Deer Creek/Thunder River Loop 

This epic Grand Canyon hiking tour starts with a drive to remote Monument Point along the Grand Canyon’s North Rim. After final preparations, we will begin our trek down the Bill Hall Trail. The steep upper sections of the trail will demand your attention and a few “packs-off” scrambles will add to the adventure. After an initial descent of about 1500 feet, the trail will level out as we begin our traverse along the Esplanade, a broad slickrock bench studded with mushroom-shaped rocks, juniper trees and amazing cryptobiotic soil crusts. This “other-worldly” landscape will delight and inspire your inner photographer! Eventually we will arrive at our camp overlooking Surprise Valley and the Colorado River, still a few thousand feet below. Kick back and relax while your guide sets up camp and prepares a delicious dinner.

Drive Time: 4 hours

Distance & Elevation: 6 miles, 2000 foot descent

Light Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s destination is the watery oasis of Deer Creek Canyon. The rugged descent through the Redwall Limestone follows an ancient landslide to Surprise Valley. From here, the trail heads west and makes another challenging descent into Deer Creek Canyon. The “Throne Room” next to Deer Spring is a delightful, shady grotto to relax in and enjoy lunch. Shortly after, we will make camp along the banks of Deer Creek, leave our backpacks behind and take a stroll through the Deer Creek Narrows, a stunning stretch of sandstone canyon, deeply incised by the creek. Then it’s down to Colorado River and the 200 foot Deer Creek Falls. Enjoy a dip in the creek before heading back to camp.

Distance & Elevation: 5 miles + day hike, 3000 foot descent

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s journey will follow a faint trail high above the Colorado River towards Tapeats Creek. The views along this stretch are unbelievable and you will feel as though you have the entire Grand Canyon to yourself. Upon reaching the mouth of Tapeats Creek, we will turn upstream for the last few miles to camp. The unique geology and colorful rock layers of this beautiful canyon make for a wonderful conclusion to this great day of hiking.

Distance & Elevation: 6 miles, 1000 foot descent/ascent

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Onward and upward! Day 4 will lead us past the famous Thunder River, a huge, freshwater spring gushing directly out of the canyon wall. We will stop to rest and enjoy this wonderful spot before loading up on water for the hike across Surprise Valley and the steep climb back up to the Esplanade. Tonight’s camp will be somewhere along this slickrock wonderland, leaving a short hike back to the North Rim on our last day. Enjoy some well-deserved rest and relaxation. The sunsets here are breathtaking, as are the starry night skies. Take it all in as your guide prepares a final feast complete with unforgettable views.

Distance & Elevation: 7 miles, 3000 foot ascent

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Another hearty breakfast and a beautiful sunrise will start our fifth and final day. Your guide will pack up camp before our final climb to the rim. Frequent rests will afford plenty of opportunities to gaze back upon this remarkable landscape. We’ll enjoy a delicious lunch back on the rim before loading up for the drive back to Flagstaff.

Distance & Elevation: 4 to 6 miles, 2000 foot ascent

Breakfast, Lunch

Drive Time: 4 hours

• A professional, licensed and medically trained guide
• All necessary gear: backpack, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, trekking poles
• All cooking/eating gear: bowls, cups, utensils (your guide will prepare all meals)
• All meals from a light breakfast on Day 1 through lunch on the last day + trail snacks
• Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Flagstaff, AZ to Grand Canyon
• Entrance fees and backcountry permits
• 5% National Park Service Commercial Fee (a required fee that passes through to Grand Canyon National Park)

• Transportation to/from Flagstaff, AZ
• Lodging the night before/after the trip
• Clothing, raingear, and footwear
• Personal toiletries, sunscreen
• Water bottles/hydration bladder
• Headlamp or flashlight
• Guide gratuity (suggested 10-15% of trip cost)

*Upon Booking you will receive a detailed trip information packet

Most backpacking trips in Grand Canyon will accommodate 5 people plus one guide. On occasion, a group may be as large as 9 people plus 2 guides.

Children under the age of 13 are generally not permitted on backpacking trips. This restriction may be negotiable on private tours. Please contact us with any questions regarding this policy.

In order to confirm a reservation, we require an initial deposit of $250 per person, with the final balance due 90 days prior to the trip’s departure. If you book a trip within 90 days of the trip’s scheduled departure, then full payment is due at the time of booking.

Once we confirm availability, you will be provided with an online registration link. Your deposit is payable online by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or ACH transfer.

This trip will begin/end in Flagstaff, AZ and you will need to spend the night prior to your trip’s scheduled departure in Flagstaff. You will want to fly into either Phoenix (2 hour drive) or Flagstaff.

We will hold a pre-trip orientation at 4:00pm the evening prior to your trip’s departure at the Little America Hotel in Flagstaff. Departure times and logistics for the following morning will be discussed at the orientation.

Departure times and logistics for the following morning will be discussed at the orientation. Most trips will depart between 4:30am and 7am. *This meeting is not mandatory, but highly recommended, as we will depart early the next morning. If you are unable to attend, please let us know in advance so that we can make alternate arrangements.

We will provide all transportation to/from trailheads for the duration of the trip. We will pick you up at your hotel in Flagstaff and return you there at the trip’s conclusion. Guests staying at the Little America Hotel (recommended) can leave their cars at the hotel. The hotel will often store your luggage for you, as well. If not, we are happy to store extra luggage at our warehouse for the duration of the trip. If you are staying at a different hotel, you will need to check with them as to whether you can leave your car there.

Expect to be back in Flagstaff by 5pm at the latest on the last day of the trip. Many trips will return earlier but we cannot make any guarantees. In general, it is recommended that you do not plan to fly home on the same day your trip finishes. Since each trip has slightly different logistics, feel free to contact us with specific questions related to the expected return time for your trip.