While all of our trips offer side hiking opportunities, this trip is designed for hiking enthusiasts who are looking for the ultimate hiking experience in combination with a hybrid raft trip on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon.   

The Hiker's Discovery trip is strategically placed in the cooler months of early April and late September to take full advantage of the moderate daytime temperatures. There are some side hikes that are not even attempted during the hot summer months that are perfect during the shoulder seasons. The Hiker's Discovery is also our longest trip available which allows more time designated to hiking. Often times, this trip provides an opportunity to visit some seldom-seen places that are frequently difficult to reach.

The main difference between Hiker's Discovery and one of our non-specialty trips is that on the Hiker's Discovery we try to gear the trip around people who want to hike as much as possible. A group with a common desire to hike and a greater fitness level allows the guides to cater the trip around hiking. The standard trips also offer side hiking opportunities but the passengers often have a greater range of abilities and interests. Therefore, the trip leader will create a balanced trip itinerary to meet everyone's skill level and desires.

If you think you are a good candidate for the Hiker's Discovery, you should be physically fit. The trip is staffed with enthusiastic upbeat guides who like to hike. They will keep a quick pace (a moderate pace is always an option too) on the trail in order to get the most out of each day. You should also be prepared to get up extra early once or twice or get into camp late in the day (occasionally eating dinner in the dark) in order to maximize hiking time. Although some hikes may still be relatively short, one or two hikes could be as long as 7-8 hours. Like our standard trip hikes, the terrain may include one or more of the following conditions: ledges and drop-offs, loose and slippery rock, scrambling up, over and around large rocks, 2000-3000 ft elevation gain and descent, and maybe even a hike that requires the use of ropes.

It is our goal to pull together 18 participants who all have previous hiking experience and the common interest to hike, hike and hike!  We expect the people who sign up for this trip to be in good physical condition and looking for several hiking opportunities. Not only do we suggest that you consider your own ability for participating in this adventure, but also consider anyone else that you might bring or sign up on this trip. 

In addition to being in good physical condition, we also have a couple of other recommendations. First, we recommend that you prepare for "hands free" hiking. By this we mean you should have a shoulder strap for your water bottle or carry a backpack (approximately the size of a school backpack), hip pack (bigger than a fanny pack), or hydration pack. This way, your hands are free for climbing, creek crossings, or whatever comes your way. Secondly, although two quarts of water will be plenty for most of the hikes, we recommend that you are able to carry at least three quarts of water just in case you do one of the longer hikes. If you tend to drink a lot of water, you may want to carry four quarts. In addition, some or our passengers have recommended bringing gardening gloves with gripping palms to help protect your hands from hot or sharp rocks (great for sun protection and during the hot summer months on the paddle raft). Next, we strongly recommend wearing a hiking or athletic shoe with good tread and solid foot support. The terrain is spotted with cactus and the rocks can be slippery. You might find that a recreation sport sandal such as a Teva, Chaco or Keen might be appropriate for some of the shorter, wetter hikes. Some passengers prefer a closed toe sandal, such as a Keen, to protect their foot from stubbed toes though the closed toe can make removing pebbles and sand more cumbersome. Other passengers prefer a more open sandal which allows pebbles and sand to wash out freely; however, this type of sandal does not offer as much overall protection from stubbing your toes or accidentally bumping into the prickly desert plant life.

Finally, many passengers want to know if they can bring their hiking poles. You may bring hiking poles as long as they are telescoping and have a rubber tip (metal tips slip on the rocks). They might come in handy if you are hiking up or down the Bright Angel Trail as part of your trip (only if you are booked on an upper Canyon or lower Canyon trip). We also caution using them on regular side hikes throughout your trip. The trails are not maintained (exposed, rocky, slippery, etc.) and hiking sticks often offer a false sense of stability. They can slip out from underneath you and they tend to get in the way in tight spaces and when you need your hands for climbing. However, we understand that some people might find them useful.

If you think the Hiker's Discovery is the trip for you, we suggest working on stamina, aerobics, and muscle strengthening prior to your trip.  You’ve likely hiked enough to know best how to get in shape but we recommend consulting a fitness trainer if you need additional advice. The extra effort you put into pre-trip conditioning will allow you to get the most out of the hiking opportunities and your overall experience.