Grand Canyon North Kaibab Trailhead to Manzanita Hike/Run | Full Trail POV | 2024 R2R2R

See description below, and enable closed captions for additional hike information.
Embark on an unforgettable hike from the North Rim to Manzanita Rest Area in the Grand Canyon, a journey showcasing iconic landmarks and breathtaking scenery. Starting at the North Rim Trailhead, situated at an elevation of about 2,500 meter (8,000 feet), you'll descend through a tranquil forest of pine trees. After 3.7 km (2.3 miles), you'll reach the Supai Tunnel, a remarkable rock passage that offers a glimpse into the canyon's geological history.
Continuing your descent, around 9.4 km (5.8 miles) from the the North Rim, you'll encounter Roaring Springs. The springs, named for the sound of water rushing from the rocks, provide a refreshing stop with their crystal-clear cascades. A short distance further brings you to Manzanita Rest Area, approximately 10.6 km (6.6 miles) from the North Rim. Set beside Bright Angel Creek at an elevation of around 4,600 feet, this shaded, serene spot is perfect for a rest or picnic.
The hike section covers 10.6 km with a 3,400-foot descent, making it strenuous but rewarding. This hike offers an incredible journey through diverse landscapes, providing unforgettable views and experiences in the Grand Canyon.
This video is part of a video series depicting the complete point-of-view experience (4K HDR POV videos) of all the major trails in the Grand Canyon. These videos were recorded as part of Rim to Rim to Rim hikes in the Grand Canyon, 2023 and 2024.
Watch my Grand Canyon POV playlist: • The Grand Canyon Trail...
Primary hiking gear used in this hike:
** Garmin inReach Mini 2, Compact Satellite Communicator, amzn.to/3N2R4aC
** Black Diamond Z-folding Carbon Trekking Poles, amzn.to/3R3iUVt
** Salomon Advanced Skin 15L Trail Running Vest Backpack, amzn.to/3uG0gcT
** Outdoor Research Activeice Sun Gloves, amzn.to/3WXTE8u
** HOKA ONE ONE Mafate Speed 4 Trail Running Shoes, amzn.to/3Kf1G5c
Video recording gear used in this hike:
** Main camera: DJI Osmo Action 4 Adventure Combo, amzn.to/3yulRJP
** DJI Osmo Action 4 Freewell 6Pack ND filters, amzn.to/4bvPr06
** DJI Osmo Action Extreme Batteries, amzn.to/3Vbcrf6
** GoPro Performance Chest Mount, amzn.to/3NT2Gim
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** Secondary camera: DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Creator Combo, amzn.to/3WTH9uO
** Freewell 14Pack Filter Kit for Osmo Pocket 3, amzn.to/3ywE3m8
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** DJI Mic 2 Wireless Microphone, amzn.to/3WUModI
Other video recording gear used in this trip:
** DJI Mini 3 Pro Drone Fly More Combo, amzn.to/3eY5efL
** Freewell ND filters for DJI Mini 3 Pro drone, amzn.to/3KWTAQn
** DJI Mini 3 Pro drone protective battery bags, amzn.to/3WAMymL
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** DJI Avata 2 FPV Drone Fly More Combo, amzn.to/4bSRMlL
** Freewell ND filters for DJI Avata 2, amzn.to/4bvZiTC
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** Insta360 X3 - 360 degrees Action Camera, amzn.to/3YXjKa4
** Insta360 3m 9.8ft (3 meter) Selfie Stick, amzn.to/3XAkznM
** insta360 X3 Spare Batteries, amzn.to/3IRefnJ
** insta360 X3 Batteries Charger, amzn.to/3ZBVPNZ
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** GoPro Hero 11, amzn.to/3WiG648
** GoPro Max lens, amzn.to/3NKmT6E
** GoPro Spare Enduro Batteries, amzn.to/3LU3EZa
** GoPro Freewell ND filters, amzn.to/3SPGuWo
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** Lexar 1066x 256GB MicroSD card, amzn.to/3dAQ7ZH
** Samsung Pro Plus 512GB MicroSD card, amzn.to/3ji66hI
** SanDisk 512GB Extreme MicroSDXC card, amzn.to/3BPur4N
** SmallRig SD cards case, amzn.to/3VkOPBv
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** SmallRig filming iPhone case, amzn.to/3TrvhMI
** Peak Design Cuff Camera Wrist Strap, amzn.to/3NC4OYh
** iPhone 14 Pro
DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links provided I may receive a small commission, but without any additional charge to you.
The hike on Strava: / strava
Producing these videos takes much effort. You can support this channel at:
** Buy me coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/rubihammer
Original music was created using Udio: www.udio.com/

[@claycook5773]

I've done that hike twice and am planning for a third descent in the months ahead. Not a Rim to Rim in a day hike, but a 4-5 day hike with a backpack. It's not technical. No ropes required. No challenging navigation. The trail is wide enough for two people to pass. And yet it will exhaust you. If you aren't careful, it will demand a toenail from you. I've paid that toll. For the first hour of this video, to the Redwall Bridge, it's all downhill. Endlessly, exhaustingly, and pitilessly downhill. There aren't many places where such a descent is possible, and so training for it is almost impossible. It begins to feel like a joke, like it can't go down forever. And then, you hit the Redwall Bridge, and the trail goes UPHILL. It's okay, it keeps out the riff-raff. No doubt Rubi is in phenomenal shape, but you can hear the effort in his voice as he faces another giant step down, and another, and another and another. Great video.

[@RubiHammer]

Thank you, Clay. Indeed, the descent into the Canyon is, in some ways, even more demanding than the climb to the Rim. The trails are not too technical, but they aren't paved and comfortable enough to enable descending quickly without paying attention to where your feet land. The slope is too steep in many parts for running without risking injury. I started this hike with two falls descending the South Rim earlier that morning, which made me extra careful when descending the North Rim. The North Kaibab trail conditions were worse than I remembered from the last time I was on the trail, four years ago. This resulted in a relatively small difference in the time it took me to climb the North Rim and the time it took to descend back. Having the two real-time POV videos available here may help people better appreciate this.
What are your plans for your backpacking hike in the Grand Canyon? What route are you planning to take, and which trails are you going to explore? I hope the Grand Canyon will treat you well.

[@claycook5773]

@@RubiHammer We're doing the standard North Kaibab to Bright Angel Campground and then up the Bright Angel Trail at the end of September. Yes, I could see the conditions of the trail, and it looked like the last two hard winters out here (I live in Utah) have taken their toll on the trail. I also think the South Kaibab trail is challenging because of the impact the metal shoe clad mules make on the trail as they did in to climb. The SK trail has become a set of stairs custom made for mules, but not well suited to human strides.
Do you know anything about the north end of the old Bright Angel Trail? Is it still maintained? It seems to have been abandoned when the Supai Tunnel allowed access to the trail closer to the North Rim Lodge. There looks to be an interesting loop with the Ken Patrick Trail to the Old Bright Angel Trail and then up the North Kaibab Trail, but that's only looking at the map. Curious.

[@RubiHammer]

@@claycook5773 Indeed, the South Kaibab Trail is not in brilliant condition either, and it doesn't get any better from one visit to the next. I know little of the Old Bright Angel Trail, though I do plan to record similar POV videos covering it, the Tonto Trail, and the Clear Creek and Crystal Creek Trails. I did part of the Ken Patrick and Uncle Jim trails four years ago. As far as I know, the Old Bright Angel Trail is not being maintained, and it may require some pathfinding in the upper part where there is much vegetation that has grown undisturbed.