Grand Canyon Rim to Rim: Self Guided

Running across the Grand Canyon is a challenging way to see the iconic national park, but as the signs say: "Down is Optional - Up is Mandatory."

I've run Rim to Rim (R2R) in one day twice, both times starting from the North Rim and ending at the South Rim for a 24 (ish) mile day with about 10,500 feet of total elevation change. It's a beautiful but punishing journey that starts and ends with steep inclines (as is the nature of running an inverted mountain) and often grueling temperatures. But there are few places as glorious as the Grand Canyon with its majestic red walls, flowering cacti, and the emerald Colorado River that snakes through it.

There are lots of Rim to Rim hiking guides out there on the internets for you to explore, but here was my experience running R2R.

An early morning descent down the North Rim

Difficulty Level and Fitness

Crossing the Grand Canyon in one day requires a strong level of fitness. Your quads take a pounding in the immediate descent into the canyon and you'll have to climb out of that canyon and up over 5,000 feet at the hottest, most exhausted part of your day. Weather makes the trip particularly challenging as temps can hit triple digits throughout most of the year. Think of running R2R as requiring the same level of fitness you'd have for a challenging 50k race.

If you're not a runner, you can absolutely hike Rim to Rim. Average times vary from 12 to 15 hours so plan for a long day on your feet.

Route

The beauty of R2R is that the route is a straight shot - there's little need to carry a map. Both times I've run R2R we took the North Kaibab Trail across the valley and up Bright Angel trail to end on the South Rim. The alternative while traveling that route is to hike up South Kaibab Trail, which is about 3 miles shorter, but considered more rugged.

When you've finished your run/hike (congratulations!) you'll can either stay in a South Rim hotel, campground, or take a long shuttle ride back to your starting location. Frankly the idea of sitting in a van for four hours after a tough eight+ hour run sounds like a nightmare to me, so I've always opted for nachos and a hotel the night of the run, and the shuttle the following day.

You don't need a permit to run or hike Rim to Rim - permits are only required if you plan to camp in the canyon.

Accommodations

The North Rim is the more remote and has only one lodge, the Grand Canyon Lodge, open May 15 through October 15. Because it's the only lodge option, you'll need to book it well in advance. There are also several campgrounds around the North Rim.

The South Rim is much more popular and dense with crowds. There are five different lodges on the South Rim, though they also book up in advance, so make your reservation ahead of time.

The only accommodations in the canyon itself is Phantom Ranch or surrounding campgrounds. Phantom Ranch has a series of lovely stone cabins that are impossible to reserve and released only via lottery. Phantom Ranch is only accessible by foot or mule.

When to go

Timing is critical when planning an R2R undertaking. If you wish to stay in the North Rim Lodge, your trip will be limited to May through October. The first time we ran R2R we went in mid October, the last available weekend to stay at the North Rim Lodge. The temperature was cool in the morning (think leggings and hats) and warmed up comfortably throughout the day.

The second time we ran the first available weekend in May and we hit triple digit temperatures in the canyon. Remember that when looking at the weather forecast, temperatures on the rim will differ significantly than in the canyon, the latter temps often being more significantly more severe. There is water along the trail, but you should bring a bladder large enough to keep you well hydrated. Dehydration and heat exhaustion are dangerous and not uncommon in the Grand Canyon.

Planning your trip after October means you very well may encounter snow or ice, which can make the descents extremely treacherous. The North Rim and some roads close due to snow in the winter.

Even in late spring, the canyon gets HOT.

Gear

Backpack or running vest with an ample water bladder.
Poles - Having poles to manage the climb out of the canyon was essential.
Food and snacks - you'll be able to purchase a few snacks at the Phantom Ranch canteen about halfway in, but options are very limited and you'll want to make sure you have the necessary fuel, carbs, snacks, sugars, electrolytes etc throughout your run.

Pro-tip! To avoid having to carry overnight items with me, I took a tip from Cheryl Strayed and mailed myself a box of items to our South Rim hotel, including PJs, flip flops, toiletries, and comfy loungewear for the 4 hour shuttle ride the next day. And candy - lots of candy (because I'm too cheap for the gift shops). You could certainly purchase any of these items in the lodge, but I loved having a care package of my own comfort items waiting for me.