File:Grand Canyon National Park Hermit Trail Supai Traverse 3861 (7444934514).jpg

Hikers between Santa Maria Spring and Cathedral Stairs on the Hermit Trail encounter long traverses connected by short, sharp descents. The trail runs across an angle of repose slope, crossing high gradient drainages at roughly perpendicular intersections. As the result, the Supai section of the Hermit Trail has been badly damaged by the same erosional forces that shaped the larger canyon.

Hikers must scramble across chaotic jumbles of rocks washed down or fallen from above every time the trail crosses a gully. It is possible to loose the trail entirely where breakdown has covered the original route so pay attention at these crossings. The most dramatic detour up and around a deteriorated area comes at the bottom of the Supai just above Cathedral Stairs. NPS Photo by Michael Quinn

All overnight trips in the Grand Canyon require a backcountry permit. <a href="http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/backcountry-permit.htm" rel="nofollow">www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/backcountry-permit.htm</a>

Plan your day so you are not hiking between the hours of 10am and 4pm. Take a break near shade and water to avoid the worst heat of day. Enjoy a predawn start and a late afternoon finish. Experienced desert hikers know that the timing of their hike is the most important factor in avoiding hazards. Most of the people who need emergency medical help in the canyon due to heat illness are hiking between 10am and 4pm.

Even if you are eating and drinking correctly you still need to avoid hiking in direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day. Sun temperatures are 15F to 20F (9C-11C) degrees hotter than posted shade temperatures. And keep in mind, the farther into the canyon you go the hotter it gets!

Learn more about summer hiking in the Grand Canyon: <a href="http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/hike-smart.htm" rel="nofollow">www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/hike-smart.htm</a>

The Hermit Trail (1912) was built to serve a luxury campsite near Hermit Creek. Hermit Camp predated Phantom Ranch by 10 years, and in its heyday was complete with a tramway from the rim, a functional automobile for transportation within the facility, and a Fred Harvey chef. Operations ceased in 1930, but for two decades Hermit Camp was the last word in gracious tourism below the rim. As is always the case at Grand Canyon, time and erosion have taken a heavy toll. The old Hermit Trail is today a mere shadow of its former self, but for experienced, knowledgeable canyon backpackers the walk offers a direct link to the excitement and romance of the early days at Grand Canyon.

Download the Hermit Trail Route Description here: