1. Route Stats

​Location
Length
Elevation Gain
​Days to Ride
Physical Difficulty*
Technical Difficulty*
Number of Capes
Grand Canyon - South Rim, Arizona, USA
274.7 Miles
13,863 ft.
4-7 Days
4/10
5/10
22
*Based on Bikepacking Roots Route Rating Scale (More info found under "Surface Conditions, Route Difficulty, and Direction to Ride")

2. South Rim Capes Overview

The Capes of the Canyon on the South Rim provides a backcountry ride through the southern landscape of Grand Canyon National Park and the Kaibab National Forest. From pinyon-juniper grasslands blanketing the base of Red Butte to towering ponderosa stands along the Coconino Rim that spill to limestone at Canyon edge, this route provides bikepackers an opportunity to see the Grand Canyon region. The goal of the route is to hit every bike-legal track that takes a rider to views of the Grand Canyon along the South Rim. The bonus is a backcountry ride though the arid evergreen woodlands and exposed highland geology of the Colorado Plateau along the way. Capes include the Little Colorado River Gorge, Desert View, Navajo, Lipan, Moran, Grandview, Duck on a Rock, Shoshone, Yaki, Pipecreek Vista, Mather, Yavapai, Trailview Overlook, Maricopa, Powell, Hopi, Mohave, The Abyss, Monument Creek Vista, Pima, Hermit's Rest, South Bass, and Havasupai.

Riders begin in Tusayan, AZ amongst ponderosa pines before dipping south into the sage-pinyon circumference of Red Butte .  Swinging east, cyclists see a stark profile of the San Francisco Peaks outside Flagstaff and then climb to the high point of the route at 7,500 feet near Grandview and its namesake fire tower.  Here, bikepackers can catch glimpses of the red-washed Canyon heart through the dark evergreens of the forest.  Riders descend and trace the base of the Coconino Rim before getting a view of the Little Colorado River Gorge.  Entering Grand Canyon National Park, riders reach Desert View which provides the first true cape as the Canyon proper opens up with the jewel of the Colorado River pulsing with sediment through it all.  Cyclists continue along the length of South Rim viewpoints, ride out to remote South Bass, and then plunge back toward the inland forest before returning to Tusayan. 

3. Map and GPX

Route Guide Sections

  1. Route Stats
  2. Route Overview
  3. Map and GPX
  4. Route Design Philosophy and Vision
  5. Route Description 
  6. Surface Conditions, Route Difficulty, and Direction to Ride
  7. Temperature, Climate, and When to Ride
  8. South Rim vs. North Rim Capes
  9. ​Capes Connectors
  10. ​Ecoregions and Landscape
  11. Where Bikes Are Allowed and Not Allowed
  12. ​Native Nations and This Land
  13. ​Leave No Trace and Bikepacking Ethics for the Colorado Plateau
  14. ​Water Sources
  15. Camping
  16. Food and Resupplying
  17. Fees and Permits
  18. Getting to the Start
  19. Parking
  20. Additional Important Information
  21. Other Rides in the Area
  22. Acknowledgments
  23. Rider Feedback and Route Alerts

4. Route Design Philosophy and Vision

This route was not designed to be straight point-to-point endeavor.  Instead, it weaves, spiderwebs, and wraps around the famously sought and the little seen aspects of the Grand Canyon rim region.  When I ride, I ride for topophilia - a love of place.  I ride to know an area's biodiversity, to breathe its odors, to see its beautiful niches, and to appreciate its detail.  This route represents that approach.   

A "cape" in geography refers to a high point of land that extends into a river, lake, or ocean.  As unusual a comparison as it may seem, I often feel the Grand Canyon is analogized best as where ocean meets land: the rims swell as elevated crests before plunging into a volume of space a mile deep.  The canyon is a sank range, an inverse mountain.   When you ride to the capes on this route, you'll stand on juts of land protruding into geological space.   The primary goal of the Capes of the Canyon is to take riders to notable rim overlooks of the inner Grand Canyon gorge.  Your goal as the rider is to hit each one and soak them in.  Sure, you can cut off time and distance by eliminating some of the spokes on the circumference of this ride, but know that you'll be missing some singularly interesting landscapes, ecosystems, history, culture, and views.  

