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Friday, June 15, 2018

Rim Trail - Mohave Point to The Abyss - Grand Canyon National Park


Mohave Point is the fifth stop westbound on the free Hermit Road shuttle bus service. It is also an eastbound shuttle stop for those wishing to return to Grand Canyon Village.

Due to time constraints, we rode the free shuttle bus from Hopi Point to Mohave Point instead of walking the Rim Trail. We then walked 1.1 miles of the Rim Trail from Mohave Point to The Abyss. The surface of this portion of the Rim Trail is rock and gravel. It even has a couple of sets of stone stairs to cross a low spot on the rim. In addition, the part of the trail a few hundred feet southwest of Mohave Point has some of the best views of the western section of Grand Canyon we've ever seen.

We also saw a small herd of elk grazing along the trail. The first pair of elk were heading toward us between the trail and the rim, but quickly headed over the rim to continue grazing. As I was taking pictures of the first pair, my wife pointed out the rest of the herd was passing behind us between the trail and Hermit Road. They seemed to be oblivious to us, so we quickly left the area continuing on our way toward The Abyss shuttle stop. We visited the park in March 2018.

One of several picnic tables at Mohave Point

Colorado River just downstream of the mouth of Ninetyfour Mile reek

Cope Butte (4528'), Whites Butte (4860'), Diana Temple (6683') and Marsh Butte (4721'), and Havasupai Point (6741')

Granite Gorge, lower ridges of Tower of Ra, Scorpion Ridge (5832'), end of Sagittarius Ridge (6181'),
and Point Sublime (7458') with Powell Plateau on the horizon

A pair of turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) soaring on the thermals

Tower of Ra (6129'), Osiris Temple (6613'), and Claude Birdseye Point (6982')
 
The Alligator pointing to the mouth of Monument Creek and Ninetyfour Mile Creek

View from The Alligator to Powell Plateau

Loose rocks on the trail

Trail passes through open forest

Great Mohave Wall

View northwest of western Grand Canyon

Trail joins Hermit Road at first overlook

View of The Alligator from the overlook

Light and shadows below the North Rim

Monument Creek watershed

Banana yucca (Yucca baccata)

The Abyss
 
Great Mohave Wall and The Abyss

Cathedral Stairs and Cope Butte

Trailside picnic table

View northwest from the picnic table

Elk enjoying the view at a park bench

Another elk comes to investigate

Elk aren't native to Grand Canyon
 
Sunbeams filter into the canyon

The gravel trail parallels the paved road

Typical trail surface and shade

More sunbeams

Second overlook on Hermit Road

View northwest from Cope Butte to Powell Plateau

Viewing The Abyss below the handrails

Light is quickly fading

More of The Abyss

The far wall of The Abyss

The Abyss - a 250 foot high cliff above a 400 foot high cliff with a total drop of over 1,000 feet

Top of the stairs down

More stairs

The Abyss from slightly below the rim
 
Shadow selfie on the stairs still to climb

Lots of loose rock on the trail

Paralleling Hermit Road again

The trail is close to the rim

Third overlook

View northwest from the overlook
 
The trail is even closer to the rim

Spectacular view

Late afternoon light from Cope Butte to Powell Plateau

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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