In the world of hiking the Grand Canyon, "having it all" would probably mean doing the Rim to Rim hike. Starting on either the North Rim or the South Rim, you hike down to the Colorado River and back up the other side, finishing at the opposite rim. On a Rim to Rim tour, you get to experience the fullness of the Canyon. The North Rim is more than 1000 feet (300 meters) higher than the South Rim, so the rims themselves are quite different. And of course the Colorado River is over a mile deep from the North Rim, which means you're going from a mountain environment to the climate of Phoenix.
However, the truth is that you don't have to do all of that to have an incredible time on an overnight hike at the Grand Canyon. You actually don't even have to get down to the Colorado River. Horseshoe Mesa is one of my favorite trips, and it doesn't get
anywhere near the bottom of the Canyon. Descending the historic Grandview Trail - which was built by a miner in the 1800s - you hike down, down, down until you get to Horseshoe Mesa.
The mesa is a wonderful peninsula extending out over the empty space of the Canyon, like the deck of a battleship. It has some truly stunning views. Once at the mesa, we set up camp and then it's off to explore all the mesa has to offer!
Horseshoe Mesa is home to the only cave in the Grand Canyon that guests are allowed to explore, and it' s a blast. Scattered across the south side of the mesa are the artifacts of the miners who once worked there, and there's even an old miner's cabin.
Down the west side of the mesa is Cottonwood Creek, an oasis in the desert, which makes a
great day hike. And down
the east side of the mesa is Hance Creek, the trail to which plunges off the mesa in steep, exciting switchbacks. Hance Creek makes for a long, very exciting day hike.
So, while going all the way to the river is fantastic, there are many ways to enjoy the Grand Canyon. Horseshoe Mesa is just one of several options that don't go all the way. Others are Havasu Falls and of course our guided day hikes. But no matter what you choose, you'll have the adventure of a lifetime!
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