Length:

Water: There is no water along the trail and only limited post-storm pothole availability on Horseshoe Mesa. Page Spring (also known as Miner’s Spring) is perennial below the east neck of Horseshoe Mesa. Cottonwood Creek below the west side of the mesa has seasonal water.

Campsites: There is no camping along the trail. Horseshoe Mesa has designated campsites only. If the East Tonto Trail is your destination, camping is at-large.

Reflections and Attractions: The Grandview Trail is a great introduction to non-corridor hiking in GC. The trailhead at Grandview Point has the highest elevation of any South Rim trail. There are numerous highlights upon reaching Horseshoe Mesa including mining relics, Cave of the Domes, and perhaps the most inspirational backcountry toilet anywhere. The ends of both the west and east arms of the mesa sport spectacular views.

Warnings and Musings: Hiking this trail in icy winter conditions can be treacherous, even with crampons. The mining tunnels in the area such as Last Chance Mine are closed to visitation for public safety and to protect bat habitat.

Many of my recent Canyon winter trips have been disrupted or cancelled by shitty weather. Hiking companions were beginning to think I’m cursed. Thankfully there’s no snow anywhere as the four of us descend Grandview Trail late morning. The weather report looks so surprisingly good in fact, that none of us even bring tents. At Horseshoe Mesa, Jack and the Old Man continue down the Redwall descent while I take Mantis to the Cave of the Domes.

We don’t really have the time to explore this cave properly, venturing only several hundred feet. The naming of the cave is obvious; each new chamber has a cathedral-shaped dome for a ceiling. It’s time to turn around when the crawl spaces get tighter than I’m comfortable with sans safety equipment. Back at the entrance we can see the Old Man and Jack making their way into the east arm of Cottonwood Creek, about 1,200 feet below us.

Mantis’ knees are bumming, but eventually we all meet up in camp next to the creek. Water will probably be flowing here for about another month or so. Snoring buffer zones are created so Mantis and I sleep away from the snorting old guys. It takes me a long time to fall asleep, too excited gazing at stars and looking forward to the days to come.

Day 2 – Cottonwood Creek to west arm of Grapevine Creek:

We’re up and trekking along the Tonto Trail early. Around the point as we head west away from Cottonwood Creek, there are some sections where a slip to the right could be a fatal mistake. Back on more stable ground we stop for a break. Two Canyon vets hike in from the west doing our trip in reverse. They stop to chat for awhile and break out some old school plastic and aluminum folding chairs strapped to their packs. They look comfy, but must be a bitch to carry.

We continue south into Grapevine Canyon, one of the longest side canyons along the entire South Rim. About halfway along the eastern arm we stop for lunch at Grapevine Spring. This water source is considered to be perennial, but based on appearance I might not rely on it in late summer during the driest of years.

The trail crosses Grapevine Canyon at the southern bend where there is a fork. There is already a small group in the east arm where Grapevine Creek is still flowing. Mantis and I scout the west arm. No flowing water here, but plenty of pools and an empty camp so we bring the old guys over.

I explore upstream and frighten a couple nervous squirrels with a blues harp jam. There are frequent croaking noises near camp and I’m convinced it’s a frog. Old Man says it’s something else, but we never find the source and the disagreement remains unresolved. A nearby owl keeps us constant company throughout the night.

Day 3 – West arm of Grapevine Creek to Lonetree Canyon:

Today is our longest day of hiking so Jack and the Old Man are on the trail before sunrise. We follow up and meet them at the foot of Grapevine Canyon. They’re out on an exposed point right at the lip of Granite Gorge. This rest stop is not for the acrophobic.

There is a minor unnamed side canyon below Lyell Butte that we traverse on our way west towards Boulder Canyon, where we stop for lunch. A few minutes upstream of the crossing there are some shaded pools of seasonal water connected by a mere trickle. I still find it hard to believe we’re seeking daytime shade in the second week of March.

The trek continues and we contour around into Lonetree Canyon. Mantis and I occupy the lower camps. There is some sporadic seasonal flow here as well, and we lounge next to a series of slickrock pools. Jack and the Old Man will not be alone at the upper camp, three hikers on a guided trip file in from the west. Their paid guide looks to be pushing seventy years old and limps into camp thirty minutes after his clients. I hope I’m still backpacking The Canyon at his age.

I explore downstream for awhile. The mystery of the croaking noise is solved and I was right, they are frogs. Lots of them. An entire orchestra of bullfrogs serenades us during the night.

Day 4 – Lonetree Canyon to Tonto Platform west of Cremation Creek:

In the morning I venture upstream almost to the base of the Redwall for another harp jam. We are unlikely to find water on the rest of our trip so we focus on hydrating and lounge in Lonetree Canyon until after lunch.

The trail west around into Cremation Canyon is crisscrossed by multiple old burro tracks. I stay on the main outer trail, but Mantis discovers one of those tracks is an easy time saving southern shortcut to the east rim of Cremation Canyon. Before this section, he had been approximately twenty minutes behind me and occasionally falling out of sight. After the shortcut I turn to check on him and to my disbelief he’s right behind me.

We rest briefly in the main bed of Cremation Creek under the shade of a cottonwood. There is no nearby water here, so we continue out of this canyon to the west; making camp near the edge of the use area boundary in order to shorten tomorrow’s hike out. Zoroaster Temple basks in a spectacle of sunset colors.

Day 5 – Tonto Platform west of Cremation Creek to South Kaibab Trailhead:

As if yesterday wasn’t enough, the sunrise this morning is just unbelievable. I can’t stop staring as the glory of Zoroaster is slowly revealed. This has to be one of my all time favorite waking sights! Inspiring enough to handle the seven mile hike out in about three and a half hours, despite some sore feet from relatively new boots.