Grandview Trail Loop is a 12.5 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Grand Canyon, Arizona that features a river and is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, nature trips, and backpacking and is best used from March until November.
Grand Canyon National Park charges a fee to enter. Fees are $35 per vehicle or $30 per motorcycle. If you are entering on foot or bike the fee is $20 per person. You can also purchase a park specific annual pass for $70. This is a difficult, steep, and rocky trail that can have extreme weather (hot in summer, cold in winter). It is not for those who are scared of heights, have bad knees, or for younger children. Bring more water than you think you need! Your hard work will be rewarded with great views.
Utah Travel Council, Council Hall, P.O. Box 147420 , Salt Lake City, UT, 84114, Phone: 801-538-1030, travel@utah.com
Directions from Salt Lake City: Travel north on I-15 and take the Woods Cross exit. Turn east on 2600 South to Route 89. Follow 89 North to Route 106 North. Take 106 North to 1875 South, turn east and follow 1875 South tothe park entrance. Trail begins about 3 miles to Rudy's Flat where Grandview Trail begins.
February 6, 2021October 30, 2020Little bit of a cliff hanger and technical in some spots but overall a great hike. Best part is, it’s a dedicated hiking trail without any mule trains or donkey poop/urine on the trail. It’s a little less traveled relative to some of the more popular trails so there is some solitude during the hike.
October 24, 2020October 3, 2020Very steep initially and hard.
September 5, 2020My first time on this loop on Labor Day weekend,clockwise route. Experience trail navigation somewhat required. Accidentally took false trail at Page Springs but got on track...my bad.Toughest section til Horseshoe Mesa junction. Incredible views. Peace and serenity is what you'll experience. One of the less traveled trails.
August 29, 2020Beautiful
July 8, 2020Trail is well maintained until you turn off to do the loop at horse shoe Mesa. I went counterclockwise and I would totally recommend this route. After you turn onto the loop heading counterclockwise, you will run into a little mine shaft within the next .5 miles. Immediately after that shaft keep left when the trail forks to stay on the trail. Some areas on the loop were poorly marked. I got off trail once or twice. Make sure you check a map frequently. I also started .7 miles from the trailhead due to construction. I think hike is true to distance, about 12.5
June 17, 2020This is a nice hike but there are much better for the same amount of effort. I veered off and went to the last chance mine but didn't make it to the mine. There is a scramble to get over a rock slide which was sketchy and dangerous in my opinion so I turned back. I think this is probably a good hike if you plan on staying overnight but not my favorite day hike.
March 2, 2020hiked Sunday, March 1. Winter Conditions now - initial part of the trail (which I thought was also the toughest both for ascent and descent) was very steep, narrow and icy. I did not have poles (but should have!!), only my yaktrax chains - even then it was tricky on descent. Some sections were straight up sheets of ice and it was a little slippery, even in my chains. Granted, hours later, on ascent, it seemed like some of the ice had melted and had been broken up a little more by other people’s tracks. Going up was certainly less treacherous than going down. Hopefully more of the ice melts in the next few days and the trail won’t be too dicey. Trail is hard to find at times, especially after horsehoe mesa - it was actually a little frustrating. I made little cairns - hopefully they’ll stay up for a couple days and help others! *Lots of loose rock and soft soil *Trail is not 11 miles, I didn’t complete the loop - I turned back a third of the way into the loop (*didn’t want to be caught in the dark on the way up) and went out the same way I came in. My phone counted a bit over 12 miles then - I’m guessing actual trail is probably about 15 miles. *2.5 L of water used on a cool winter day. I don’t know about summertime - there are big stretches where there is no shade. Have fun! this was an incredible hike. I felt so small looking out at the vast expanse of the Grand Canyon. It was so great!
January 26, 2020January 18, 2020October 28, 2019We just did this today at the end of October. We're in our early 30s, pretty fit and it took us 7.5 hours with a couple of short breaks - we added on the extra walk out to the point on the tip of Horseshoe Mesa which was really worth it for a full panorama. We did it clockwise - definitely do it the other way, as it will break up the ascent, the last mile of which is gruelling when you are tired and the last 400ft a dehydrated ordeal. It wasn't a hot day but we could have done with more water - at least 6 litres in these conditions. Also we slightly lost the trail after Last Chance Mine, so keep your eyes peeled!
October 9, 2019Great trail but you have to have respect for it. I thought I’d share technical data. I am 5’5” 145 lb 35 YOF and my husband is 5’11” 150 lb 44 YOM. We are fit. We work out 1-2 hours every day and have some hiking experience. The trail took us 7.5 hours with a 0.5 hour lunch and several breaks for photos on the way down. I think 6 hours will be pushing it for anybody with an average fitness level/hiking experience. I am guessing, no matter time of year, sunscreen is a must. We took 1.25 gal of water (5 L) and it was enough. We did electrolyte replacement tabs. Made some difference, I think. The trail is more than 11.6 mi. It is more like 14-15 mi in length based on apple watch tracking. Be sure to have some sort of a map on you and check your location every mile or so. With bright sun in your face, easy to lose trail in the surrounding desert landscape. I agree with previous reviewers, do hike counterclockwise. Way better on the way up. Prepare for steep climbs and loose rocks. Take hiking poles. They are helpful both on the way down and the way up. Be safe and plan well! Have agood hike!
September 12, 2019Really nice and challenging trail in Grand Canyon. The finall distance is 26 km! We did it in 6 hours. The last 6 km are really hard sometimes (up to 90% steep). But it is worth it! View is amazing and for more skilled tourist it is perfect way how to get to know whole canyon! Enjoy!
