Distance: 2 miles round-trip
Duration: Less than 1 hour
Elevation gain: 800 feet
Effort: Moderate
Trailhead: River right, mile 188
The shortest river-to-rim hike in Grand Canyon, this trail starts at prehistoric ruins, passes through an ancient lava flow, and ends at a historic line cabin—an interesting timeline, especially if you add the modern helipad across the river on the Hualapai Reservation, used for passenger exchanges.
A short walk across the beach leads to masonry ruins, protected by cliffs and a retaining wall built by the Park Service. To the left of the ruins are some pictographs. To the right a trail leads up to the rim, where local ranchers built a line shack.
At this point, the walls of the canyon rise less than 1,000 feet from the river, and a Bureau of Land Management road leading from St. George, Utah, crosses through ranch land to the edge of the canyon. With a good map and a high-clearance vehicle, it’s possible to access Whitmore Wash from above.