Uncle Jim Trail

Distance: 5 miles round-trip
Duration: 3 hours
Elevation change: 200 feet
Effort: Easy to moderate
Trailhead: At the Ken Patrick Trailhead [1] on the east side of the North Kaibab Trail [2] parking lot

This trail makes a loop through the forest between two side canyons, Roaring Springs Canyon and Bright Angel Canyon. Because it’s shaded, it’s a good choice on hot summer days. You’ll be sharing the trail with mule parties, who have the right-of-way.

For the first 0.5 miles, the Uncle Jim and Ken Patrick trails [1] are a single path, skirting the rim before heading into a dense fir forest. At the signed junction, the Uncle Jim Trail veers to the right, descending toward the head of Roaring Springs Canyon.

After about one mile, you’ll come to another junction, this one unsigned, marking the beginning of the loop to Uncle Jim Point. Whether you go right or left, it’s another mile to the point. The left fork continues east toward the rim of Bright Angel Canyon before looping back toward Uncle Jim Point, named for the Grand Canyon’s first game warden.

From the rim, you can look down into Roaring Springs Canyon. Three thousand feet below, Roaring Springs is the source of Grand Canyon’s drinking water, piped to both rims.

Looking at the opposite side of the canyon, you can see the North Kaibab Trail [2] switchbacks. On the southern horizon, 12 miles away, is the South Rim [3] and beyond that, the San Francisco Peaks. Return the same way, or take the other half of the loop on your way back to the parking lot.