Hike Clear Creek Trail, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

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The Clear Creek Trail is a 8.4 mi (13.5 km) hiking trail on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, located in the U.S. state of Arizona. The trail begins near the Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) north of Phantom Ranch at a junction with the North Kaibab Trail. From the junction with the North Kaibab Trail, the Clear Creek Trail climbs 1,150 feet (350 m) through a series of switchbacks to the southeast towards Phantom Overlook at 1.7 miles (2.7 km) - a sharp switchback with a landing where there are a few stone benches; from this point there is a good view looking straight down at Phantom Ranch. Once on the platform, the trail heads east around the south side of Zoroaster Temple, a large butte on the north side of the river that's easily identified from Grand Canyon Village on the south rim. The trail follows contours around the temple for several miles until it reaches the Ottoman Amphitheater, and then descends into the Clear Creek drainage. Total trail length to Clear Creek is about 8.4 miles (13.5 km) hiking trail on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, located in the U.S. state of Arizona. Camping in the Clear Creek area is "at large" with two exceptions: No camping is allowed between the trail head at the junction with the North Kaibab Trail and Sumner Wash, and in the Clear Creek drainage from its mouth at the Colorado River upstream to the first major side-canyon entering from the east. Most creek beds along the trail are dry. Perennial water is only available at Clear Creek at the eastern terminus of the trail. All water in the Clear Creek area must be filtered, treated, or boiled before consuming. The Clear Creek Trail was built in 1934 and 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corp (Company 818). It was originally built as a mule trail so visitors at Phantom Ranch would be able to gain access to a scenic side canyon. At the same time, Clear Creek was stocked with trout so that visitors could do a bit of fishing. All mule activity to Clear Creek ended with the start of World War II, a period when the park experienced extremely limited visitation. Today, this is the only trail traversing the Tonto Platform on the north side of the Colorado River. Because the slope is southfacing, the hike from Bright Angel Campground to Clear Creek is warmer than most trails in the fall.

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