I love it when a national publication states that it is letting you in on a secret trail. In this case, Backpacker magazine’s June 2010 issue has a feature on the secret trails of some of the most popular national parks. These are the trails that the locals know about but you may not be aware of.  The author, Michael Lanza, picked a great trail when it came to his Grand Canyon choice but I need to comment on the accuracy of some the parts of his story. If you follow the advice in the article closely, it may leave you disappointed and dehydrated.

Cheyava Falls, photo by Jimmy San

The route is a pretty cool one and one that you don’t have to have a lot of backpacking experience to complete since most of the hike is on well marked trails. The trip is a 5 or 6 day trek that has a good mix of main campgrounds and remote camping which takes you along the South Kaibab and Bright Angel Trails as well as allows you to visit the historic Phantom Ranch.  The highlight of the trip is not any of these things but it is the hike along Clear Creek trail and,  if the conditions are right, the 800 foot tall Cheyava Falls. 

I really have to stress the phrase, ‘if the conditions are right’ because Cheyava Falls only flows for about 3 weeks a year if it flows at all.  Most years the falls flow sometime in April although this year the falls had a longer run than usual due to the heavy snowfall on the North Rim over the winter. According to the author, the falls are ” best in the spring or after a storm” which is true but the statement implies that the falls are running all year round but are best in the spring.  If you are looking to see Cheyava, you need to get your permit request in on December for April of the following year and don’t be disappointed if the falls are not running. This is a gamble every year but if there is significant snowfall in the winter the falls will be running well. As a side note, if the falls are running well like they are this year, the Clear Creek may be running high and very difficult to cross so the route from the Clear Creek camping area to the river may be impassible.

The author also mentions that water is more plentiful on this route than many Grand Canyon routes. There is plentiful water along the Bright Angel Trail and when you reach Clear Creek but that’s about it.  There is no water available on most of the 7 miles of the South Kaibab trail so will you need to carry all your water for the first day. Water is also not available on the 9 mile Clear Creek trail between Phantom Ranch and Clear Creek. The National Park Service puts this warning in bold print on it’s Clear Creek trail description.  Because of the lack of water and lack of shade along the South Kaibab and Clear Creek trails, you should not attempt to hike them in the summer months.

Cheyava Falls is a wonder to see and the Clear Creek trail is a great introduction to the lesser used areas of the Grand Canyon s0 it’s nice to see that Backpacker Magazine let the secret out. If you are looking to go, use the article and this blog post as just two pieces of your research but most importantly, contact the Grand Canyon Backcountry Office for the full scoop on what to expect on this trip.