Tanner Trail

The Tanner Trail is an 18-mile out-and-back trail that descends from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to the Colorado River and back. This trail is remote, challenging and visually rewarding. The historic Tanner Trail is the primary access by foot into the eastern Grand Canyon. The trail is unmaintained and ranks as one of the most difficult and demanding south side trails, but for an experienced canyon hiker the aesthetic bounty of the area will be adequate compensation. What remains of a once popular pioneer-era trail goes down the gully immediately east of Lipan Point. The upper section of the Tanner Trail is narrow, badly eroded, and can be difficult to follow, especially after a winter storm. The trail stays on the slopes east of the bottom of the gully through the Toroweap and switches to the west side at the top of the Coconino. Rock slides in the Coconino have covered the original trail in places, forcing hikers to improvise short sections. The trail descends steeply across the slope west of the bed of gully nearly all the way to the Seventyfive Mile Creek - Tanner Canyon saddle. A prime canyon view at the saddle is the reward for a couple of miles of notably insecure hiking. The next three miles present the only reasonably civilized hiking to be found along the entire route. Traversing near the bottom of the Supai, the trail contours around the base of Escalante and Cardenas Buttes, goes up to cross a small ridge and descends to the top of the Redwall. Walk the rim of the limestone north; watching for the place the trail starts down the Redwall cliff well short of the end of the developing promontory. The view from the Redwall rim across to the Palisades of the Desert is exceptional. The Redwall descent is nasty, steep and loose. A thin coating of gravel makes some slipping and sliding inevitable and a serious fall is a real possibility, so take your time. The trail contours along the base of the Muav to a neat little saddle at the top of the Tapeats. Ancient faulting has created significant offset within the Tapeats Formation, so a hiker has to effectively walk through the Tapeats twice. The Supergroup (Dox Sandstone) appears about 2 miles above the river. Pay attention in the Dox. The trail chokes down to about a foot wide and traverses across an angle of repose slope of eroding red sandstone that falls away for hundreds of feet. The unrelenting grade of the trail, as it drops toward the shoreline puts the final touches on already weary canyon hikers. All water found along the trail must be filtered. The Colorado River provides the only reliable water source, however, there may be seasonal water within Tanner Canyon. The Grand Canyon National Park shuttles do not extend as far east as the Tanner Trailhead, however, parking is available. Camping in the Grand Canyon requires a backcountry permit.