Grand Canyon: North Rim to Phantom Ranch (North Kaibab Trail)

This is part 1 of 3 of our 3 day hike through the Grand Canyon sleeping at Phantom Ranch.

We started the day at the North Grand Canyon Lodge -North Rim. We originally planning to camp, but as it was raining when we arrived and during the night and into the following morning, we were happy to get a pionier cabin at the Lodge, which was excellent.

We set off after a good long breakfast and made our way to the North Kaibab Trailhead. Parking is limited, so you may need to park a km or so from the trailhead.

Starting from the North-Rim you quickly get to the Coconino Overlook for the first sip of water and some photos. The descent is relatively quick and before you know it you will pass over a bridge and head for Roaring Springs before the trail turns and continues adjacent to Bright Angel Creek. The environment and colours change dramatically as they go. The trail goes down steep steps and through layers of old rock, giving you stunning views of the canyon's huge size.

Along the trail you will pass by the Pump House Ranger Station, quickly followed by the Cottonwood Campground. On this section, we lost our poles when taking some stunning photos and taking off our jackets as the temperature gets hotter when you descend.

After Cotton Wood Campground it is a short track to Ribbon Falls. There is no longer a bridge to Ribbon Falls so visiting the falls will mean getting your feet and/or shoes wet. We were somewhat pressed for time and did not want to risk missing dinner so carried on towards Phantom Ranch.



Hikers who come up to Phantom Ranch, which is next to the lively Colorado River, are met by tall rocks and a variety of ecosystems. The ranch itself is a nice place for tired travellers to rest. The trip is hard but worth it, and each step shows us more amazing geological and natural sights.

This final section from Ribbon Falls to Phantom Ranch is deceptively long and relatively flat. We saw a hiker carrying a famous Phantom Ranch lemonade and we thought we must be close, but this took longer than we expected. This walk is not only hard on the body, but also beautiful to look at. The rocks' different colours at different times of the day add to the magic. When we arrived at Phantom Ranch we checked-in had some famous lemonade, and bought the cap and a buff.

One of the best parts was sharing stories with fellow travellers at dinner and enjoying the star-lit sky. We then went to bed, knowing we needed to get up early the next day when we would be hiking up to The Bright Angel trail to the South-Rim and back down the South- Kaibab trail to Phantom Ranch.