Total Mileage: 266.9
The Tonto Trail inside the Grand Canyon is rugged. Looking at the map, it reminds me of an earthquake needle. Back and forth, zigzagging alongside canyons that jut off from the Colorado River. As the crow flies, it would be about 25 miles, but it’s over 40. There is no signage; the only indications of the trail are small rock cairns.
I had to be careful while walking because the trail is right along the cliff walls at times, and because I didn’t download the right maps, it was hard to tell the exact location. Night hiking through this terrain, trying to navigate using only little rock piles, was tough.
It was warm in the canyon, but the views were spectacular! Slow going and tough. I scooped water out of puddles pooled up in the canyons. I would hike for a mile or 2 along the Colorado River, then hike 2 or 3 miles away from it, cross the canyon at a shallow spot and head back 2-3 miles toward the Colorado again. This is how it went for a day and a half.
I made it to the South Bass Trail, and it led me out of the canyons up steep terrain. By 3 pm I was out. 300 miles of various types of roads is the only thing separating me from the end of this thing!
I plotted a course using various jeep and dirt roads of approximately 100 miles to get to Seligman, AZ. The only water in this section was out of cattle ponds. Brown and sketchy, but my only option.
After a 47.7-mile day I arrived in Seligman. Exhausted, and with everything closed in this small town, the owner of the Route 66 motel, Wendy, gave me a Rubbermaid of fresh chicken stew she had just made. I ate the hell out of that, showered and died.
I had a late start the next day, with a huge breakfast at the local greasy spoon. Dallas and I plotted a course, and I was heading south. It was only 70 or so miles back to Nothing, AZ, but I needed the total miles of 6,875 to consider this loop complete. So, the route will go south, to west, to northeast to north, coming back up to where I started over 6 months ago.
