Route Overview
Region
Miles
Days Out
Recommended Tire Size
(2.3” Minimum)
Season
September - October
Elevation Gain
Difficulty
5/10 Technical
Primary Surface(s)
and rough gravel
Route Map
Route Details
The Capes of the Canyon on the South Rim provides a backcountry ride through the southern landscape of Grand Canyon National Park and Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni National Monument. 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.
Capes of the Canyon – South Rim provides a backcountry ride through the southern landscape of Grand Canyon National Park and the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni National Monument. 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 Vishnu Overlook, Little Colorado River Gorge, Desert View, Cedar, Palisade, Navajo, Lipan, No Name, Moran, Grandview, Thor’s Hammer, Twin, Duck on a Rock, Shoshone, Yaki, South Kaibab, Pipecreek Vista, Mather, Yavapai, Village Viewpoint, Trailview, Trailview 2, Maricopa, Powell, Hopi, Mohave, The Abyss, Monument Creek Vista, Pima, Hermits Rest, South Bass, Signal Hill, Ruby, and Havasupai.
Riders start in the conifers of Tusayan, AZ before descending to grasslands for a perimeter ride around sage-swathed Red Butte. Heading east, cyclists ride through ponderosa forests and across the vast pinyon-juniper savannas of Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument before climbing 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. After entering Grand Canyon National Park, bikepackers get their first expansive view of the Canyon at Desert View with glimpses of the Colorado River pulsing with sediment down the chasm’s spine. Cyclists continue along a spread of South Rim capes, ride out through plains of sage to remote South Bass, and then plunge back into the forest before returning to Tusayan. For bikepackers camped at the more remote areas on the route, stare up at the stars each night for exceptional Dark Skies and clear views of the Milky Way.
The recommended tire size is 2.3″ – 2.8″. The route is intended to be ridden in a counterclockwise direction.
The South Rim Capes mostly stick to forest service dirt roads. These roads can be smoother, broad, and are frequently better maintained near highways and pavement. The roads found deeper in the heart of the Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument quickly become less-maintained double track that feature sections of washboard, ruts, and limestone rock. There are sections of more primitive rutted roads out by South Bass Trailhead and Havasupai Point as well as Cedar Mountain; the National Park Service rarely upkeeps these roads. Some portions of the more remote dirt roads on the route can have tree blowdowns over the winter: be prepared to go around these obstacles. Most of the capes on this route are reached via the large stretches of pavement built along the South Rim. The pavement is in good condition, but there is very little shoulder. Be defensive, wear bright colors, and use flashing lights. When possible, the route takes paved bike paths throughout the South Rim Village.
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. In addition, flash flooding from precipitation is a possibility in washes or low areas – stay safe and stay out of those locations during monsoon rain dumps.
The technical difficulty of the route is due to the abundance of 4×4 roads that the South Rim Capes utilizes. The route travels a mix of wide, maintained 2WD USFS dirt roads, limestone chunky 4×4 double track, and frequent pavement along the Rim. A lot of the roads are serviced yearly by the National Forest Service, but some rarely have work done and can become rutted/eroded in wet conditions.
The physical difficulty is mostly due to the climbing. Most of the route is found on the regularly rolling terrain of the Coconino Plateau that stretches between Flagstaff and the South Rim. The elevation profile of the route puts the low point at 6000 feet near Anita Station in the southwest corner and the high point at 7500 feet at Grandview Tower and again at Desert View along the northeast portions. In between, riders can expect to climb and descend regularly across hills and drainages. And most salient, almost every cape has to be reached by ascending one way up a road to the Rim. You will think about this each time you head to a cape. But take succor in knowing that those views of the Grand Canyon are well worth it.
- Paved: 20%
- Smooth Gravel: 0%
- Rough Gravel: 43%
- 4×4 Road: 36.5%
- Singletrack: 0.5%
Parking
- Park your car for the duration of the route at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center – IMAX in Tusayan, AZ. The Center is open seven days a week from 9 am – 10 pm. Park in the back paved parking area; parking is free. To confirm parking, either:
- Check into the IMAX Visitor Center ticket counter 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.”
