Arizona

There are many ways in and out of the Grand Canyon but the most popular loop is to descend from the South Rim, heading down the steeper South Kaibab Trail and returning up via the easier Bright Angel Trail. Your adventure starts early to beat the sun (and get the views). After getting your permi...

The Bright Angel Trail is considered the park’s premier hiking trail. Well maintained, graded for stock, with regular drinking water and covered rest-houses, it is without question the safest trail in Grand Canyon National Park. There is a ranger station located at the trail’s halfway point (Indi...

From the trailhead you start your hike with views over the East Fork of the Little Colorado River as it winds through grassy meadows filled with summer wildflowers. About 1.5 miles in the trail heads into the forest, on your left before you enter the forest is a nice primitive campsite where we s...

The Grand Canyon is over 277 miles long and is full of unique geological formations in all sorts of colors. One of the most striking aspects of the Grand Canyon is its immense scale and the dynamic landscapes it has to offer. There's something about it that makes it extremely difficult to fully c...

The pools at the Verde Hot springs are the remnants from an old resort built in the 1920's.  The resort was a once thriving tourist attraction and also rumored to be one of Al Capone's hideouts.  In the 1960's a fire destroyed the resort only leaving behind the foundation and the thermal pools al...

The trail begins just outside of the Grand Canyon village at the Bright Angel Trailhead. The hike begins to descend immediately in continuous switchbacks. The trail can get very icy so shoe traction devices, while not necessary, are very useful. Along the trail there are rest houses at the 1/3 an...

From the Peralta Trailhead, start hiking on Bluff Springs Trail. This trail will wind over a few hills past incredible views, and then take you down into a wash. In the wash you will intersect with the Terrapin Trail. Turn left onto the Terrapin Trail, and it will take you out of the wash and pa...

To get to the trailhead, use the turnoff of highway 87 labeled Barnhardt trail (has a marked sign coming from both Payson and Phoenix). Barnhardt road is just over 4 miles and is unpaved. The road can be driven on by lower clearance cars because the terrain is not too rocky. Once at the trailhead...

Note: The spot on the map is the beginning of the hike into Cremation Canyon Campground. For the full report on getting there, check out this adventure. Heading out of the campsite at Cremation Canyon, look for hints of a trail where you will scramble up, following other boot prints and cairns t...

The Painted Desert is sprawling, its reach extends from the Four Corners, west to the Grand Canyon and south to Petrified Forest National Park. In total it encompasses 7,500 square miles and is full of colorful mesas that are worthy of its name. In Petrified Forest National Park you can head out ...

Not many people envision their romantic Valentine's Day getaway as a grueling 8 mile hike into the Grand Canyon, but I couldn't think of anything better! If you're planning a trip for the busier summer months, be sure to call ahead or fill out a backcountry permit request to make sure you get a c...

Drive about 30 minutes west on I-10 from Tucson, AZ to the Picacho Peak Rd. Exit and follow the signs south to the park entrance. The campgrounds are about a half mile inside the main gate to the right.You can either make a reservation at Pichacho Peak State Park or arrive the day of and pay. Eve...

The hike will begin at Washington Park in Payson, Arizona. To reach Washington Park, take AZ87 to Forest Road 199 (Houston Mesa Road) and turn east. Continue for 10 miles until you reach Forest Road 64 and turn west. Traveling less than a mile you will turn north on Forest Road 32 and in 3 miles ...

Keet Seel is an amazingly preserved pueblo village in the depths of the canyons at Navajo National Monument. First occupied as early as 700-900 AD, it was not until approximately 1250 AD when the current visible structures were built. During that period, Keet Seel was home to about one hundred An...

The trip requires a backcountry permit for zone BB9 (reserve HERE). Backcountry permits in Grand Canyon National Park are available for reservation on the 1st of the month 4 months prior to your trip date (e.g. if you wanted to go on a trip on May 20 you could reserve your permit on January 1st)....

This hike starts at the Kelsey Spring Trailhead. Park at the end of Forest Service Road 538G. There is parking for about 6-7 cars. Just past the signage for the trail, which is also called Kelsey Winter Trail, there is a trail registration box. Be sure to sign in. The trail descends steeply for t...