Trail Run or hike the Little Laurel Trail
What to Expect
Safety Advisory
The uneven rocky sections can be treacherous when wet — crushed rock turns slick after rain, and the steeper pitches become a slip-and-slide. Avoid this trail within 24 hours of heavy rainfall.
The thousand-foot elevation change means a significant temperature swing between the rim and the creek. Dress in layers, especially in spring and fall when the top can be breezy and cool while the bottom is sheltered and warm.
Trail Details
Pro Tips
Start at Grandview and go downhill first — you'll be fresher for the technical sections, and finishing with the climb means you end at your car instead of facing a long descent on tired legs.
Bring trekking poles for the return climb if you're hiking rather than running. The thousand-foot ascent over two miles is steady and unrelenting, and poles save your quads for the drive home.
Hit this trail in late October or early November for peak fall color in the gorge. The leaf canopy transforms the descent into a tunnel of orange and gold, and the cooler temps make the uphill return far more bearable.
Photos
NPS/ John Chapman
