We continued our westbound walk on the West Rim Trail from Kolb Studio to Trailview Overlook during our March 2018 visit to Grand Canyon National Park. This 0.6 mile segment of the trail is paved and lined with rocks about one foot high on both sides. This is also the only segment of the trail with a noticeable grade as it climbs about 160 feet to end near 7000 feet above sea level.
The trail is wide enough to walk two abreast unless meeting people. A mixed pinyon-juniper woodland forest, consisting of Colorado pinyon (Pinus edulis) and Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma), provides decent shade for most of the trail. If you have small children or a fear of heights, be aware that the trail is close to the rim and, for the most part, doesn't have handrails. However, the views of Bright Angel Trail and the canyon are incredible.
If you don't have the time or inclination to walk along the rim, you have other options for seeing this portion of the canyon. For nine months of the year a free shuttle bus service provides transportation to many of the overlooks on the way to Hermits Rest, eight miles west of Kolb Studio. During the remaining three months of the year, private vehicles are allowed on Hermit Road, so you can stop at any of the overlooks that have available parking.
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| The Battleship (left 5850') and Bright Angel Canyon (right) |
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| Tunnel on Bright Angel Trail |
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| Visitors descending Bright Angel Trail with Isis Temple (7006') in the distance |
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| Bright Angel Trail trail head |
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| Another view of The Battleship with Isis Temple, The Colonnade (7300'), and Manu Temple (7184') in the background |
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| Bright Angel Canyon |
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| View from the rim |
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| Looking back at the Village |
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| El Tovar Hotel with Kolb Studio below left and Bright Angel Trail switchbacks below center |
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| View of Bright Angel Canyon, Sumner Butte, Brahma Temple (above cloud shadow), Zoroaster Temple, and Yavapai Point |
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| Plateau Point at top of image is 3100 feet below the rim |
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| Another view of El Tovar Hotel, Thunderbird Lodge, Lookout Studio, and Kolb Studio |
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| Sumner Butte and Yavapai Point |
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| North Rim is 11 to 15 miles away |
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| Snow covered Humphreys Peak (12,633' 56 miles) and Kendrick Peak (10,418' 48 miles) |
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| Restroom on the Bright Angel Trail |
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| View of Thor Temple (6741'), Cape Royal (7865'), Wotans Throne (7668'), and Yavapai Point (7062') |
As of June 1, 2018, entrance to Grand Canyon National Park requires an entry fee of $35 per passenger vehicle for a 7-day pass. Any of the America the Beautiful passes may be used instead.
The park website is https://www.nps.gov/grca.
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