Ride the spokes.  ​

5. Route Description

Begin the route in downtown Tusayan where you can stock up on food and water.    Leave the parking lot north on the paved Greenway before swinging a right into a culvert under the road via the Arizona Trail (AZT).  Follow the AZT singletrack as it wraps around Tusayan and juts eastward up Coconino Wash into the Kaibab National Forest with its thick stands of Ponderosa, Pinyon, and Junipers.  The AZT proceeds to wind and wrap around rolling hills on the Coconino Plateau before turning south on unmaintained/primitive FR 231.  The road eventually becomes better quality before intersecting with FR 302.  The road slowly gains elevation as the route continues eastward.  Riders then turn south, losing elevation as ponderosas fade into juniper-pinyons with open grasslands.  The prominent profile of Red Butte comes into focus.  Ride clockwise around Red Butte for a 360 degree view and a low point on the route at 6000 feet.  As you swing around the Butte, the entire San Francisco Volcanic Field comes into view in the distance with Doko'oosliid (Humphrey's Peak) reaching 12,637 feet skyward - Arizona's highest peak.  
You'll then head southeast tracing a powerline road.  Pinyon-junipers fall away as grass becomes more prevalent.  Enter Lockwood Canyon and cross onto Arizona State Land.  Just a heads up that Lockwood Canyon is filled with bulls feeding on the rangeland.  At Lockwood Tank, you'll begin a climb out of the canyon and head down old doubletrack leading north and back into the Kaibab National Forest.  This area can be hot and exposed with little shade or water.  You'll follow a wash where grasses fall way ponderosas as you make your way up to the eastern edge of the Coconino Rim.​
The Coconino Rim hits the highest elevation of the route at 7500 feet.  The increased elevation and precipitation supports a montane environment of ponderosa and oak.  You'll cross paths with the Arizona Trail which offers an alternative singletrack ride if you want it.  The route proper sticks to Coconino Rim Road where, through the trees, you'll catch tantalizing glimpses of the fall of land; plunges of treeline cresting before the shear fault of Grand Canyon vermillion crags.  These are hints of views to come.  Multiple wildlife tanks line the road allowing several opportunities for water resupply.  Arriving at Grandview Tower is a chance to climb above the thick of vegetation and stare at the Canyon distant.  Make sure to turn around and look back at the San Francisco Peaks behind you, all engulfed in an ocean of evergreen.  ​
From here, you'll drop off the Coconino Rim into the Upper Basin - a wide and flat swath of sage and juniper-pinyon.  You'll ride along the bottom of the rim walls and eventually cross Highway 64.  On the other side, you'll jump on the old highway now siphoned off as pavement succumbing to the plants of ecological succession.  You'll slowly climb up a canyon drainage through sage and trees that culminate in an epic overlook of the Little Colorado River Gorge and the Lower Basin.  Views of Navajo Mountain, the Vermillion Cliffs, Echo Cliffs, Gray Mountain, the Navajo Nation, and the namesake gorge are incredible from here.  Continue on and eventually you'll rejoin the highway and enter Grand Canyon National Park.​
The first view of the Grand Canyon happens at Desert View.  The Colorado River will stretch arterial before you amid the jostling colors of stone worn deep.  Grab a resupply of food and water at the market and deli and camp at Desert View if you have reservations.  From here, you'll be on a solid road stretch for about 50 miles.  The pavement is smooth and runs right up against the rim parallel.  There is little shoulder, so pay attention to cars.  However, most are respectful and will give you distance when passing.  Multiple opportunities for viewpoints and side trips abound - ride them all.  Eventually, you'll ascend up the Coconino Rim again and reenter elevation.  The road smoothly descends from here to the Yaki Point.

At the South Kaibab Trailhead, you can jump on the paved multi-use Rim Trail for even more views of the heart of the Grand Canyon.  Eventually, you'll leave the Rim Trail and head towards Mather Campground which boasts a hiker/biker site, the General Store, a post office, ATM, and Yavapai Lodge.  The route spins back out to the main Visitor Center, Mather Point, and Yavapai Point before reentering the village along the Greenway.  At Hermit's Rest, go around the main gate and enter a road for buses, pedestrians, and bicycles only.  Hit up all the viewpoints before turning around at Hermit's Rest and partway returning.  At the Abyss, you'll leave your retrace and join dirt again.  You'll descend to Rowe Well Road and exit GCNP boundaries.  ​
Swing right on Pasture Wash road and ride across the sage and juniper-pinyons lands of the Coconino Plateau.  The road dead-ends at the Havasupai Tribal Nation boundary-line.  DO NOT enter their lands without permission.  Turn right at the boundary fence and ride doubletrack cross-country (inside the Kaibab NF, on the east side of the fence) until you hit a main dirt route.  Take the road to cross back into Grand Canyon National Park.  You'll ride out to Havasupai Point and the South Bass Trailhead which affords bikepackers a unique opportunity to camp at the edge of the rim (as long as you get a permit from the GCNP Backcountry Information Office beforehand).  Camp here, enjoy the views, and soak in the solicitude.  After camping here, retrace your route back to Pasture Wash.  Eventually, you'll leave the retrace and take a little used-road down the western boundary-spine of the Kaibab National Forest.  ​
The route curls through plains of Colorado Plateau vegetation before approaching Grand Canyon National Park Airport just south of Tusayan.  As you cross the Private Property noted in the map, make sure to stick to the route and respect the conditions for cyclist access.  You'll turn southward at the airport and come up to a "Foot Travel Only" path as the road ends.  Walk your bike until the path rejoins the road.  Ride down a truly gorgeous canyon with limestone walls, cliffs, and conifers lining your way for miles on smooth dirt.  At the southernmost tip of the route, you'll arrive at Anita Station.  The night skies out here are classified as Bortle Class 1 meaning that these are the darkest night skies rated (ie. no light pollution).  Camp near the indicated spots on the map to take in a night of Milky Way views amid the plains of sage.

