Go to GRAND CANYON Explorer home page

Day 1 - Bright Angel Trail to Bright Angel Campground

Back to Index
Forward to day 2
2:57 pm - Phantom Ranch cantina

Today has been a pretty good day so far. I've been having some problems with the wind down here today and its determination to want to blow the tent over. One of the legs has already been damaged and the tent is no longer secured to the bottom of it as it should be, I engineered a work-around for it using a stick and lots of rocks and it seems to be holding. I never know when I leave camp at this point whether the tent will be there when I get back though.

I made awesome some coming down this morning and went trailhead to campground in just over 3½ hours. I left the top at 5:55 and was at Indian Garden at 7:30. I took a 15 minute break there and then continued down the trail. I reached the river at 8:50 and the campground at 9:35. It was a little weird going past the waterfall below the Devil's Corkscrew and realizing that we passed it at almost the same time two days ago during the hike out.

Most of the trail was still in shade with the exception of major portions of the River Trail. The Devil's Corkscrew was still in shade and that's what I was really hoping for. It's a lot cooler today than when Maggi and I were down here a few days back. The high today was only 88°F and the high tomorrow is only supposed to be 80°F... very cool. Of course that's also what is causing the problem with the wind.

I am hanging out at the cantina for a while and waiting for the 4 pm ranger talk which is about the work the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp) has done in the Canyon. The evening program tonight is about bats.

I have no idea what time I want to head out of here tomorrow and up to Utah Flats. I should do it early but since it's not going to get that hot it's no big deal. I don't think I will rush it and will just get up when I get up.

I also cannot decide whether I want to use the Overhand Camp in Phantom Canyon again or camp closer to the confluence of Phantom and Haunted Creeks. If I camp at the confluence I will probably cut a couple of miles off of my day hikes so that could be good. There is no rain expected so that should not be an issue, I should not need the overhang. But it is such a nice campsite.


Early morning at the Bright Angel trailhead

View to the north from Indian Garden

Garden Creek waterfall enters Pipe Creek

Rafts coming down the river

Bright Angel Creek near the Colorado River

Phantom Ranch

Back to Index
Forward to day 2

[ Grand Canyon Home | South Rim trails | North Rim trails | Trip reports ]
Copyright © Bob Ribokas, 1994-2024, all rights reserved. This publication and its text and photos may not be copied for commercial use without the express written permission of Bob Ribokas.