North Kaibab Trail

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the hiking trail at the north rim of Grand Canyon. For the trail from the south rim, see South Kaibab Trail.

North Kaibab Trail
Ribbon Falls on the North Kaibab Trail
Length	14 mi; 22.5 km
Trailheads	Phantom Ranch Grand Canyon (North Rim)
Use	Hiking Stock (Horse Use)
Elevation Change	5660 ft
Highest Point	North Rim, 8060 ft
Lowest Point	Colorado River, 2400 ft
Trail Difficulty	Strenuous
Season	Spring through Fall
Sights	Grand Canyon Colorado River
Hazards	Severe Weather Overexertion Dehydration Flash Flood

The North Kaibab Trail is a hiking trail in Grand Canyon National Park, located in the U.S. state of Arizona.

1 Description
2 References
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Description

Mileages and features along North Kaibab Trail ^[1]
Distance (mi)	Elv (ft)	Location	Trail Junction	Toilet	Water
0	8060	Trailhead, North Rim	Uncle Jim Trail Ken Patrick Trail	Portable
1.7		Supai Tunnel		Composting	Seasonal, Treated
5		Roaring Springs		Composting	Seasonal, Treated
6.9		Cottonwood Campground		Composting	Seasonal, Treated
8.5		Ribbon Falls
13.1		Trail Junction	Clear Creek Trail
13.6	2500	Phantom Ranch		Septic	Treated
13.8	2480	Bright Angel Campground	Utah Flats Route	Septic	Treated
14	2460	Trail Junction	River Trail South Kaibab Trail	Septic	Treated

The North Kaibab Trail begins at the head of Roaring Springs canyon and ends at the Colorado River.

The trailhead is at a parking area on Arizona State Highway 67, about 1 mile north of the North Rim's Grand Canyon Lodge. The Ken Patrick Trail and Uncle Jim Trail are also accessible from this parking area.

The trail itself is 14 miles long, with camping available by permit at Cottonwood Camp at 7 miles and Bright Angel Camp at 14 miles. Treated water is available seasonally at the Supai Tunnel, Roaring Springs, the Caretaker's Dwelling, and Cottonwood Campground; and year-round at Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch. Scenic highlights on trail include Roaring Springs, Ribbon Falls (140-feet), The Box (a slot canyon), and Phantom Ranch.

The trail is also part of the Arizona Trail system, crossing the state of Arizona from Mexico to Utah.

[edit] Seasonal access

Access to this part of the park by car is seasonal, open from mid-May to mid-October or depending on snowcover from the previous winter. It is possible to reach the North Kaibab Trailhead by crossing the canyon on foot from the South Rim or by snowshoe or cross-country ski beginning at Jacob Lake, Arizona.

[edit] Condition

Grand Canyon National Park categorizes the North Kaibab Trail as a corridor trail. With this designation it receives regular maintenance and patrols by park rangers. ^[2]

[edit] Camping

Hikers may only camp at the Bright Angel or Cottonwood Campgrounds, where they can stay overnight with a permit issued by the Grand Canyon National Park Backcountry Information Center. Use of the campground overnight is regulated by the National Park Service, and they call for a maximum number of groups (7 to 11 people) and parties (1 to 6 people), as well as a maximum total number of persons. ^[3]

Overnight camping areas near River Trail
Area	Name	Type	Group(s)		Parties	Max People
CCG	Cottonwood	Campground (Summer) Campground (Winter)	1 1	and or	6 1	40 8
CBG	Bright Angel	Campground	2	and	31	90

Use permits are available on a first-come, first-serve basis from the park's Backcountry Information Center. Requests are taken beginning on the 1st day of the month, up to four month's before the requested first night of camping. ^[4]

[edit] Hazards

Hazards hikers can encounter along the North Kaibab Trail include dehydration, sudden rainstorms, flash flooding, loose footing, rockfall, encounters with wildlife, and extreme heat. At the Colorado River, additional hazards include hypothermia (due to the river's consistantly cold temperatures), trauma (due to collisions with boulders in rapids), and drowning. ^[5]