Tuckup Trail

Distance: 70 miles one-way
Duration: Multiple days
Elevation change: Mostly level
Effort: Easy to strenuous
Trailhead: 5 miles south of the Tuweep Ranger Station

The Tuckup Trail leads across the Esplanade shelf to 150-Mile Canyon, starting as an old road that soon fades to a barely discernible route. The old road is closed to vehicles, so hikers must squeeze their cars into a parking place along the narrow dirt road to Toroweap [1], campground and overlook, or start from the campground, about one mile farther.

Day hikers can walk a couple of miles down the trail, enjoying rim views of the western canyon before returning the same way. The trail follows the old roadway for the first three miles, but past that it’s little more than a faint route that winds around finger canyons.

The route is relatively level to Tuckup Canyon, the halfway point. Experienced backpackers can use the Tuckup Trail to access other routes, creating multiday loop trips into remote stretches of Grand Canyon. Popular destinations include Big Cove Point, Cottonwood Canyon, and the Dome.

The Tuckup is very exposed, having few water sources, some of which may be contaminated by livestock. Careful advance planning is a must.