Itinerary
- Day 1
Flagstaff to Grand Canyon South Rim
You'll start with a 1.5-hour shuttle from Flagstaff heading to the South Rim. From there, hike down the historic Grandview Trail, which is 3 miles with 2,500 feet of elevation loss to reach Horseshoe Mesa. Along the way, you'll explore what's left of the Last Chance copper mine, including Pete Berry's original cabin and the mine shafts nearby. By evening, settle in at the mesa and watch the sunset from there, looking out at the Colorado River 2,300 feet below.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Shuttle from Flagstaff to Grand Canyon South Rim
- Hike down Grandview Trail to Horseshoe Mesa
- Explore Last Chance mine ruins and Pete Berry's cabin
- Optional: Hike to and explore Cave of the Domes
- Sunset viewing from Horseshoe Mesa
Optional Activities
- Cave of the Domes exploration
Landmarks Grand Canyon South Rim Horseshoe Mesa Last Chance Mine Cave of the Domes Colorado River 
- Day 2
Horseshoe Mesa to Hance Creek
After breakfast and getting your gear sorted, hike east from Horseshoe Mesa for 2 miles with 1,300 feet of elevation loss. The route goes through steep switchbacks and passes Paige Spring before dropping down to Hance Creek drainage. Set up camp there, and later in the day take a shorter hike to explore the winding Hance Creek Canyon at your own pace.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike from Horseshoe Mesa to Hance Creek
- Day hike into Hance Creek Canyon
Landmarks Hance Creek Paige Spring - Day 3
Hance Creek to Colorado River
Get up early, have breakfast, then trek eastward across the Tonto Plateau covering 6.5 miles with 1,100 feet of elevation loss toward Hance Rapids. You'll hike to the brink of Red Canyon and then descend to the Colorado River. Make camp on the riverbank right where Red Canyon meets the river and you can hear Hance Rapids running through.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike across Tonto Plateau to Red Canyon
- Hike down to Colorado River at Hance Rapids
Landmarks Tonto Plateau Red Canyon Hance Rapids - Day 4
Colorado River to Red Canyon
Spend the morning on a day hike upstream to the Papago Rockslide, which has optional rock climbing to reach Papago Creek if you're interested. Head back to camp for lunch, then hike up the dry creek bed of Red Canyon for 3 miles with 1,000 feet of elevation gain. The route takes you through tilting rock layers with good geological views. End the day at a spring or upper canyon spot to camp.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Day hike to Papago Rockslide
- Hike up Red Canyon
- Geological viewing of tilting strata
Optional Activities
- Rock climbing over Papago Rockslide to mouth of Papago Creek
Landmarks Papago Rockslide Papago Creek Red Canyon - Day 5
Red Canyon to Flagstaff
After a hearty breakfast, hike out of Red Canyon covering 5 miles with 3,300 feet of elevation gain. The trail goes through the Supai and Red Wall formations following an old creek bed, then you'll scramble up to reach the South Rim trailhead. From there, take the 1.5-hour shuttle back to Flagstaff to wrap up your backpacking trip.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Hike from Red Canyon to South Rim trailhead
- Shuttle from Grand Canyon South Rim to Flagstaff
Landmarks Supai Formation Red Wall Formation Grand Canyon South Rim