In the morning, bike north with some climbing on FS 306.  You'll eventually cross State Route 64 and start your way to the finish.  The dirt road here is unbelievably smooth and wide amid a spread of ponderosa pine.  The route swings west and joins FR 302.  This well-maintained dirt road will take cyclists on a long and gradual downhill before spilling out onto the main paved thoroughfare in the heart of Tusayan.  Turn north and follow the route back to the parking lot at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center - IMAX.  Finish your ride by stopping at Plaza Bonita for some Mexican food; it's some of the best and most affordable food in the area.  ​

6. Surface Conditions, Route Difficulty, and Direction to Ride

Direction to Ride
The route is intended to be ridden in a counterclockwise direction.  The reasons for this include:
  1. To capture a growing sense of anticipation as the rim edge of the Grand Canyon approaches - especially for those who have never seen it.  The momentum of geological views ramp up beginning with the Kaibab National Forrest --> Red Butte --> Coconino Rim and Grandview Tower --> Little Colorado River Gorge --> Grand Canyon.  
  2. Desert View is a more strategic resupply option after spending unpaved miles out in the Kaibab as opposed to directly down the paved road.  
  3. It saves remote and waterless South Bass for later in the trip when riders are more comfortable/familiar with the environment.   ​
Difficulty
The South Rim Capes requires long water carries between oftentimes seasonal or unreliable sources.  There are only 2 resupplies in the middle of the route available for food, requiring several days of food carries.  However, the terrain is only technical for short bouts, the grades are relatively easy, and the elevation gain is reasonable for the given distance.  Riders should be aware that parts of the ride will be at or above 7,000 feet in elevation, so acclimatization is important.  ​
Physical Difficulty = 4/10
Technical Difficulty = 5/10

The difficulty ratings are based on Bikepacking Roots Route Rating Scale found below:​
​Physical difficulty
Technical difficulty
3-4 – Regular rolling terrain with sustained climbing
5-6 – Continuous sections of track may be rocky, loose, and steep; (e.g., 4×4 roads or singletrack in rugged/rocky terrain) suitable for intermediate mountain bikers
Surface Conditions
The route mostly sticks to broad forest service dirt roads.  These roads are usually well-maintained but still feature sections of washboard, ruts, and rock.  There are sections of more primitive and 4x4 rocky-roads when climbing out of Lockwood Canyon, approaching South Bass Trailhead, and dipping along the western edges of the Kaibab National Forest.  Out in these places, roads become briefly technical with strewn boulders, dense/sharp limestone, sand, and years of little maintenance.  If any rain/snow is forecast, most of the unpaved route will become peanut butter/death mud and impassable in places.  Leave No Trace and avoid riding at these times until the route dries out.  When riding paved Highway 64 along the rim, be aware of vehicles.  There is little shoulder and tourists will often be looking at the views and less at cyclists on the road.  However, drivers are generally respectful, give plenty of space when passing, and mostly don't speed. 
​
Tires and Bike Choice: I suggest at least 2.2 inch tires if only for the truly primitive/rocky roads.  For reference, I ride a drop-bar rigid mountain bike and nearly only bikepack with plus tires for the comfort.  Use the descriptions of the route conditions above to help you determine what would make your ride something you would enjoy.  