- Email the General Manager, Marty Harris, beforehand and confirm parking ([email protected]).
Water
- 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, sometimes enough to last at least 24 hours and more than you think you’ll need should you arrive at a source and find it dry.
- 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 (Wildlife Tanks). Wildlife tanks can be chock full of bugs and algae in the summer, but are safe to drink with treatment/purification. AZGFD Wildlife Tanks 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.
Food
- Outside of the start and end in Tusayan, there are only 2 food resupplies mid-route at Desert View and Grand Canyon Village. Riders need to plan several days of food between these points.
Fees and Permits
- Grand Canyon National Park requires a fee for entry. No cash, credit/debit only. ($35 for a vehicle; $20 for a bicycle).
- Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni National Monument/Kaibab National Forest has no fees.
- A Recreational Land Use Permit is required for any travel or camping on Arizona State Lands. Apply for and pay for one before you head out on the route. Carry it with you.
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, the Public Library, Yavapai Lodge + Tavern, and a bus stop.
- If you want to stay at the backcountry campsites above the rim at South Bass, Signal Hill, or Ruby Point, you will need to reserve backcountry permits through the GCNP Backcountry Information Center. These permits require a walk-up at the BIC. As these sites are not accessible by vehicle, there is a high chance of achieving a walk-up permit. However, you can check site availability online by doing the following:
- Head to Recreation.gov for Grand Canyon National Park Backcountry Permits.
- Click “Check Availability” under Available Permits on the right hand side.
- Choose the button tab “Above Rim Areas – South Rim” at the top.
- Examine the following options:
SE1 – Signal Hill – Campsite
SE2 – Ruby Point – Campsite
SE3 – South Bass Trailhead – Campsite – Large or Small Group - If you see a “W”, a walk-up permit is available at the Backcountry Information Center for overnight camping. Make sure to stop there in-person on your ride out of Grand Canyon Village.
- If you want to backcountry camp anywhere else above the Rim in Grand Canyon National Park, you’ll need to navigate to the same link above and make sure to choose the proper Use Area. This Use Area Map will help you determine which zone is appropriate for your intended backcountry campsite.
- Outside of GCNP in the the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni National Monument/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 the National Monument and Grand Canyon National Park.
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.
Other Important Information
- Hunting Season: Starts in September and goes through December. Hunters will mostly be seeking deer and elk. Expect to see more trucks, backcountry campers, ATVs, and individuals on foot. WEAR ORANGE and make yourself visible as you ride. Be smart and be seen during hunting season. Wildlife Tanks may have more hunters scoping them out.
- Black Bears: There are black bears which means you need to properly store your food at night using a bear-aware method.
- ATVs: ATVs are somewhat common around the Coconino Rim, Grandview Tower, and Red Butte. Outside of here, ATVs are much more rare across the Coconino Plateau, although you will see them. However, I have found drivers are pretty respectful, will check on you/offer you water, and give you space when passing.
- 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.
- Fences: There may be “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.
- Hantavirus and Plague: Bubonic plague and hantavirus are frequent enough amongst the rodent population that you should avoid their saliva, feces, urine, and direct bodily contact. Be careful when entering old cabins and caves where droppings are plentiful and ventilation is limited. These are prime areas for possible contraction of these diseases.
Sample Itinerary
- This is a suggested itinerary. Use it as a rough guide for your own planning purposes. Feel free to use it, adapt it, or don’t use it at all and make your own plans. Plan your trip on this route based on your own strengths, comfortabilities, experiences, wants, and needs.
- Day 1
- Mileage: 46 Miles (43 miles without Red Butte hike)
Elevation Gain: 3000 ft. (2000 ft. without Red Butte hike) - Description: Start from Tusayan climbing up through the trees. Ponderosas set amid meadows will be everywhere. You’ll cross the highway and then start a descent down to pinyon-junipers and out towards Anita Station. You’ll head east, cross the highway, and do a right angle turn around the base of Red Butte. Take a hike to the top. Then, head east on FR 320. Continue around the butte base and camp at a great pullout just after the side-ride to a Wildlife Tank.
