The hike along the South Kaibab Trail to Cedar Ridge in the Grand Canyon is an awe-inspiring journey where you are immersed in the breathtaking beauty and rugged grandeur of this geologic wonder. The trail is popular and well-maintained, offering a steady descent into the heart of the canyon. As you make your way down, the multicolored, towering cliffs and deep ravines make for an incredibly memorable experience.
- Distance: ~3 mile out-and-back trail
- Elevation gain: 1,120 ft
- Skill level: Intermediate – strenuous uphill return.
- Time required: 2-3 hours
Getting to South Kaibab Trailhead
The South Kaibab Trailhead is only accessible through the Grand Canyon National Park’s shuttle bus system. Plan ahead on taking the orange kaibab rim route shuttle line which you can board from the visitor center. The bus stop times change each season, so make sure you check the website before arriving.
Experiencing South Kaibab to Cedar Ridge
The descent is steep and winds along the canyon’s edge offering unobstructed views that seem to stretch infinitely. You can experience how the Colorado River, a lifeline of the canyon, has carved its way through the ancient rock formations.
As you continue down the trail, the landscape evolves, revealing the unique geological layers that tell the story of millions of years of Earth’s history. The trail has little shade and many switchbacks, which can be steep in some places as the elevation changes. Some areas of the trail level out and you walk on a more gradual descent along the cliff wall.
Ooh Aah Point
Almost a mile down, you’ll reach the aptly named Ooh Aah Point. The outcropping offers a great photo backdrop with panoramic views. This is an excellent time for you to assess how you’re feeling and potentially decide if you’d like to return and hike up from here. The views are extremely rewarding at this point, and you’ll need to keep in mind that the hike up will be significantly more difficult than your descent.
Cedar Ridge
If you choose to continue on from Ooh Aah Point to Cedar Ridge, the trail evolves into a staircase of logs, rocks and dirt that’s been created by the park service to better maintain the trail and prevent too much erosion. The trail ventures away from the ridge line as you walk out towards the center of the canyon for a truly eye-opening experience.
Cedar Ridge marks a significant point where many hikers choose to rest and take in the captivating surroundings. Catch your breath here and appreciate the vastness of the Grand Canyon’s towering cliffs which cast impressive shadows and showcase the canyon’s depth.
There are pit toilets at Cedar Ridge, but no water refill stations or cellular service. You may also see mules tied to the hitching posts – do not approach the mules though. If you have allotted enough time and are adequately prepared, this is a good time to consider continuing on to Skeleton Point, which is another 1.5 miles round trip from Cedar Ridge.
Ascending back to the trailhead brings a different sense of accomplishment. It will be difficult and you will work up a sweat rather quickly (even in winter). Be prepared for the long haul and take frequent breaks to drink water, have a snack, and rest your legs along the way.
Tips for Preparing to Hike the South Kaibab Trail
Be sure to come prepared when doing any hiking at Grand Canyon National Park. Here are some tips for how to prepare for your hike:
- Bring ample amounts of water and check ahead of time for where water refill stations are located along your trail (if any).
- Fuel your body properly before beginning your hike and bring high-protein snacks (such as almonds or a protein bar) to energize you.
- Be prepared to handle extreme heat if you’re hiking between May and September (even early morning or late evenings can get steamy).
- Bring trekking poles to help lessen impact on your lower legs and provide extra stability.
- Start your hike early in the spring and summer to avoid brutal heat. It gets much warmer inside the canyon the farther you descend.
- There are no garbage cans along the trail so you will need to pack out any trash.
- If a mule train is coming towards you on the trail, stand quietly to the side to let them pass by.
- Remember what goes down must come back up. The incline is much more difficult than the descent. Do not underestimate the difficulty of the return, no matter how experienced of a hiker you are.
- Take frequent breaks to rest and soak in the incredible views.
- Wear layered clothing so you can take off or put on what you need as the temperature can be unpredictable.
- Do not go too close to the rim edge along the trail as the drop can vary and can be deadly in some places. The path along South Kaibab is typically 6-8 feet wide throughout.
South Kaibab vs Bright Angel
South Kaibab Trail is steeper than Bright Angel trail and does not have any rest stations where you can refill water bottles. The South Kaibab Trail also offers the quickest access to the Colorado River and any corridor trails to explore at the bottom of the canyon. One way to experience both of these trails is to plan your hike beginning with going down South Kaibab Trail and returning up the canyon via Bright Angel.
Rim to Rim
Any park ranger will warn hikers to not try to hike from the rim down to the Colorado River and back up in one day. Even for experienced hikers, this is a dangerous undertaking. For 95% of the population, this is not a smart choice.
Hiking rim-to-rim is a bucket list hike for many outdoorsy people. Take time to plan your trip day by day so you can do this safely. Reservations for camping at Phantom Ranch and back-country permits can be made months in advance. If you’d like to hike from the North to South rim or vice versa, you’ll need to arrange for transportation. Gear, food, water, and your physical fitness are critical components of a successful hike.
Check out this article on preparing to hike rim-to-rim to start planning your trek.