7. Temperature, Climate, and When to Ride

​When to Ride
Time of Year
Average Highs
​​Average Lows
Precipitation
Snow
Best Time
Spring/Early Summer
​(April - Early June)
60.9 - 69.9 F
28.8 - 35.6 F
0.40 - 0.64"
​0.1-2.8"
Best Time
Fall
​(September - October)
64.6 - 75.8 F
33.3 - 43.7 F
1.23 - 1.5"
0.0-1.1"
Less Recommended
​Summer
​(Late June - August)
82 - 84.9 F
43.0 - 50.4 F
0.22 - 2.33"
​0.0"
Not Recommended
Winter
(November - March)
43.0 - 53.6 F
18.2 - 25.0 F
0.77 - 1.85"
​2.2 - 12.9"
Time of Year
Description of Conditions
Spring/Early Summer
​(April - Early June)
  • Windy season on the Colorado Plateau.
  • Reliably dry (especially heading into May).
  • Late spring snowstorms possible in April.  Be aware that peanut butter mud will come with wet conditions. 
  • Spring blooms starting.  Grass starts growing and oaks start leafing.  
  • Water sources likely to be full from the recent winter snow melt.  
​Fall
​(September - October)
  • Monsoons in September = Large thunderstorms and rain.  Be aware that peanut butter mud will come with wet conditions.
  • Early winter snowstorms possible in October
  • Late season blooms are truly amazing as rabbitbrush kicks off yellow petals around mid-September.
  • ​Expect pinyon nuts (delicious).  
  • Fall colors from oak trees.
  • ​Water sources will be drier unless there have been truly active monsoons.  
​​Summer
​(Late June - August)
  • Incredibly hot with some daily highs in the upper 90s. 
  • ​Combination of dryness, heat, and lack of shade in portions will add difficulty.
  • July and August monsoons bring epic storms and the route may become muddy and unrideable at times.
​Winter
(November - March)
  • Blizzards, snow, and well-below-freezing conditions.
  • The South Rim receives an average of 58" of snow.
  • Roads turn to peanut butter mud for weeks when the snow melts.  
  • May be possible to ride the route in November or March if there's a temperature window, no precipitation is forecast, and the roads are dry.
***Visit the NOAA Page for GRAND CANYON NP 2, AZ to view further climate information. ​

8. ​South Rim vs. North Rim Capes

​The Grand Canyon bisects the portion of the Colorado Plateau found in Northern Arizona into two distinct halves.  The South and North Rims offer riders different views, perspectives, elevations, temperatures, climate, vegetation, and remoteness.  Thus, the COTC exists as two circuits.  

South Rim Capes

The South Rim Capes of the COTC is the more accessible of the two.  Only located a 1.5 hour drive from Flagstaff, Arizona, the South Rim encompasses the Coconino Plateau and the more developed Grand Canyon Village area.  Riders entering Grand Canyon National Park will find longer paved stretches along the rim proper as well as more vehicles and people.  This isn't to say the route is industrialized - for more than 80% of the route takes in dirt forest roads and little traveled areas that the majority of visitors to the South Rim simply don't visit.  The route provides more opportunities for resupplies and water.  The landscape is lower in elevation allowing the route to be ridden for a greater portion of the year.  The landscape can be generalized as arid-uplands and desert, with dominant vegetation being the juniper and the pinyon pine.  This route is shorter and there is less overall elevation gain. 

​Range of Days to Ride: 4 - 7 days 

North Rim Capes

Across the Grand Canyon, the North Rim Capes of the COTC is the less accessible and more remote ride.  The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is a nearly 4 hour drive from Flagstaff, AZ and receives only a fraction of the visitors that the popular South Rim receives.  The route minimally travels on pavement and often travels down rarely driven or ridden roads into lesser-seen parts of the Kaibab Plateau.  Riders should be prepared to be self-sufficient on this route as hitching a ride may be unlikely if a problem arises, depending on where they are.  Reliable water resupplies are few with longer distances between sources.  Food resupplies are even fewer.  Bikepackers should expect to carry several days worth of food and at least 24 hours worth of water for several stretches.  The landscape makes dramatic swings between high elevation subalpine and lower elevation exposed desert - make sure to acclimatize.  The North Rim's winter weather is more extreme, making the riding season much narrower than the South Rim Circuit.  The landscape juxtaposes thick aspen groves and spruce with raw rocklands seeded with sparse grass and sage.  This route is longer with far more elevation gain.  

​Range of Days to Ride: 9 - 15 days 

9. Capes Connectors

The Capes Connectors provide options to connect the North and South Rim Capes of the Canyon in three ways.
  1. Inner Canyon Connector
  2. Paved Connector
  3. Western Wildlands Dirt Connector

Further information on each of the Capes Connectors can be found at this webpage:

10. ​Ecoregions and Landscape

The Grand Canyon is located on the Colorado Plateau.  The vast changes in elevation, roiling geology, and local microclimates lead to a rich offering of ecoregions.  Landscapes in the region span from low desert and riparian strips along the Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon to subalpine mixed conifer forests and meadows at the highest points along the Kaibab Plateau of the North Rim.  The North and South Rims vary considerably in elevation, precipitation, and temperature, providing cyclists very different experiences between the two routes.  

