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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 the Abyss to Powell Point. Another entry covers the portion from Hermits Rest to Monument Creek Vista.
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.
The Abyss
After a little over two hours of hiking from Hermits Rest, I reached the Abyss and enjoyed the view from there.
Mohave Point
Next, I walked 1.1 miles to Mohave Point. On the way, it started to rain a bit, but once I reached Mohave Point, the storm had pretty much passed through the canyon.
Mohave Point turned out to be one of my favorite viewpoints at the South Rim. The rainbow that followed the storm definitely made a difference.
Hopi Point
From there, it was 0.8 miles to Hopi Point. It’s another phenomenal viewpoint.
At Hopi Point, five patches of the Colorado River are visible. An interpretive panel points out how the river has carved the canyon over the past five million years.
Powell Point
Finally, I walked 0.3 miles to Powell Point. A uranium mine called the Orphan Mine was located there from 1956 to 1969. The mine actually dated back to 1891, when an orphan named Dan Hogan discovered copper there.
Powell Point is named for Major John Wesley Powell, who led the first documented expeditions through the Grand Canyon in 1869 and again from 1871 to 1872. A monument to Powell and his crew was erected at Powell Point in 1912.
As expected, the views of the Grand Canyon are amazing.
Further East
From Powell Point, I caught the shuttle back to Grand Canyon Village. Had I continued hiking, I would have reached Maricopa Point in 0.5 miles and the Trailview Overlook in another 0.7 miles.
