute intervals from 7:30am to sunset. The shuttle ride takes about40 minutes, because it makes nine stops at the various overlooks, all with great views of the Canyon and a couple with views of the mighty Colorado River. If you like you can get off at each stop, enjoy the sights at the overlook, then pick up the next bus to go on.
Masks are currently required on the shuttle buses, and well as in all the buildings in the National Park, but not on the trails.
The final stop is Hermit’s Rest, and we get to Dripping Springs from there, about a quarter-mile down, past a gift shop with unique architecture. There are also restrooms and a water station here so you can fill up your canteens.
All along the trail there are beautiful views of the Canyon. Yellow flowers in the pinyon juniper forest greet us as we start to descend. The trail goes down quickly and steeply. A sign warns hikers that getting to the bottom is optional, but getting to the top is mandatory. I almost slipped on some loose rocks while laughing at this sign, but it also gives good advice about resting in shade when you need it and drinking plenty of fluids.
After about a mile Hermit Trail connects with Waldon Trail, which goes back up the rim, but you want to keep to the right at this junction. About a mile and a half farther down, take the left-hand turn at the sign for Dripping Springs, with a climb of a few hundred feet to get there.
We came within a half-mile of the springs, but ran into fallen boulders blocking the trail from recent storms. We took a short break on the boulders, but with little shade there we started back, eventually finding a sunny spot for a longer break.
100 Hikes in Arizona notes that Dripping Springs is a small flow that drops from a rock above, and the Park Service recommends treating the water before drinking it. Within a mile of the Dripping Spring-Hermit Trail junction you’ll find the start of Boucher Trail, a much longer hike.
This hike demands plenty of water, and we went through most of our liquids. Camping is not allowed in the area because of its fragile plant life. Neither horses nor dogs are allowed on this trail.
Kachina Trail in Flagstaff remains one of this hiker’s favorites because of the large stands of aspen, a dozen different types of summer wildflowers, and marvelous views of the San Francisco Peaks.
This has been an annual hike for me for 20 years, and this time I found one more reason to go. Right by the Kachina Wilderness sign I found a unique moth, called the police-car moth, in black and white. It also has reddish orange eyes, which some might consider its flashers. Next to the sign is a stand of yellow flowers where the Police Car Moths were having fun in the sun with these flowers.
You’ll find Kachina Trail via Snowbowl Road. Take US180 to Snowbowl Road, and the parking lot for Kachina Trail is 7.5 miles up on the right. Dogs are allowed on this trail, and plenty of folks had their dogs with them.
When we hit the trail at 9am it was 65 degrees. The trail takes you up to 9,200feet, so it remains cool.
Stan Bindell is always looking for a good hike. If you have one, contact him at thebluesmagician@gmail. com