South Rim
The South Rim Capes region sits between 6000 and 7500 feet.  Riders begin in Tusayan in the heart of mixed conifers predominately composed of ponderosa, juniper, and pinyon pine smattered with collections of sage.  Cyclists immediately head into the lower elevations and southern reaches of the route which consist mostly of the Conifer Woodlands and Savannas ecoregion.  Here, large swaths pinyon-juniper fill the landscape which is frequently interspersed with low areas of grass and shrubs.  In washes or shallow canyons, ponderosa pines take root and tower. 

As the route moves closer to the rim, elevations rise and the landscape transitions to the Northern Woodlands and Sage ecoregion filled with more sage and less grass.  The westernmost portions of the route will pass into the Hualapai/Coconino Woodlands ecoregion characterized by Utah juniper, cliffrose, grama, and pinyon pine.  The easternmost fringes of the route becomes Semiarid Tablelands.  Riders will see a spread of large mesas, with gently dipping washes.  Grasses and shrubs dominate this rocky and shallow soil portion.  Although juniper-pinyon groups can be found on mesa slopes, many have succumbed to the stresses of climate change-induced drought.  Riding up the many shallow canyons with north-facing slopes will still reveal healthy communities taking refuge in these microclimates. 

Continuing to the highest elevations and closest to the Grand Canyon rim, the ecoregion becomes Montane Conifer Forest.  Here, deciduous species like Gambel oak become common and sit in large stands with leaves that turn a brilliant crimson hue in autumn.  Ponderosa pines dominate the cooler, moister high spots.  Along the highest portions of the Coconino Rim, there exists a lone grove of aspen cradled within a key, north-facing drainage.  You'll have to look hard to see them and will most likely ride them by.  I find it exhilarating just to know they are there.

Inner Canyon
For riders looking to stash their bikes on top and hike over the rim into the inner gorge of the Grand Canyon, a unique ecoregion awaits.  The inner canyon is composed of limestone, granite, shale, sandstone, and metamorphic rock.  Starting from the rim edge and descending, pinyon, juniper, and firs will straggle and then fade as sage, Mormon tea, and rabbitbrush cling to the exposed rock.  In many ways, descending to the Colorado River is descending ecologically from Canada to Mexico.   Temperatures at the bottom differ from the top by nearly 20 degrees F.  The Colorado River flows at elevation 2000 ft. and is frequently lined with rich riparian corridors.  Hikers can expect to see cottonwoods, willows, mesquite, and tamarisk along the waterfront and especially lining side tributaries.  In warmer months, these plants stand out as incredible neon green oases promising shade among the cooking red and ochre rock. 

Know your physical limits.  It is a 5000-6000 foot vertical climb from the river to the rim.  During summer, temperatures at the bottom of the Canyon can be nearly 120 degrees F.  DO NOT attempt to do a rim to river hike when temperatures are elevated for your safety and the safety of first responders.  Cool temperatures on the rim don't make cool temperatures in the canyon.  

11. Where Bikes Are Allowed and Not Allowed

South Rim Capes Specific Bike Access
  • FS 2615 in the Kaibab National Forest has a "Foot Travel Only" sign.  Kaibab National Forest says bicycles are allowed on this section and any section saying "Foot Travel Only."  
  • Several areas in the Kaibab National Forest have a "Motorized Vehicles Prohibited" sign.  I've been assured by the Kaibab National Forest that bicycle riders are allowed to use these segments and areas. 
  • FR 335 in the Kaibab National Forest includes a section of Private Land owned by GCR Acquisitions, LLC/Xanterra near mile 237 at Apex, just west of the Grand Canyon National Park Airport.  There will be a sign saying "Not a Public Highway - No Trespassing."  I talked to Xanterra and bicycles are allowed to cross this private land.  DO NOT leave the road, camp, or explore the area - their permission for bikepackers only allows travel on FR 335 to cross their private land.  This is marked on the Ride with GPS map.  
  • The southeast portion of the route enters the CO Bar Ranch of Babbitt Ranches at Lockwood Tank.  Cyclists are permitted as long as they respect the livestock, ranchers, landscape, and if they apply for a permit.  See "Fees and Permits" below.

General Access
Bikes are STRICTLY forbidden below the rim in the inner gorge of the Grand Canyon.  DO NOT RIDE YOUR BIKE DOWN INTO THE CANYON - you will get fined, it is illegal, and you will hurt the perception and opportunities of other bikepackers on this route.  There are certain trails on top that are also off-limits to bikes; this route expressly avoids them.  No cross-country travel in Grand Canyon National Park; practicing Leave No Trace means staying on established trails, roads, and paths. 

