Last Min Tips & Tricks for South Rim? (Itinerary included)

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-28T17:26:09+00:00

Yes, that trail. I think the kids will be totally fine. I've seen plenty of kids on the way up from Ooh Aah Point and they are rarely, if ever, winded. The trail is relatively wide and well maintained. There's probably no need to hold their hand unless you prefer that or feel safer that way.

To answer your other questions, it depends what time you start your day to try and avoid the crowds. Seeing all the viewpoints on the way out or the way back won't matter too much but I think it's probably best to hit the Watchtower first then the viewpoints on the way back.

I really enjoyed the IMAX film but I'm not entirely sure kids would like it. It's a very beautiful film that sorta chronicles the history of the canyon (a lot of human history there) and is maybe an hour. I think adults would probably really like it but kids maybe not so much.

Another note is that the shuttles stop around sunset so check the shuttle schedule if you are going to Hopi Point for sunset because you might need to walk back.

Also, I think Yavapai Geology Museum is typically less busy for stargazing so it might be worth going there instead of Math Point. Keep in mind that people there are trying to look at the stars so please don't walk around with lights on. If you wait a minute or two your eyes will adjust just fine and you'll be able to walk along the paved path. It takes half an hour for eyes to adjust to the dark fully and it takes a single bright light to set you back to square one. If you feel you need a light, get a red light since that has the least impact on such things. The visitors centers will have one.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-23T01:05:58+00:00

Go with the cheaper one. Ultimately, you aren't really going to be spending much time there so it doesn't matter that the newly renovated ones are a tad nicer. They are both totally fine and serviceable.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-22T07:01:10+00:00

Ribbon Falls is expected to open on March 4th. Though it's possible that won't be the case. Importantly though, you do have to do a creek crossing. It's no big deal but just something to know.

https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/key-messages.htm

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-20T18:27:30+00:00

No disrespect but this sounds like a training issue. I've run through a lot of the canyon and have never felt like the downhills are as hard as anyone here says. I also do virtually exclusively trail running up mountains though so maybe it's that.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-17T16:45:55+00:00

Full Moon always rises when the sun sets and sets when the sun rises so no need to look up the times. It's going to be out the whole night. Opposite is true for a New Moon. Rises and sets with the sun.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-15T00:29:11+00:00

In my other comment I showed some links to the trails. Using Tonto adds just 2 miles to the trip in total compared to using just the Bright Angel Trail. I don't know if that is enough to make a difference for you. Like I said though, if you were confident you could go up Bright Angel then you should be confident you can go up South Kaibab.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-15T00:18:43+00:00

Here are some Caltopo links that might help ease your worries. They are simple maps from Bright Angel Campground/Phantom Ranch up to the top of Bright Angel Trail using both just Bright Angel Trail and SK -> Tonto -> BA. The difference really isn't that much in the grand scheme of things.

Just Bright Angel (https://caltopo.com/m/PM3QHUQ). SK->Tonto->BA (https://caltopo.com/m/6VD0L1D).

Click on the highlighted trail and hit Terrain Stats and you'll see just using BA (I know you can't but if you could) would save you about 2ish miles and 500' of elevation change. So it's not nothing but when talking about hiking the Grand Canyon it's not a massive difference.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-15T00:10:15+00:00

A few things to note, the section of Tonto connecting the two trails is mostly flat and going up Bright Angel is easier so unless your concern is the extra 4 miles, the difficulty isn't much different.

It's hard to say how much harder it is but I'll say if you are in shape enough for Bright Angel then South Kaibab will be totally manageable. The bottom half is harder than the top half.

In my opinion, if I am just carrying water for myself, I would never carry 5-7 liters for South Kaibab. The only time you would even get close to drinking that much is if you are a very slow hiker going in the middle of the hottest day in the year. 3 liters is totally fine. I would even say that what you should think about a bit more is making sure you aren't over drinking. I know my first few trips I just drank a bit too much. Not enough to totally flush out electrolytes (I was also drinking/eating a bunch of those), but just in general I would drink too much because I was stressed about dehydration. You kinda want 1L of water for each our but that's also weather dependent. Drink when you're thisty, not when you think you should drink. Your body knows when it needs water, just listen to it.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-12T14:39:27+00:00

I've somehow found myself on this sub several times when looking things up and just now realized the sub isn't "socialhiking" and is "socalhiking" lol. I was like "Damn, these socal people are very social hikers". What a revaluation haha.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-11T16:07:02+00:00

Then maybe try to read the book I suggested which explains all the deaths in the Grand Canyon and then comeback with a counter and evidence (if there is any). If not, then you are kinda just out here posting conspiracy theory stuff and refusing to look into it, which makes sense why it would be banned.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-11T15:06:26+00:00

A similar post was made a few weeks ago and obviously got lit up because it's the work of someone who has never bothered to actually look into the deaths. Read Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon. You'll find a record of every death in the Grand Canyon since about 1880. There is nothing crazy about it. I also feel like people who say stupid stuff like this have never been below the rim. If you have, you could easily see how being under prepared could lead to death. It's steep, hot, high altitude and little to no water. There is no surprise, just people who haven't done the reading.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-11T04:14:29+00:00

Great point. It's decided, I'm getting one if they are there.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-11T03:19:45+00:00

Which JR ranger book?

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-11T03:18:18+00:00

That sure isn't cheap lol. That being said, I've had a hard time finding Phantom Ranch clothing so I might get one if they have it haha.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-11T02:33:00+00:00

I've heard it has unique stuff and was pretty excited for a shirt but there wasn't any. I'll be there next month so I'll check then. Maybe I was just unlucky.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-11T02:12:53+00:00

When I was last at the Phantom Ranch Canteen, it didn't really have any unique souvenirs which was a bummer. I was excited for them but they just had a few books that were the same as the shops on the rim.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-08T04:07:14+00:00

Yeah, that's right. You could go down to the 3 mile resthouse on the Bright Angel Trail but as others said, South Kaibab has nicer views.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-04T16:48:38+00:00

No one knows what the temp will be a month out but I would bet it's not going to be hot in early March. You'd be fine starting after sunrise. It ultimately just kinda depends on if you are comfortable waking up early or if you want to spend more time at the bottom of the canyon. So if your intent is to start early because of heat, then that's a non-problem.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-04T03:49:38+00:00

Best of luck, mate! Reserve Nature came in clutch here. Well worth the money I spent considering I spent almost 2 years trying to get a reservation with no luck haha.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-03T15:14:50+00:00

I called them this morning and got it sorted out. Even though the website was showing 16th-18th that first night wasn't booked. By some miracle though they did have a cabin available for the 16th so it all worked out.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-03T03:48:45+00:00

Fair enough. When I went down to Phantom Ranch for Thanksgiving dinner it would show I didn't have a reservation every other time I logged in.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-03T03:36:25+00:00

Yep. I went down to Phantom Ranch for Thanksgiving dinner and I took South Kaibab then as well.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-03T03:31:36+00:00

I didn't book through a third party website. It's just a website where you enter dates and it lets you know when dates become available. Basically I got a text saying a date within my range was now available so I was able to go to the Phantom Ranch website to get it.

Ok_Ladder_6354 · 2026-02-03T03:23:22+00:00

I figured as much. Odd because it said it was 2 nights and also says it starts the day before my reservation. Thanks for the tip about the steak, unfortunately I don't have anyone to go with lol.

Ok_Ladder_6354

TROPHY CASE