From the hotel, we followed the paved hiking trail to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, which was closed due to a lack of staff. So we drove straight to the Backcountry Information Office, where we met Aspen. She raved to us about her tour and we basically planned the exact same tour, just in the opposite direction.
After planning, we bought some food and groceries for the tour at the Grand Canyon Shop, although it was quite expensive. You can find almost everything there, but if you have the option, you should plan for a mail drop.
As a thru-hiker, it was very easy to get permits for a nice hike in the canyon. We then went to Mather Campground where we spent the night for $6 at the Thruiker site. There we made a campfire with other hikers and drank beer until 10pm, even though we had an early start planned for the next day.
We packed up our tents early in the morning and took the shuttle bus from Mather Campground to the Hermits Rest Trailhead at 5am. From there we hiked the beautiful Hermits Trail to Monument Creek Campground, a distance of only 8 miles (approx. 13 km). But despite the short distance, it was not an easy, fast hike. Above all, you had to keep stopping to enjoy the view.
The Monument Campground was a little paradise. From there you could follow a small slot canyon that led to the trail down to the Grand Rapids. As we had arrived very early, we made this detour.
We hiked from Monument Creek Campground to Havasupai Campground via the West Tonto Trail. The trail was not particularly difficult, but very beautiful. We didn’t see a single person until we arrived at Havasupai Campground. There it felt like we had landed in Disneyland. Due to its close proximity to the very popular Bright Angel Trail, it was a hive of activity. The campground itself was a beautiful green oasis in the Grand Canyon, and I can well understand why so many people hike here.
We pitched our tents and walked down the Bright Angel Trail with light packs to Phantom Ranch. There we met other hikers and spent some time together. We then headed back up via the South Kaibab Trail to the East Tonto Trail. From here we returned to our campground. That was 40 km in the Grand Canyon, and luckily we didn’t have to carry all our gear.
From Havasupai Campground, it took us 1 hour and 40 minutes to reach the top of the Grand Canyon via the Bright Angel Trail. My parents, who had also planned a tour in the Grand Canyon, picked us up and gave us their perishable food before they started their hike. They also drove us to the post office where I was able to pick up my care package. Only Katie realized that she had sent her care package to the Visitor Center in Tusayan.
We then went to the small supermarket, where we sat for hours charging our batteries and drinking coffee. Then Katie told me about a Facebook post in which someone offered to take us to Jacob’s Lake. Originally, I had planned to shower and wash my clothes and take an expensive shuttle the next day. But now everything happened very quickly.
We hitched a ride to Tusayan to pick up Katie’s care package. We were also picked up there. Our trail angel turned out to be another thru-hiker from Canada who had the same plans as us: Drive to Jacob’s Lake, go to the North Rim and back to Jacob’s Lake.
We each gave her $40 gas money, which she hadn’t asked for, because that was still $110 cheaper per person than a shuttle for two.
We arrived in Jacob’s Lake in the evening and immediately set off on the road towards the North Rim. We walked through the night with headlamps until after 10 p.m. to the first place where the trail and the road were close together. There we spent the night near a locked restroom facility.
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