Finally, respect tribal land and do not ride without permission in either the Havasupai or the Navajo Nations.  This route stays explicitly within land domains where riding is public and legal.  Although it may approach boundaries with the surrounding tribal nations, you should never ride onto the reservations without securing tribal government permission.  Doing so otherwise is disrespectful and unlawful.  I must note that although this route stays on "public lands," the formation of Grand Canyon National Park involved the forced removal of the Havasupai, and they have endured legal battles to keep their vastly smaller chunk of land out of their historical precedent.  Know the land you are riding on is traditionally theirs, know their current reservation boundaries are smaller than where they historically inhabited, and know where you are riding to keep yourself both legal and respectful.  

Beyond that, almost all paved and unpaved roads and trails on top of the rim are free and fair for riding a bike on.  The Arizona Trail passages up on the rim of the Grand Canyon also allow bikes to be ridden.  There are TONS of dirt roads, double track, and more that this route doesn't even begin to touch, all available for bike travel.  

12. ​Native Nations and This Land

The land around and including the Grand Canyon is the current and traditional home to eleven federally recognized tribes (as well as other non-federally recognized tribes) including the:
  • Havasupai Tribe
  • Hopi Tribe
  • Hualapai Tribe
  • Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians
  • Las Vegas Band of Paiute Indians
  • Moapa Band of Paiute Indians
  • Diné (Navajo Nation)
  • Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah
  • San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe
  • The Pueblo of Zuni
  • Yavapai-Apache Nation

Native people are absolutely still here in the area, and have been here for thousands of years.  The Grand Canyon is both an actual and spiritual home.  To many Tribes, the Canyon is a Living Landscape.  When you as a rider are bikepacking through this area, make sure to treat the Living Landscape as as you would a literal home: Recreate with Respect.  Act with care.  

The Grand Canyon is a Cultural Landscape; It is not a theme park.  

The founding of the National Park involved the forced removal of indigenous groups, especially the Havasupai.  The Havasupai's traditional land included not only the namesake canyon they still live in today, but many of the Grand Canyon's riparian gardens and campgrounds, including Ha'a Gyoh (Havasupai Gardens) and Mather Campground.  The Park spent many years shuffling Havasupai families around, taking advantage of labor, restricting their land use, and forcing them outside the new federal boundaries.  

Grand Canyon National Park has spent the last few years moving in the direction of rebuilding relations with associated tribes of the area.  Recently, the Park has worked to turn Desert View into the Desert View Inter-tribal Cultural Heritage Site.  The work to move towards rebuilding relations is going to take work by the Park.  Words of intention show a desire to move the needle; more authentic action will need to be done.  Further information on the tribes of the Grand Canyon area and the history of Native/park relations can be found below:

13. ​Leave No Trace and Bikepacking Ethics for the Colorado Plateau

Bikepackers, like all backcountry users, leave an impact on the land, vegetation, and wildlife of the places they travel through.  Leave No Trace outlines specific actions that bikepackers can take to minimize their impact on the land.    Below are some considerations I would urge bikepackers on the COTC to take that are specific to this area.
​Ride on Dry and Compact Roads/Trails
The soil of the Colorado Plateau has a high clay and silt content with some serious caliche.  Rain and snowmelt will turn the ground to peanut butter mud, or even horrendous death mud.  It will clog up your tires and derailleurs.  Even worse, it tears up the roads and trails as you leave long ruts and holes in the ground behind you.  If there is rain in the forecast, don't ride the route.  Wait for it to dry.  This could take hours, days, or weeks depending on the time of year.  

Avoid or Simply Don't Use Campfires
Climate change has been exasperating the aridity of the Southwest.  Soils are drier, snowpack is lessening, air humidity is decreasing, and trees are dying from drought-associated stress.  In foresummer (May/June) and windy days, conditions can be ripe for increasingly destructive wildfires.  Northern Arizona has been stripped of many an acre by headline-grabbing infernos.  Enough negative consequences of human-caused wildfires from campfires has led me to almost entirely abandon the practice in the backcountry.  I cook stoveless, I pack layers for the cold, and I bring food to build my metabolic heat when I know the temperature will drop.  I urge other bikepackers to consider doing the same on this route.  If you do want to cook with heat, avoid alcohol/cat stoves and use fuel-controlled stoves like Jetboils and Whisperlites.  

Look but Don't Disturb or Photo-Geotag Cultural and Archeological Items
There are parts of this route that may pass by unmarked sensitive cultural/historical/archeological sites or items.  If you see or stumble on something, look at it, enjoy it, and learn more about the item when back in the frontcountry.  Leave it exactly where it is and do not collect it.  DO NOT post locations, geotag photos, or post the items on social media.  This is at the request of both the Native Tribes of the area, Grand Canyon National Park, and Kaibab National Forest. 

