The core plan and main motivation for this trip was the see and experience one of the great natural wonders of the world: Grand Canyon. Furthermore, we and the other canyonlands, national parks (focussing on Zion NP, Arches NP, Monument Valley) and Las Vegas.

For Grand Canyon, we had planned a very intense experience: A multi-day backcountry hike in this desert-like place. And April was supposed to be the month of cactus blossoms. The rest of the tour was only roughly preplanned.

Characteristics:

• April 13 to May 3
• Tour with Marie Jacoulet
• 2 backcountry hikes (4.5d in Grand Canyon, 2d in Havasupai Reservation) - permit required for both hikes
• Toronto to Las Vegas and back
• 13 states (Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa) and 1 province (Ontario)
• almost 10000km with Marie's Hyundai Accent

Abbreviations: NP = National Park, NM = National Monument, GC = Grand Canyon

The route for the main part of the trip in Arizona and Utah is shown in yellow on the map on the right. Click on the map to zoom in.

• From Toronto to Grand Canyon/Arizona (Apr 13-16)
• Petrified Forest National Park (Apr 16)
• Grand Canyon
• South Kaibab Trail from Trailhead to Bright Angel Campground (Apr 17)
• Clear Creek Trail to Zoroaster Canyon(?) (Apr 18)
• Sunrise from Viewpoint on Clear Creek Trail (Apr 19)
• Bright Angel Trail from Bright Angel Campground to Indian Garden Campground (Apr 19)
• Plateau Point and Tonto Trail westwards (Apr 20)
• Sunset at Plateau Point (Apr 20)
• Bright Angel Trail from Indian Garden Campground to the Rim (Apr 21)
• Route 66 and Havasupai Reservation (Apr 22+23)
• From Kingman to Las Vegas, From Las Vegas to Zion NP (Apr 24+25)
• Zion NP (Apr 26+27)
• From Zion NP to Moab through Bryce Canyon NP, Grand Staircase NM and Capital Reef NP (Apr 27)
• Hiking in Arches NP (Apr 28+29)
• Monument Valley (Apr 29+30)
• Mesa Verde NP (Apr 30)
• The Way Back to Toronto via Niagara Falls (May 1-3)

All days on a single HTML page including all of the ~150 pictures. Loading will take a while. So, this is mainly useful for printing, but not for browsing.

Hiking Grand Canyon National Park by Ron Adkison. 1997. Falcon Publishing, Inc. Helena, Montana. ISBN 1-56044-566-1.

  

markus-nick.de > traveling > north america > canyonlands usa