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Grand Canyon

National Park

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East Tonto Trail

trail details

Type of Trip: Backpacking Thru

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Where: Grand Canyon National Park

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Permits Required: Yes

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Miles: 27.3

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Net Elevation Change: 5,714 ft

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Trailhead: Grandview

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Cal Topo:  https://caltopo.com/m/U163

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Description: Thru hike along the East Tonto trail from Grandview to South Kaibab

logistics & itinerary

Wilderness Area : Grand Canyon National Park

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When to apply? 6 months prior to the month you want to hike in there will be a 10 day application window, refer to website E.g. if you want to hike in April, you would apply between November 20 and December 1. It does not matter when you submit as long as its within that window.

Permit Style: Lottery

Permit Application: Application PDF  Application must be faxed

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When did we do this hike? October 2019

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Transportation: The Grand Canyon free shuttle does not go to Grandview. We parked our car in lot D at the Backcountry Information Center and called for a taxi service (928) 638 2822.  The taxi fit 4 of us plus gear. You can't reserve this in advance, you just call when you need it. The taxi came within 15 minutes and then drove us to the Grandview trailhead. To end our hike, we took the Orange line from South Kaibab to the visitor center and then the Blue line back the Wilderness Information Center.

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Itinerary:

Day

Miles

Camp

1

2

3

9.9

10.3

7.1

Grapevine

Cremation (dry camp)

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Water: Filter or treat all water. There isn't much water on this trail. We each had a 7-12L carrying capacity depending on how much water we typically drank. We started with 8L on the hike down to Grapevine. Cottonwood creek was essentially dry but someone had dug into the creek bed to find some water and a puddle formed. We topped off there and continued on. When we called in advance, the rangers had said that down canyon from the trail, the east arm of Grapevine had some water. The water source ended up being about 15 minutes off-trail with a bit of route-finding and near scrambling. This was the last water source on this trail. We carried full water capacity to Cremation and for the hike out South Kaibab.

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Leave-No-Trace: Follow Leave No Trace principles. Camp on previously impacted sites at least 100 feet from any water source or trail. All human waste must be buried at least 6 inches deep at at least 100 feet from water sources, camp areas, and trails. Do all washing at least 100 feet from water. Do not put any soup in water (even biodegradable and natural soup pollutes). Carry out all trash. Do not burn or bury toilet paper or trash.

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Flora Considerations: The brush and cacti in the Grand Canyon are brutal on your legs. 

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Fauna Considerations: We stored our food and anything with a smell in an Ursack Minor. Rock squirrels, deer mice, and ravens can be aggressive about any food that's left out. We didn't see any big horn sheep but we did find a skull from one. Keep an eye out for snakes, lizards, and scorpions.

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Trail Specific Considerations: Hiking in the Grand Canyon is no joke. Temperatures and a lack of water can quickly make for deadly conditions. There is little to zero shade on this trail. The only reprieve from the sun you will get is before the sun crests the canyon walls. The Grand Canyon offers detailed write-ups on the specific trails. The one for the Tonto is here. There’s a good section that gives an overview of the possible water sources and whether they are perennial or seasonal. We also called the Wilderness Information Center the day prior to our hike in to confirm where we could find water. There are also a few areas of the trail that have very steep drop-offs into the deeper parts of the canyon. Like any wilderness trip, you accept a certain amount of risk when going on your hike. You are responsible for assessing how comfortable you feel with that risk and understanding your own physical abilities.

#Arizona #Grand Canyon #Desert

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