Hermit Trail

Hermit Trail is the Grand Canyon trail that the Bright Angel crowds don't know about — and that's exactly the point. From the trailhead at Hermits Rest, you'll drop nearly 3,500 feet over eight punishing miles on a path that hasn't seen major maintenance since the Park Service stopped promoting it decades ago. The upper switchbacks are loose and rocky, demanding careful footwork on cobblestone-like terrain that will test your ankles. Below Santa Maria Spring, the trail grows wilder — rockslides have rerouted sections, and you'll scramble over boulders where a maintained trail used to be. But the solitude is extraordinary. You'll pass through layers of geological time with nobody else in sight, and the views into the cathedral-like side canyons are some of the most dramatic in the park. Hermit Creek, when you finally reach it, feels like a desert oasis. This trail is built for experienced canyon hikers who consider the Bright Angel tourist highway and want something raw.