Camp at Least 0.25 Miles from Water Sources
Plan to camp 0.25 miles or further from all water sources on this route, especially the Arizona Game and Fish Department wildlife tanks.  More information on water sources can be found below.  

***Leave No Trace is much bigger than just these four - I wanted to mention these four specifically for the COTC because of their local importance.  Both Bikepacking Roots and Bikepacking.com have excellent resources on Leave No Trace for backcountry cyclists.  These include:
  • Plan Ahead + Prepare
  • Travel + Camp on Durable Surfaces
  • Dispose of Waste Properly
  • Leave What You Find 
  • Minimize Campfire Impacts
  • Respect Wildlife
  • Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Bikepacking Roots has the Love Where Your Ride Campaign where they partnered with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics to make bikepacking specific principles.  Visit the site to see a breakdown of each principle listed above.

Backpacking.com has the Leave No Trace for Bikepackers: Ride. Camp. Respect principles where they outline many of the same items listed above but also include Know the Land and Represent the Community (both excellent inclusions).  Visit their website to read more.  ​

14. ​Water Sources

Water is scarce along this route. The Kaibab National Forest is considered the driest national forest in the United States. Although the South Rim receives an average of 15.56 inches of moisture a year, most quickly percolates through the porous rock of Kaibab Limestone that makes up the upper layers of this area. Within the canyon, water exits through numerous springs, but up on top, it's a dry area. Plan to carry several liters of water.
Definite water can be found in the town of Tusayan, at Desert View in GCNP, and in Grand Canyon Village within GCNP. Beyond that, water is mostly found in dirt cattle tanks, metal cattle tanks, and Arizona Game and Fish Water Catchments. The AZGFD Water Catchments help provide water to wildlife in the ever-drying environment of the southwest under climate change.  There is no camping within 0.25 miles of AZGFD Wildlife Tanks (or other water sources).  This route requires riders to dry camp.  Be prepared to load up at water sources so that you can camp far away from them.  

Consider making a donation to help the AZGFD keep these wildlife tanks stocked at AZWildlifeHero.com.  You can also donate to Wildlife Water Works which is a nonprofit whose mission is to, "Replenish, Refurbish & Create Arizona Game Water Catchments."  Donations to Wildlife Water Works can be made here.  I suggest a minimum donation of $25 because it's hard work by volunteers to keep these water sources maintained and filled.  
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***Water sources on the Colorado Plateau, as with the rest of the Southwest, are often ephemeral or unreliable.  To help give riders a sense of water availability, I've rated sources using the scale below.  

Water Reliability Scale:
1 = unreliable; 2 = seasonal;
3 = mostly reliable; 4 = definite source

15. ​Camping

There is no dispersed camping within the boundaries of Grand Canyon National Park.  However, there are several well-established sites including Desert View and Mather Campgrounds.  Desert View does not have hiker/biker sites, so plan to reserve ahead of time if you want to camp there.  Mather Campground in Grand Canyon Village has a fantastic hiker/biker site for walk-ups arriving by foot or bicycle.  The hiker/biker site is shared with other cyclists and backpackers and costs $6 per night per person.  Mather Campground is conveniently located next to the Post Office (M - F, 8 - 3:30 pm), the General Store, a Chase Bank ATM, Yavapai Lodge + Tavern, and a bus stop.

If you want to stay at the primitive campsites along the rim at South Bass Trailhead or Havasupai Point, you will need to reserve backcountry permits through the GCNP Backcountry Information Center.  There are limited sites at each location found in Zone SE3. 

Outside of GCNP in the the Kaibab National Forest, excellent and numerous dispersed camping abounds.  Make sure not to camp in the noted Private Properties and pay attention to boundary lines between Grand Canyon National Park and Kaibab National Forest. 

16. Food and Resupplying

Outside of the start and end in Tusayan, there are only 2 food resupplies mid-route.  Riders need to plan several days of food between these points.
  • Mile 123 - Desert View, GCNP: There is a permanent water source, bathrooms, a convenience store, and a small deli with an ice cream parlor.  
  • Mile 153.5 - Grand Canyon General Store and Grand Canyon Village: Grand Canyon Village has multiple lodges with restaurants.  I recommend the El Tovar for breakfast and Yavapai Tavern for lunch/dinner.  The General Store is well-stocked with everything from produce to backcountry meals.  The prices are higher to reflect tourism, but I've been told this is the best grocery store with the best prices in a national park.  

