Hiking in the side canyons is a major feature of your raft trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. You can expect some type of side hike almost daily. The hikes will vary in length and level of difficulty. Although each side hike is optional, we strongly recommend that you plan to be in the best shape possible. The trails are not maintained and may include wading through creeks, scrambling over hot boulders, navigating in and around slippery spots and high narrow ledges with steep drop-offs. You may hike a side canyon with walls towering high over your head up to a beautiful waterfall or maybe a longer, more difficult hike across the dry desert. You may also hike to ancient ruins or even hike to see some evidence of the early river running years. Hikes can range anywhere from one to six hours long. If you join one of our Hiker Discovery specialty trips you may be challenged to a longer hike. If your trip spends most of the day hiking, you might spend more time on the water either the day before or the day after to make up for lost river miles. There is no pre-set itinerary for your trip and each trip ends up with its own unique schedule. The hiking will also vary due to unpredictable factors such as weather, water levels, input from you and the other participants and the abilities and interests of the group.

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 small backpack, hip pack, or hydration pack. This way, your hands are free for climbing, creek crossings, or whatever comes your way. Secondly, we recommend that you are able to carry at least two quarts of water for side hikes. If you tend to drink a lot of water or if you are going on our Hiker's Discovery specialty trip, you may want to carry three quarts. In addition, some or our passengers have recommended bringing gardening gloves with grippy 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 closed toe 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 are quite cumbersome in tight spaces and when you need your hands for climbing. However, we understand that some people might find them useful.

Side canyon hiking is optional. If you choose, you may find yourself a shady spot to relax, take a nap, journal, watercolor, fish or read.