The Rim to Rim Hike of the Grand Canyon is a MAJOR achievement as less than 1% of all visitors to the Grand Canyon take on and complete this hike.
Please click on LINKS below the image certificate for a FREE High Resolution PDF version of a CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT for your hike compliments of the Rim to Rim Club® of the Grand Canyon.
If you completed this hike (you are on the honor system) you are officially in the Rim to Rim Club® of the Grand Canyon.
Congratulations on your achievement!
Rim to Rim Hike of the Grand Canyon
Rim to Rim to Rim Hike of the Grand Canyon
3 guys & myself hiked the R2R on June 17, 2023. We went South Kaibab to North Kaibab in a single day. We camped that night North Kaibab. Our plan was to get up from camp & return to South Rim via Bright Angel. Our calves disagreed with that plan! It was a great hike with good weather. We enjoyed it. It was my first trip to the Grand Canyon & will hold everlasting memories. We took the shuttle back to South Rim in the afternoon which afforded us outstanding views of areas we never would have seen. Perhaps we’ll complete a R2R2R later. As one of our hikers stated, “We have some unfinished business with the Grand Canyon!”
My husband and I hiked from South to North in May 1988. It remains to this day the hiking highlight of our lives, a wonderful experience never to be forgotten. I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to do it.
We spent a night at one of the lodges at the South Rim, then got an early start the next morning and set off down the South Kaibab trail, leaving our two young children in the care of my husband’s parents.
We took our time getting down into the Canyon, stopping en route many times to enjoy the view. In the evening, we enjoyed a hearty, pre-booked, “hikers’ stew” dinner at Phantom Ranch, then camped overnight at the Bright Angel campground. As we hadn’t been able to get a reservation for Cottonwood, we knew that we had to hike the entire North Kaibab trail the next day.
We set off on the trail very early in the morning, at about 4.00am, taking side trips along the way (firstly to Ribbon Falls and later to Roaring Springs, where we ate our 3rd “lunch” of the day).
We had arranged for my in-laws to meet us, with the children, at the trailhead at the North Rim at 6.00pm and we were slightly ahead of schedule, so took a half hour break at the Coconino overlook, before ascending the last few switchbacks to the top.
I didn’t want it to end and would have loved to be able to do it all again, but that was our one and only chance to do it – and I’m so very glad indeed that we took it!
I still have my pink “I hiked the canyon” t-shirt that I bought in the south rim gift shop 1988 and the Phantom Ranch sweatshirt that I bought there.
I set out on December 21st 2022 to hike R2R2R, beginning with South Kaibab to Bright Angel Campground. While this was a very direct route, I was unprepared for the beating my knees would take on this route down. Thankfully, I had Ibuprofen to help overcome the pain, but in talking with others I found this is not entirely uncommon and for those with knee issues should reverse the trail to end with S. Kaibab and take Bright Angel down. Day 2 I hiked to cottonwood (note there is a known pipeline burst along this section). Day 3 I hiked to the north rim, which has water at the back country office and a real bathroom with heat and electrical outlets. The back country office is about 1/2 mile from the trail head and another 1/2 mile from the campground (which has about 6” of snow before another storm blows through. The trail was well packed snow in the last few miles, but the tracking poles were constantly plowing into fresh snow. Day 4/5 were easy downhill days back tracking, except day 5 ended with Christmas Dinner (100th anniversary dinner) at Phantom Ranch. I do HIGHLY recommend enjoying Thanksgiving Or Christmas in the canyon. The team worked for 5 day’s prepping dinner and it was AMAZING!!! I only wish I had packed a Santa Hat Or Christmas lights for my tent like others did. I will also give a shoutout to the staff at the Bright Angel Bikes & Café who had hiked in as a team. What a fun group of people to share Christmas with and a great place to stop when getting out of the canyon for a light lunch/coffee! Day 6 was a short hike to Indian Gardens where I set up camp and continued up Bright Angel until I met my wife, and we hiked back to Indian Gardens. Day 7 I hiked out with my wife (the perfect end to this great adventure)!
Sounds like a great way to spend the Holiday Paul! A R2R2R anytime of year is an amazing accomplishment but especially in winter! Congratulations and Happy Holidays!
Completed a solo North to South on November 17. 58 year old male. Left our room at Jacob Inn and drove one hour to North Rim. Wife was my driver. Never saw a car in either direction. Then never saw another hiker for first 2.5 hrs. of hike. Surreal. Start was scary. Cold 4degrees. Also dark, icy and lonely. Camelbak tube was frozen first 4 miles. After that it was a perfect, cool late fall day. On the cool side of comfortable a lot of the time but better than the alternative. Very little time spent in direct sunlight. By one p.m. felt like sun was setting. Had a total knee replacement 15 months ago so I can’t go super fast but kept my breaks short and finished in 10 hours. Had a great experience. Maybe not best idea to go alone but I had done rim to river to rim Oct. 1, so felt like I knew what I was up against.
That is an amazing accomplishment post knee replacement Fred! Happy you had your wife as a driver and so you had someone checking in on you! Welcome into the club!
