Hiking The Grand Canyon
Rim-2-Rim and a Night at Phantom Ranch
It was a dream of mine to hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and stay at Phantom Ranch, but getting reservations to stay there is quite a challenge. People book a night at Phantom Ranch months in advance, but if you are persistent and continue to check back for cancelations you can get lucky. After calling repeatedly for a few weeks I was able to secure a reservation two days before the available date. It was a scramble to prepare and get there in time, but I was able to pull it off! I arrived just before sunset at the start of my hike; the South Kaibab Trailhead. I didn’t make it to Phantom Ranch until well after dark, but hiking in the dark made for a unique experience. The community room at phantom Ranch was filled with fellow hikers sipping beers, writing postcards, cooking dinner, and sharing stories. What a way to end the day! I was up well before sunrise filled with excitement of going up the Bright Angel Trail, which did not disappoint. The temperatures hovered around freezing, and the snow on the upper canyon walls made for spectacular scenery.