So while the vast majority of my adventures are in my home state of California, every so often I travel outside the golden state. And when I do one of my favorite places to explore is

the Grand Canyon!!

On this trip I was joined by my mom (@doverland) and my brother (@darenrichardson) who both live in central Arizona. I met with them and we drove up to the South Rim of the canyon. We got our packs on and started down the trail into the canyon for a 5 day backpacking trip! We started at the South Kaibab trailhead and headed down the well worn, highly trafficked trail passed O'Neill Butte and down to the Tonto plateau where we stopped for a lunch break. The views from the upper trail and from the plateau were breathtaking. There are lots of HUGE views on the South Kaibab trail!

Views from the South Rim

Descending from the South Rim

Descending the South Kaibab trail

Hiking by O'Neill Butte

Blooming Cacti

@darenrichardson taking a break on the Tonto Plateau

@doverland on the Tonto Plateau

After the break we dropped off the Tonto Plateau switchbacking down through the redwall limestone. Here we got our first views of the Colorado river in the bottom of the canyon! Upon reaching the bottom, the trail goes through a tunnel in the rock and across the river on a big suspension bridge! On the far side of the river we passed some old indian ruins and then headed up Bright Angel creek to the Bright Angel Campground at Phantom Ranch.

Our first views of the Colorado river

Descending to the bottom

Entering the tunnel to the bridge

Looking back at the Suspention bridge from the indian ruins

Bright Angel creek

We setup our camp by the creek and then headed out to explore the Phantom ranch area a bit and go do some hiking along the river. Then we got back had some dinner and drinks and enjoyed our first night in the canyon.

Camping by Bright Angel creek

Hiking around Phantom Ranch

Mule stables at Phantom Ranch

The Colorado river

Phantom Ranch

The next morning we packed up camp and found the Clear creek trail. On this trail we left the Corridor trails (and all the crowds) and climbed high up above Phantom Ranch and around Sumner Butte. We climbed up through the cliffs back onto the Tonto Plateau (but now on the north side of the canyon) and across the plateau to Clear creek canyon. The trail headed up canyon for awhile staying high above the bottom, then dropped steeply down to the creek where we found another great spot to camp!

Early morning at Bright Angel creek

Climbing up the Clear Creek trail

Hiking around the base of Sumner Butte

Views along the trail

Views from the Tonto Plateau

Sandstone puddles... the only water on the plateau

Taking a break on the plateau

@darenrichardson overlooking Clear Creek canyon

Me posing above clear creek

@doverland arriving at Clear Creek

Evening time at our camp

The next morning we left camp setup and spent the day exploring up Clear creek canyon with the goal of finding Cheyava falls. Clear creek is a big beautiful canyon filled with lots of nice Cottonwood trees. We worked our way up canyon and although we did find Cheyava falls unfortunately it was almost completely dried up. But it was a great hike none the less and on our way back to camp I followed a small side path over to some cliffs and was treated to finding some amazing ruins from Indian cliff dwellings there. Tools, grinding stones, pieces of pottery, and even old corn cobs still littered the area, it was really amazing to get to see!! Then we continued back down canyon to our camp where we stayed another night there by the creek.

Clear Creek canyon

Cottonwoods in Clear Creek canyon

Inside a small cave in Clear Creek canyon

@darenrichardson in upper Clear Creek canyon near the dried up Cheyava falls

Indian ruins

Indian artifacts

More blooming Cacti

Getting back to camp

Evening views from camp

That night the winds picked up. And they just got worse throughout the night. Making for one of the windiest nights I've ever camped in! @darenrichardson woke up with his tent flattened! The next day we headed back up the Clear creek trail and across the Tonto plateau and then dropped back down to the Bright Angel campground where we setup camp again and spent our last night in the Grand canyon.

Views from the Tonto Plateau

@doverland hiking across the Tonto Plateau

Views of the Colorado river from the Clear creek trail

Overlooking Phantom Ranch and Bright Angel creek

Arriving back at Phantom Ranch

The next day was our last day in the canyon and we packed up our stuff and headed up the Bright Angel trail where we climbed from the canyon bottom all the way up to the South Rim 4,380' above!! The Bright Angel trail is a well worn, fairly grated, highly popular trail. So the hike out really wasn't all that difficult for me, but leaving such an amazing place is always hard for me, and I took my time hiking up the trail. Reflecting on all the amazing things I had seen. Making me the last to arrive at the rim, finishing up an incredible adventure in one of the most amazing geological wonders of the world!

Arriving back on the South Rim

Youtube video

[//]:# (!steemitworldmap 36.112655 lat -112.010220 long Clear Creek d3scr)
Steemit World Map

*All photos by @derekrichardson

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