Clearing the Path: Behind the Scenes on the Canyon’s Trails

By Chris Brothers, Grand Canyon National Park Trail Crew Program Manager

Photo by Terri Attridge

Most visitors who venture into the depths of Grand Canyon will take notice of the majestic views, dizzying depths, the diverse wildlife, and the ever-changing interplay between light and shadow that plays across the canyon walls. Few visitors give serious thought, though, to the beauty of the trail beneath their feet—the very thing that allowed them to get to that overlook, water source, or campsite. Grand Canyon trails are remarkable feats of engineering. Most of them were created from necessity. They began as simple footpaths used by prehistoric people to access water sources and hunting grounds. Some of these footpaths were further enhanced by dynamitehappy entrepreneurs hoping to find fortune by mining copper or other minerals. Other trails (such as the South Kaibab), were constructed by the National Park Service (NPS) in an effort to provide access to the ever-growing number of visitors who came by train or coach to see one of the natural wonders of the world. Whatever the initial motivation for their construction and use, the trails at Grand Canyon are now maintained to provide recreational opportunities to millions of visitors each year who wish to experience this unique resource.

On a daily basis, the erosional forces responsible for carving the canyon in the first place are still very much at work. Water, wind, gravity—and in the last century or so, metal-shod mule hooves—grind away at the dirt and stone, erode the trail bed, and destabilize retaining walls and other key structures. Without constant upkeep, the trails would quickly succumb to the effects of erosion, rendering them impassable to all but the deer and bighorn sheep that inhabit the area.

The NPS Trail Crew works year-round, often alongside local youth volunteers, to keep the trails at Grand Canyon passable for both hikers and livestock. In order to provide access to millions of visitors annually, wide, livestock-worthy trails are needed. The North Kaibab, South Kaibab, and Bright Angel Trails have served that purpose since the early 20th century. As the main thoroughfare, or “corridor,” for visitors and livestock, these trails require the bulk of the trail maintenance needs and are maintained to a higher standard than the more remote backcountry trails.

An almost constant presence on the corridor trails, the NPS Trail Crew and volunteers dig out clogged drainages, clear rockslides, rebuild stone steps, replace trail tread, and reconstruct deteriorated retaining walls, of which there are thousands. As you might expect, this work requires intense physical exertion. Hiking up to 10 miles a day carrying 50 pounds of tools and equipment is not unusual. Single digit temperatures near the South Rim in the winter months, and temperatures that exceed 110 degrees near the bottom of the canyon in the summer months, make this work even more extreme. To make things more difficult, there’s close to a one-mile elevation change between Phantom Ranch and the Rim. If they want to have a successful season, trails employees need a strong work ethic, and must be in great physical shape to endure these conditions. Mentally, they have to be prepared for long, grueling days, and nine-day work weeks. Sore muscles, and a “Supai tan,” so named because of the reddish dirt in the Supai rock formation that covers clothing and skin, are the hallmarks of the Grand Canyon trail worker.

Photo by NPS

If you plan to hike Grand Canyon’s spectacular trails, make sure you Hike Smart

Cut this list out and keep with you for your next journey into the canyon.

• Be a Lightweight – the less you carry, the more enjoyable the hike.

• Avoid Huffing and Puffing – if you can talk while you are walking, you are walking the perfect speed.

• Take a Break – take a 10-minute break at least once every hour.

• No Food, No Fuel, No Fun – eat often and don’t force fluids.

• Watch Your Time – coming back up is hard so plan on taking twice as long to hike up as it took to hike down.

• Mules and Hikers – mules have the right of way, so step off the trail on the uphill side away from the edge to let them pass.

In addition to trail maintenance, the Trail Crew is also responsible for maintaining a herd of 25–30 mules. Grand Canyon’s experienced Pack Crew uses these notoriously surefooted animals to haul supplies and groceries to NPS employees who are stationed in the Inner Canyon. Law enforcement and interpretative rangers, maintenance workers, and science and resource personnel, stationed at either Indian Garden or Phantom Ranch, receive their goods each week from the back of a pack animal. Once deliveries are made, the Pack Crew heads back up-trail, bringing with them trash and recyclables, personal gear, and anything else that needs to return to the Rim. In addition to transporting supplies, mules are also used to conduct trail work. The soil that makes up the footbed of the trail is regularly washed away by rain, or blown away by wind, leaving behind uneven and exposed rock. In order to replenish this soil, dirt often must be transported from up to a mile or more away. Mules are essential to this task. Fitted with special bags which are filled with dirt from specified barrow pits along the trail, mules transport the dirt to the desired location, where it is released from the bags onto the trail. A trail worker will spread it evenly, covering the exposed areas of the trail with a fresh layer of trail tread.

Although trail work at Grand Canyon can often be punishing, it is also some of the most rewarding work available in the park. The gratification that comes from hiking home at the end of the workday along a groomed piece of trail that you and your team just completed is hard to beat. Even more gratifying is to see a well-constructed retaining wall, water-bar, or staircase continuing to serve its intended function 10 or 20 years after construction, knowing that it will likely persevere long after you’re gone. The most gratifying aspect to the job, however, is spending long hours exploring the endless unique hidden areas of Grand Canyon, soaking up the beauty, and playing a role in helping millions of others access this amazing natural resource.

Name that trail!

Do you know which trail this photo was taken on? E-mail us at gccmarketing@grandcanyon.org with your answer by June 30th and we’ll select one correct reader to win a prize from our stores!