July 26, 2019A trail with spectacular views, as all the other reviews say. Also one with very little traffic, we walked all day without seeing anyone (which may have been because it was July). But don't underestimate the difficulty, particularly if doing this hike during the summer months. I know AllTrails says the loop is only 11.6 miles long, but the friend I hiked with has a fitness app on his phone that says we walked 19.1 miles. I know those things aren't as accurate as a trail GPS, but I wonder if the distance rating above takes all of the switchbacks going down and back up into consideration. However it may be, it certainly felt like we walked closer to 19 miles! Even if 11.6 miles is correct, don't forget you're going nearly 4000ft down and then 4000ft back up. That makes a huge difference. Based on my experience (which included an attack of heat exhaustion at the bottom), I would certainly not recommend doing this hike during the summer. However if you're a diehard, or just an idiot like me, I would make the following recommendations for those wishing to attempt it during the summer: 1) Absolutely do not try it unless you are in good shape. Don't forget that the canyon rim is above 7000 feet, which can easily make those who aren't used to it short of breath. 2) Make sure someone knows where you're going, as you may not see anyone if you need help. 3) Carry LOTS of water, 2 gallons per person minimum. My friend had 1 gallon and I had 1-1/2 gallons, and it wasn't enough even with electrolytes. Make sure you do have something with electrolytes, I had a crust of salt on my face, arms, and clothing when I finished. You want to bring enough water that you don't feel pressured to make the mistake of trying to conserve it like I did. And don't plan on finding water on the trail. 4) Wear a wide-brimmed hat. It's not a question of sunburn if you have sunscreen, it simply gives you some portable shade which is very necessary at the bottom. The baseball cap I had was not enough. 5) Do the loop counter-clockwise, it breaks up the ascent a little better. 6) Plan on taking a good 8 hours to do the hike. It took us 10, but that's because we made a very slow ascent with lots of stops to keep off my heat exhaustion. This means that during the summer you will end up hiking during the hottest part of the day even if you start early like us (6:30am), unless you plan to make a long stop somewhere along the way. Keep in mind that it is substantially hotter at the bottom of the canyon than at the rim. It would probably be more prudent to make it a 2 day hike, camping at horseshoe mesa, if you're at all unsure of your physical capabilities. In short, this is a beautiful hike with very little traffic and a great way to experience the Grand Canyon. But don't forget that the Grand Canyon is also a very dangerous place where people die every year. Approach this hike with prudence, especially during the summer, or you risk becoming a statistic.
June 22, 2019The trail, if you haven’t heard, is steeeeeep. Not for the faint of heart in some areas. The views are STUNNING! Also it is super easy going down, but the way back up will get yah if you’re not careful. Once you get down to the loop, it isn’t too hard but still be watchful of your footing. But the reward is a trail that is not busy and its ultra quiet. You are one with the canyon. I will definitely plan on coming back
May 14, 2019Steep! Do not attempt if ANY concern with knees. I was so focused on my footing that I had to remind myself to look up every so often. Loved the constant switchbacks at the beginning. Flowers in bloom gave it a nice pop of color.
May 14, 20192500 ft of elevation to climb out but the views are rewarding. There is about 5 different perspectives you get to see of the canyon on this trail. It took us 6 hours round trip. Mentally and Physically challenging. Loved it.
May 7, 2019Switchbacks on switchbacks. Took us 3 hours and 20 minutes there and back. Trail map says 5-8 hours. Awesome views.
April 2, 2019Beautiful views. But not my favorite type of hike Steep down steep up. Did this hike in July and wasn’t as hot as I expected. it was still very hot but higher up on the trail there’s breeze often lower near the bottom you lose a lot of breeze and the floor seems to radiate heat. The views are so incredible the whole time but they don’t seem to change but not really a bad thing.
March 2, 2019Super steep,very hard but worth it all of the hard work!!
January 12, 2019Did this trail on 9th Jan 2019. From Trailhead to just before mesa was covered in snow making the initial descent, and subsequent ascent slower than usual. But holy smokes the trail has great views all round. I'd recommend following the ridge line past the trail which descends from mesa towards teton for more amazing views. Some intersections weren't particularly obvious so take care not to wonder off track... During my day hike I didn't see a single soul on the trail, making it even more memorable!
January 9, 2019Stunning hike. Our first Grand Canyon hike, and could not have asked for a better introduction to the park. Completed in late December 2018 during the shutdown. We started early, around 8:30, and it took us 6.5 hours to do about 9.5 miles down to Horseshoe Mesa, with a lunch stop on the Mesa itself. Crampons were 100% necessary for the first .75 miles or so, as there was a thick coating of ice, and you do NOT want to be unsure of your step on the early sections of this trail. Oh yeah, and then there’s the steepness. Others have said it, I didn’t believe it, but this thing is S-T-E-E-P. Bring hiking poles and a spare set of knees. That being said, it has some of the most breathtaking, unobstructed, exposed views of the canyon I could imagine, and was our favorite of the 3 trails we did over 3 days. It doesn’t have quite as much variation as something like the Hermit Trail, but the sheer exposure along the entire trail makes up for it. Add that to the fact that we saw 2 other people the entire 6 hour hike and this is truly one of the most breathtaking experiences imaginable. It was quite chilly at the top (~15F), but in the canyon it warmed up quickly- make sure you layer! 100% a recommended hike, especially in the winter!
