Cave of the Domes is the only cave at Grand Canyon that is open to the public, please treat it with respect so it will remain open to the public. If lucky, you may see little brown bats flying above you. It is recommended to bring three sources of illumination. Once inside, there are many, many rooms and chambers to explore. The entrance is small enough that you will have to crawl in. It drops off the mesa and is a loose trail that is on the cliff face of the mesa. The trail to Cave of the Domes spurs off when you are lined up on the left side of the butte. Once on Horseshoe Mesa, you want to hike left, past the old ruins of a building in the center of the mesa, for approximately a mile. When ready return the same way you came down. There is no water on the mesa, so be sure to pack plenty. You’ll find numerous mining sites and old mining equipment, radioactive warning sites, plenty of agaves and yuccas, and the menacing tarantula hawk flying around. Once you reach the mesa, that’s a great place to drop your pack and explore. It can be particularly hot and long in this section as it seems to go on forever. The trail offers great views looking back up at the sandstone above you. Horseshoe MesaĬontinue past the Coconino saddle, where you’ll be traversing the Supai formation, stained red by iron. When you return back to the top, you will be amazed (or frightened) at the construction of the trail that you just came down, as it seems to be stuccoed to the wall.
After 1.1 miles you will reach the saddle, which is a great spot to snack in the shade. As you enter the Coconino sandstone, the rock formations are amazing imagine giant dinner plates stacked on top of each other at angles. The trail will meander down the switchbacks of the Kaibab limestone and then traverse the Toroweap shale. It looks like a great place to take a photo. Immediately starting the trail, you will see a large rock with a flat platform sticking off the trail. This trail is a steep descent with great views looking north into the canyon. With wide-open views, you can see for miles and miles without having to travel too far.īelow are the primary options for day hiking the Grandview Trail: Hikers can see the green-tinted ground as they walk across the remnants of this bygone time period.ĭay hiking is magnificent on the Grandview Trail because once you are down the steep Coconino sandstone, the canyon opens up. The trail follows the historic route used by miners and their mule trains to transport copper ore from Last Chance Mine on Horseshoe Mesa. Looking to cash in on their finds, a rough trail was blazed, originally known as Berry Trail, now known as Grandview Trail. Only, however, if they were removed from the depths of the canyon. Rich copper deposits were found, and promised wealth to the miners. Miners spread out and combed through much of the canyon, before finding what they were looking for on Horseshoe Mesa. The Grandview Trail was one of the most prominent trails used for mining in the late 1800’s. Once at the viewpoint, there is an interpretive sign marking to start of the trail. From the junction of Desert View Drive and South Entrance Road, the viewpoint is about 12 miles east. The trailhead starts at Grandview Point, off Desert View Drive.
This trail offers world-class scenery, wide-open landscapes, dizzying drop-offs, and access to deeper parts of the canyon. Once at the junction of Grandview and Tonto trails, you can go east 2.2 miles to Hance Creek, or west 1.5 miles to Cottonwood Creek.
Most backpackers use Grandview Trail to get to the Tonto Trail in order to access deeper parts of the Grand Canyon. Remnants of mining structures and operations scatter Horseshoe Mesa, but remember to leave these objects where you find them. The Coconino uses cobblestone pathways to create a smooth(ish) surface, which helps reduce steepness. Use caution, as this section is hazardous and is not advised for those afraid of heights. “Stairs” were built using horizontal logs to create steps and pinned into the cliff face. The Kaibab and Toroweap is a steep descent and some of the old trail has eroded. The Grandview Trail follows parts of a historic trail, and while most sections are well-built, some seem to be eroded away with time.
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