Hermit Trail
Day Hike Tour
From $625/group
5-7 hours
Moderate
Oct-Apr
7 miles
Up to 2K Feet
This Grand Canyon day hike tour follows the amazing Hermit Trail down to a pine-studded bench, then across the tops of exposed cliffs to a dripping desert oasis. The views are outstanding, the area is rich with history, and the hiking is mesmerizing. We also pass spectacular, fossilized footprints in 280+ million year old sandstone!
Highlights
Rates
1-2 People: $625
3-4 People: $845
5-7 People: $1025
Rates are in USD and are per group.
Gratuity not included (recommended 10-20% of rate)​
What's Included
Local Transportation
Professional Guide
Snacks & Lunch
Trekking Poles
Entrance Fees*
Fascinating Interp
* Entrance fees are not included if meeting us inside the Park.
What's Not Included
Clothing & Footwear
Backpack
3 Liters of Water
Headlamp or Flashlight
Sun Protection
Guide Gratuity*
* Recommended guide gratuity is 10-20% of the tour cost, depending on your level of satisfaction
Dates and Booking
Logistics
Where Do We Meet?
​​Your guide will pick you up at your accommodations in Flagstaff, Williams, Tusayan or at the South Rim. Your guide will reach out approximately 48 hours before the hike to answer any questions you have and confirm the pick-up time and location.
Start/End Times
This tour begins with pick-up at your hotel between 5 and 8 am, depending on the time of year. We will drop you back off at your accommodation no later than 5 PM.
Dietary Restrictions
We can accommodate all dietary restrictions. Please notify your guide of any restrictions when they contact you 48 hours prior to your tour.
Gallery
Reviews of the Hermit Trail Tour
"The entire experience with Grand Canyon Hiking Co. was amazing. Our guide, Jamie, was top notch and made it as wonderful as it could be! The views are mind-blowing on this hike and even the same strata of the canyon seemed to change as we ascended or descended. Highly recommend!"
Kathy W., Appleton, WI
Is This Hike Right For You?
Asking whether this is the right hike for you is important! Please read below for some straight talk about what to expect and whether this hike is the best option for you and your group.
Dizzying Dropoffs
The Hermit Trail traverses around a large side canyon to access Dripping Springs. This section of the hike is exposed, close to severe drop-offs.
Spectacular Views
The Hermit Trail offers dramatic, explosive views across the Canyon, and straight down into the depths of Hermit Creek (thousands of feet below us)
No Bathrooms
There is no bathroom on this trail. If "using" the bushes is offensive or embarrassing for you, we recommend choosing a different hike, like South Kaibab.
Rich History
The Hermit Trail was built by a famous Grand Canyon hermit, Louis D. Boucher. The trail also has 280+ million year old fossilized footprints etched in Coconino sandstone.
Sporadic Shade
The Hermit Trail has some shade, and we are able to take rest breaks beneath Pinyon Pines or Juniper Trees. Much of the hiking is in the sun.
7 Mile Hike
This hike has only one great turnaround point, which is Dripping Springs. We recommend doing all of this hike (7 miles round trip) to get the full value.
More About the Hermit Trail
The Hermit Trail has a rich history that includes Native Americans, miners, pioneers, early Grand Canyon tourism entrepreneurs, the famous Santa Fe Railroad, the National Park Service, and of course thousands of modern-day visitors to the Canyon who enjoy hiking its rugged and spectacular route.
History of the Trail
Up to 1911
For millenia, Native American tribes - particularly the Ancestral Pebloans and the Havasupai (who still live in the Canyon on the Havasupai Reservation) - have been using the route that the Hermit Trail follows. Taking advantage of a weakness in the 400-500' tall "Red Wall", this route offers a relatively mellow hike to the Colorado River. Native Americans accessed the inner canyon to hunt and gather.
1919
President Woodrow Wilson signed the bill that founded Grand Canyon National Park. It was the 14th national park established in the United States. (Yellowstone was the first in 1872.) At the time of its founding there was significant resistance from local business owners to give up control of the land within the Canyon to the people of the United States. One of the first initiatives of the new national park was to wrest control of the Bright Angel Trail (by this time owned by Coconino County.) After plenty of efforts ended in frustrating defeat, the park service pivoted and began looking for a new route into the Canyon.
1925
The South Kaibab Trail (originally called the "Yaki Trail") was constructed from Yaki Point to the Colorado River and the newly constructed Phantom Ranch (1922). The trail was blasted out of the sheer cliffs and ridgelines of the canyon with dynamite, making for a dramatic route with spectacular views. The Black Bridge, which connects the South Kaibab Trail to the north side of the river and Phantom Ranch, was completed in 1928.