The segment of the Rim Trail from Trailview Overlook to Maricopa Point in Grand Canyon National Park is a paved, ¾ mile trail between shuttle bus stops. We walked it heading north, trail west, during our March 2018 visit to the park.
While there are handrails at most overlooks, most of the trail has no handrails and it is often fairly close to the edge of the canyon. If you get white-knuckled just thinking about it and you plan to visit between March 1 and November 30, you can ride the free Hermit Road shuttle bus instead of walking. During December, January, and February, visitors are allowed to drive personal vehicles on Hermit Road. In either case, you can see many of the views without walking. However, we enjoy walking and the heights haven't caused us any problems yet. We also get to avoid the crowds of other visitors for much of the day while on the trail.
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| Bright Angel Trail below Grand Canyon Village |
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| Although on opposite sides of the Colorado River, Bright Angel Creek and Garden Creek both follow the Bright Angel fault |
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| "Aerial" view of Bright Angel trail |
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| An incredible view of the canyon |
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| Wotans Throne (7721') partially hidden by Yaqui Point |
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| Trial to Plateau Point |
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| Humphreys Peak (12633' 56 miles) |
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| Looking straight into Bright Angel Canyon |
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| Indian Garden |
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| Life hangs on |
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| Wotans Throne |
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| Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) resting in a puddle on the trail |
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| Another "aerial" view of Bright Angel trail with shelter and restrooms |
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| Johnson Point (5313' 5.5 miles) above Phantom Canyon |
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| Typical trail conditions |
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| Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) |
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| El Tovar Hotel |
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| An unnamed parking area between Trailview Overlook and Maricopa Point |
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| Typical trail, note handrail at overlook |
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| Plateau Point and Bright Angel Canyon from the unnamed overlook |
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| Wotans Throne (7721' 10 miles), Vishnu Temple (7533' 12 miles) and Palisades of the Desert (6995' 19 miles) |
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| Life is precarious here |
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| Sumner Butte (5126'), Brahma Temple (7551'), and Zoroaster Temple (7123') |
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| Banana yucca (Yucca baccata) |
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| One of several benches along the trail |
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| Bright Angel Canyon |
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| Shade on the trail |
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| Another view only seen from the trail |
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| An ecologically sensitive area keeps the trail near the road and not the rim |
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| Maricopa Point shuttle bus stop |
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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