Did it in one day (10/16/2022)and was concerned it would be too much. But my work out group, F3 pushed me through and motivated me to complete. Hit a wall at mile 21, being from New Orleans you can imagine the dry air and altitude had an impact on hydration. But was able to charge up and make the last 3 miles. Perfect weather conditions on the last day of the season for North Rim, so glad sun was kept in check. Thanks for all you do on this website as this was a source of information along with a Podcast I listened to. Thanks
Happy to hear you made it David and welcome into the club! Thank you for your kind comments too! Glad we could help!
Did the R2R today from north rim to south rim via bright angel in a single day for the first time. I wanted to do it within 6h . But barely made it within 7h. But this will be my greatest accomplishment till date. The struggle up the bright angel trail was real. 32 yr old male. Next up R2R2R
WOW! You for sure are ready for a R2R2R! Welcome into the club Mayur!
After six months of planning and training, my girlfriend and I completed the R2R from the North Rim to the South Rim via the north kaibab trail to bright angel trail on September 26 (a day before her birthday). We got to celebrate her birthday at the south rim while cheering on other finishers at the trailhead. It was a grueling hike but a very rewarding one. I’m glad to share this bucket list moment with my significant other. Honored to be part of the Rim to Rim club. 🙂
Congratulations on your hike Jojo and so happy to hear it went well! And happy birthday to your girlfriend, what a great way to celebrate! Cheers!
We talk about it all the time. Tell how we started out 4 strong. Then our best friends had to stay behind halfway down our first day. We sadly finished it 3 days later and met them on the other side. So sad that our plans for two years were not completed together. We have been friends for 40 years. we enjoy hiking with each other. We have also done Big Bend in south Texas. They did make it back to the Grand Canyon and completed their R2R own their own. and made good friends with the ranger who helped them out the first go round, Della. Our R2R was completed in June of 2016. My husband always tells people he became you tuber in his prep for the canyon.
My husband and I hiked R2R in late May 2021. We hiked from the North Kaibab trail to the Bright Angel Trail to the south rim in a single day! It was fabulous and one of the most difficult physical things we have ever done. We were 61 and 62 years old! Can’t wait to do it again in the opposite direction!
So inspiring Mary! Welcome to both you and your husband into the club!
When I retired my goal was to do a R-R-R every five years to celebrate. Well, I started at age 65. Now when I say R-R-R it’s not the ordinary one-day trip. I did it over five days; first day to Phantom, second to the North Rim for two nights, fourth back to Phantom and the fifth back to the South Rim. Well the first trip was successful as was the second at 70 and the third at age 75. The trip planned at age 80 did not happen, not because I could no longer do it. No, my 80th birthday occurred in 2020 and don’t you know it, Covid closed the Park and my PR reservations were cancelled. At least now I can look back on what I accomplished in the grandest of canyons and smile.
Norm, I take 4-days to do an R2R. I’m not lazy, I just want to take it all in. FYI, I’m 62.
My late husband and I walked R2R2R three times before age crept up and put us in the gaze-at-the-Canyon-and-remember club … and it’s not such an awful club. We have remembered the hikes: thinking we were going to die in June heat the first time, loving the completed hikes each time, doing side hikes out of Phantom, loving the meals at Phantom AND the celebratory meal at either North or South rim when we did the GRAND finishes, being so sinfully proud of ourselves when our finish times were shortened because we were ‘CANYON STRONG!’ The first completion did something to our confidence level, making us less afraid to try new adventures and more apt to do what others say we’re too old to do. My husband died about five years ago. I still visit the Canyon … and remember and dream and LOVE the life it helped create in me! ❤️
Emily, thank you for writing this and so sorry for the loss of your husband. It sounds like you made amazing memories and may those memories live each and every day in your heart and soul. Welcome to the both of you. Proud to have you in the club!
Three of us did the rim-to-rim north to south in May 2017. We camped one night at Bright Angel. It was so hot we had no appetite and barely got any sleep. Then in November 2019 I did it again, this time solo at age 71. It took 14 1/2 hours. The car read 18 degrees when I started down at 6:15 just as the sky was beginning to brighten. I passed several hikers on their way up completing the R2R2R. It had warmed as I passed Roaring Falls, and the temperature was great for the remainder of the hike. The 7.2 miles from Cottonwood Campground to Phantom Ranch seemed endless, and muscle pain slowed me on the way to Indian Garden. The sky was starting to darken as I headed for the ascent. Three lights danced on the trail above me, and there was one way behind. With periodic stops, I eventually made the rim in time to take the shuttle to Yavapai Lodge. Tick that one off the bucket list. Next is the Kaibab-Tonto-Bright Angel loop.
Inspiring for sure Jeff! Those solo ones always seem to be test of spirit for sure. Let us know how the Kaibab-Tonto-BA loop goes for you!
I have completed. Three. R2R hikes over the last 10 years
2 of them were North to South treks and 1 was south to North. After every hike I say this will probably be my last R2R hike.
Maybe I should do another this October…LOL
Hope it calls you back once again Aceman!
My daughter, Grace, and I completed our R2R in June of 2018 for her senior trip after graduating from high school! We hiked North Kaibab to Phantom Ranch where we camped for the night. On day2 after our breakfast at Phantom Ranch and sending our overnight gear up with with a mule, we hiked out on the Bright Angel trail. The last couple of miles were tough on me, but my daughter breezed up! I’m still thankful for that time with her and that shared accomplishment!
Love this Chuck! What an amazing memory you made with your daughter!