17. Fees and Permits

18. Getting to the Start

There are three main ways to the get to the start of the Capes of the Canyon.  
  1. Drive to the start (a personal car or rental).
  2. Fly into Flagstaff, AZ and bike here.
  3. Straight-up bike to the start from wherever.

You can rent a car easily in Flagstaff, Phoenix, or Las Vegas - these are the three main cities people fly into for visiting the Grand Canyon. 

For those interested in flying to Flagstaff and then biking to the start, there are a few options.  You can either fly with your bike and ride it right from the airport, or you can ship it to one of the many bike shops in Flagstaff (my favorites are Flagstaff Bike Revolution and Absolute Bikes).   

There are five main options for biking from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon.
  1. Flag to Capes Connector (dirt roads and multi-use paths - goes to the South Rim)
  2. Capes Connectors (dirt, paved, or hiking - go from the South Rim to the North Rim)
  3. The Arizona Trail (singletrack)
  4. The Western Wildlands Route (singletrack and dirt roads)
  5. Grand Canyon Connector (paved)

I've designed the Flag to Capes Connector as a fast, gravel and dirt forest-road based approach.  The Flag to Capes Connector provides a direct route for bikepackers looking to arrive at the South Rim of the Capes of Canyon by plane and bike from Flagstaff, AZ instead of by car.  From there, you'll need to use the Capes Connectors to get to the North Rim.  More information on the Flag to Capes Connector can found under the Ride with GPS link and GPX below.​

19. Parking

Park your car for the duration of the route at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center - IMAX in Tusayan, AZ.  You may park anywhere on the paved parking area, but not the gravel lot.  Make sure to check into the Visitor Center with your (a) car make, (b) car model, (c) license plate number, and (d) expected return date; just let them know you're riding the COTC.  If the center isn’t open, leave a note on your dashboard saying, “Bikepacking the Capes of the Canyon Route - Expected return date XX/XX/XXXX."  The Center is open seven days a week from 9 am - 6 pm.

20. Additional Important Information

  • ​Hunting Season: Starts in September and goes through December.  The Kaibab National Forest is a highly-used area during this time by game hunters.  Expect to see more trucks, backcountry campers, and individuals on foot or ATV.  WEAR ORANGE and make yourself visible as you ride.  Wildlife Tanks may have more hunters scoping them and checking them out as a heads up.​
  • Dark Skies:   Grand Canyon National Park is an International Dark Sky Park.  This means that you can expect to have anywhere between Bortle Class 1 - 3 night skies overhead (even better night viewing during a new moon).  The Bortle Class Scale is used to rate night skies on their clarity and lack of light pollution.  A Bortle Class 1 is the darkest possible and there are several locations along these routes where, should you camp, you will have this level of darkness.  Here, night skies will be virtually unimpeded by artificial light.  You can use the following sites to explore more:  
  • Fences: There are many "cowboy fences" on this route which consist of barbed wire wrapped around vertical wooden branches that are strung across roads.  They can be opened by removing a loop of wire on one side.  Most importantly, leave fences as you found them; re-close them if they were closed.  

21. Other Rides in the Area

There are several other routes located in the area for those interested in checking them out:

22. Acknowledgements

I want to thank the entire office at the Kaibab National Forest - Tusayan District including Joel Dorsey, Chelsea Muise, and Kevin Lehto for fielding my questions, looking over the maps, and enthusiastically working with me.  Their insight into the legal/appropriate areas to ride as well as water sources was extremely helpful.  I want to thank Marc Ducharme and Grand Canyon Railroad/Xanterra for securing bikepacker permission to cross their property at Apex.  I want to thank Janet Rosener and the Grand Canyon Visitor Center - IMAX for providing free and safe parking for cyclists on this route.  I want to thank Stony and Christine Ward for helping to promote the route with the town of Tusayan, AZ.  And for their time riding, scouting, and helping me network within Grand Canyon National Park, I'd like to thank Janna, Kate, and Dan.  I'd like to give a huge shout out to Rebekka Anderson of Erosion Studio for her fantastic artwork creating the route logo.   Finally, I'd like to thank Bikepacking Roots for showcasing the Capes of the Canyon under their Community Routes Project (CRoP).  

​23. Rider Feedback and Route Alerts 

Route Alerts: Updated route alerts will be updated on Instagram: @capesofthecanyon​
Rider Feedback: Use the Comment box below or email me (theforrestbiome@gmail.com) to give a trip report, list any concerns, or provide an update on the route.  Make sure to give:
  • Date
  • Location and Mile 
  • Feedback/Trip Report Details
Any disrespectful or unnecessarily critical responses will be deleted - My call.  Keep it civil, constructive, and informative.  ​