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The Rim Trail at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, a UNESCO World Heritage site, runs along the edge of the Grand Canyon.
The entire trail runs for about 13 miles along a mostly paved surface. I decided to hike part of the Rim Trail starting at Hermits Rest and finishing at Powell Point. This entry covers the portion from Hermits Rest to Monument Creek Vista. Another entry covers the portion from the Abyss to Powell Point.
All of the viewpoints along section of the Rim Trail that I hiked are accessible via the Hermit Road shuttle bus (red route), which is in service from March 1 to November 30. During the rest of the year, it’s possible to drive to the viewpoints.
Hermits Rest
I jumped on the red shuttle at Grand Canyon Village and rode it to the last stop, Hermits Rest. Hermits Rest opened in 1914 and was accessible via an eight mile buggy ride down Hermit Road.
The structure was built by architect Mary Colter and was designed to look like a natural rock formation. There’s a fireplace and snack bar, and the trailhead for the Hermit Trail is nearby.
As expected, there are fantastic views of the Grand Canyon from there.
Pima Point
From Hermits Rest, I walked 1.1 miles to Pima Point. Along the way, I enjoyed the views and met a furry eight-legged friend.
At Pima Point, I was able to get some great views of the Colorado River and some rapids. I also watched a storm pass through the canyon, revealing a rainbow at the end of the storm.
When the storm passed, the scenery started to clear up a bit. In the matter of just a few minutes, the colors in the canyon changed along with the visibility.
Monument Creek Vista
Next I walked 1.7 miles to Monument Creek Vista. Most of this part of the trail was inland away from the rim, so there weren’t many opportunities to look into the canyon.
At Monument Creek Vista, I was able to see small sections of the Colorado River. I was also able to see Monument Creek flowing into the Colorado.
Monument Creek Vista to the Abyss
The Rim Trail continued another 0.9 miles to the Abyss. This was one of the more scenic sections of the trail.
