We weren’t on the Tonto trail long before we knew we’d made the right call.
It was BEAUTIFUL!
Grand Canyon Immersion via the Tonto Trail
We were completely alone—just us, the trail, and the canyon stretching out in every direction. It was EXACTLY the kind of experience we strive for whenever we visit a new place. Quiet. Remote. Awe-inspiring. We were seeing a side of the Grand Canyon that most visitors completely miss.
It had its ups and downs, but hardly, and especially compared to the severity of the South Kaibab and Bright Angel trails. It was pretty gentle. The only thing that you could say was difficult about it was the fact that it is 4.6 miles long. (To be honest, as much as I LOVED the trail, I wouldn’t have minded if it was maybe a quarter mile shorter!)
Despite all the warnings about the trail being bone-dry, we actually passed not one, but two tiny trickling streams. Would I drink from them? No… but if we were desperate we could have rolled around in them to cool off. Though I am told that those wet spots cannot be relied upon year round, which is a fair statement.
We were fully immersed in the Grand Canyon, surrounded by layered color and stillness. We watched the shadows on the canyon rim grow shorter as the sun climbed, reminding us that we were, in fact, racing the daylight. We definitely felt a sense of urgency to beat the sun!
As we reached the Tonto Trail sign at the junction—a bright blue butterfly gently landed on Chris’s hat. It felt like a tiny, perfect blessing. A quiet affirmation from the canyon itself:
“You chose well.”
The pictures we took just do not do justice to the beauty we seemed to be a part of, but I will post what I have.
Up Next: Bright Angel Trail
We reached Havasupai Gardens by 7:30 AM, well ahead of our 8:00 AM goal. We rested, filled our water, and set off again around 7:45 AM, ready to finish the climb.
I had heard that the Bright Angel Trail was no picnic, but I figured it had to be easier than South Kaibab. Maybe South Kaibab is technically steeper, but don’t be fooled—Bright Angel is still a beast.
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