- Water: Wildlife Tank about 40 miles into today. It’s the only water resupply for today, so carry a ton out of Tusayan to get to here. Once here, fill up to dry camp tonight and to last you through tomorrow as it’s 34 miles to the next reliable source.
- Resupply: None
- Camping: Dispersed Camping off FR 320
- Mileage: 46 Miles (43 miles without Red Butte hike)
- Day 2
- Mileage: 42 Miles
- Elevation Gain: 2100 ft.
- Description: Ride up FR 320 into the thickening woods. Turn right to descend down Red Horse Wash/FR 301 to historic Moqui Stage Station. Head east across doubletrack traveling through grasslands before swinging north and crossing massive Peterson Flat filled with sage. Join FR 310 along the Coconino Rim and steadily rise as towering ponderosas pop up. Look right through the trees for views of the Upper Basin and your first glimpses of the Grand Canyon. Arrive at Grandview Lookout Tower and the iconic Arizona Trailhead sign. Camp here for the night.
- Water: There are a couple of reliable Wildlife Tanks along the Coconino Rim to fill up at.
- Resupply: None
- Camping: Dispersed Camping near Grandview Tower (ride down the AZT a little towards Watson Tank for more camping solitude)
- Day 3
- Mileage: 33 Miles (if staying at Desert View Campground)
- Elevation Gain: 2000 ft.
- Description: Join the Arizona Trail at Grandview Tower. Ride down the Coconino Rim for a perimeter base ride around the Upper Basin. Cross the highway and ride out the rocky, primitive doubletrack to Cape 1 at Little Colorado River Gorge Overlook. Join paved Highway 64/East Rim Drive for a big climb up to the entrance of Grand Canyon National Park where some dispersed camping can be found on a side dirt road just outside the Park. Or, if you have a reservation, continue on and camp overnight at Desert View Campground. Ride up steep, paved Highway 64/East Rim Drive (shoulder disappears) to Desert View for water, epic views of the Grand Canyon, and a resupply.
- Water: There is one Wildlife Tank near Grandview Tower. Grab enough to get you to Desert View Campground. Or carry enough to dry camp tonight if dispersed camping before Grand Canyon National Park. There is one Wildlife Tank a little off-route after Cape 1 if you need to get some water.
- Resupply: Desert View Market and Deli
- Camping: Reserve a campsite at Desert View Campground (no hiker/biker sites) or dispersed camp off a dirt road right below the entrance to the Park (this means a few more miles and feet of gain tomorrow).
- Day 4
- Mileage: 41 Miles
- Elevation Gain: 2900 ft.
- Description: First, leave Desert View and bike down to Cedar Mountain. Once back up, take all day to ride the paved East Rim Drive for all the capes along the length of Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim. Grab sunset at Shoshone or Yaki Points. Don’t rush – the views are each worth it so soak them in. End the day by taking the multi-use path Greenway to Mather Campground for a resupply and food at services in the area.
- Water: Grab some at Desert View at the back of the Desert View Market and Deli or in the Campground. It’s 27.5 miles to the water faucet at the South Kaibab Trailhead from Desert View. Finally, water can be found at Mather Campground.
- Resupply: Canyon Village Market & Deli (General Store)
- Camping: Hiker/Biker site in Mather Campground
- Optional: Zero Day
- Mileage: 0 Miles
- Elevation Gain: 0 ft.
- Description: Take an optional 0 day at the hiker/biker site in Mather Campground. Rest your legs, grab a shower, do some laundry, eat lots of food, and enjoy the area. If your legs feel up to it, hike down the Bright Angel Trail or South Kaibab Trail – bring water, snacks, and know your limits (down is optional, up is mandatory!).
- Day 5
- Mileage: 47 Miles
- Elevation Gain: 2400 ft.
- Description: Roll out of Mather Campground to Mather and Yavapai Points. Then, ride the Greenway through the South Rim Village, making sure to stop at the Backcountry Information Center for backcountry permits to camp near the rim tonight. Join the paved shuttle bus route out to Hermit’s Rest and a slew of Capes. Return and head into the forest at The Abyss, join Rowe Well, and then begin a long ride out towards Pasture Wash. At the end of the road, turn right at the boundary fence (riding inside the National Monument and not on Havasupai Tribal Lands) out towards South Bass. Enjoy a night under the stars perched along the Canyon edge.
- Water: South Rim Village area, Hermit’s Rest, and a good Wildlife Tank about 31 miles into today’s ride. This Wildlife Tank is the last for the day so make sure to really fill up to get you through 24 hours of camping until the next source tomorrow.
- Resupply: None
- Camping: Get backcountry permits to camp at South Bass (which has picnic tables) or over near Havasupai Point at Ruby Point or Signal Hill. Make sure to stop by the Backcountry Information Center in the South Rim Village today to secure permits for camping at the Rim edge in one of these spots.
- Day 6
- Mileage: 45 Miles
- Elevation Gain: 2200 ft.
- Description: Do a morning ride over to Signal Hill, Ruby Point, and Havasupai Point for the sunrise and the last capes on the route. Also take the side-ride out to the historic Signal Hill Lookout Tower. Retrace your route back to FR 328. Bike up Coconino Wash on doubletrack through a shallow canyon. Swing south and cross the Grand Canyon Railroad at the historic Apex site. Stay on the route (cyclists have permission to use the road) as you pass through this private property. Swing north and ride next to and under the railroad. Hit FR 328 again before turning right on the paved Greenway and making your way to the end in Tusayan. Finish!
- Water: Hit up a Wildlife Tank about 25 miles into today. There are a series of Wildlife Tanks starting then; they are spaced about 7-10 miles apart.
- Resupply: Tusayan
- Camping: Finish! Stay at Tusayan-Montane Campground outside of Tusayan, grab a hotel, or dispersed camp in the woods.
- Day 1
- Please see the route webpage on Forrest’s website for even more resources and info.
- Information about all of his Capes of the Canyon Routes can be found here.
- Get the route on Ride With GPS.
- Capes of the Canyon is also on Instagram.
- If you ride this route, please consider filling out a rider survey from Forrest.
Forrest Radarian created and stewards this route. Here is a little about Forrest in his own words:
I live and work at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon as a high school science teacher for the only public preK-12 school located in a National Park. I am passionate about teaching, working with students in the sciences, and connecting them to the outdoors. I bike and hike extensively in the area, and I’m committed to riding, refining, and stewarding routes on both Rims. I plan to continue to bike both routes yearly, work with my connections in the Park and Forest Service, and update route information in a timely fashion.
The Capes of the Canyon are the first set of bikepacking routes I’ve formally created for publication. When I first moved to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon several years ago, I was elated by the hundreds of miles of bike-legal dirt roads, double track, and Arizona Trail single track winding around both Rims. What began as a personal goal to bike to every viewpoint and remote vantage of the Grand Canyon became a slowly evolving vision of connecting each Cape overlook by a set of extended bikepacking routes. Riding the Capes of the Canyon became an exercise in pouring over maps, scouting, exploring side roads, working with local private property owners, building conversations with NPS and USFS personnel, and taking feedback from other cyclists who rode the routes.
I first got into bike touring back in 2014 when I participated in the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure and furthermore when I toured the Pacific Coast Highway in 2015. The tour of the PCH got cut short when my wife and I were hit by a car in the southern reaches of the route. We returned to finish, but the desire to adventure by bike off-pavement became stronger when I stumbled on dirt-specific bikepacking. I’ve since ridden a number of bikepacking routes around my home in Arizona and the surrounding southwest, in addition to a thru-hike of the Arizona Trail in 2019.
Be sure to check out Forrest’s full webpage to read more about his bikepacking adventures.
Forrest has offered to be available to answer questions if you are planning a trip on this route. We encourage you to be respectful of Route Stewards time though and to review publicly available materials first before reaching out with questions.
Please also get in touch with any updates on route conditions that may be relevant to other riders.
Please submit your questions and comments on the route via the contact form below.
This route traverses the traditional lands of 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 and the Yavapai-Apache Nation.
