When embarking on a hike in the Grand Canyon, the first thing you need to do is choose the trail. According to the brochure we picked up at the Information Office, there are four options; Bright Angel Trail, North Kaibab Trail, Plateau Point Trail, River Trail, and South Kaibab Trail. We were advised to read them carefully because each trail is different, and our choice should depend on our levels of strength and endurance.
Personally, I recommend The Bright Angel Trail. You learn when hiking the Grand Canyon that there are two things you can’t get enough of, water and shade. The Bright Angel trail has three water stations, the first is available at the Mile-and-a-half Resthouse, the Three-Mile-Resthouse, and The Indian Garden.
I sit here now writing this blog post and feeling absolutely delighted with myself that I completed the hike, it was a feeling of achievement which was completely unparalleled. However, I am now in a position of authority to talk and advise how to approach this hike because we did it in the wrong way. We were pretty unprepared as it happens, and my boyfriend is a Scout leader. Shame!
These tips are based on the mistakes we made. Don’t follow in our footsteps, learn from our errors.

1. Leave early- The earlier the better
   

If you’ve chosen the Bright Angel Trail and intend on reaching The Indian Garden, leave as early as possible. I’m not being dramatic, as soon as the sun rises to get your hiking gear on and head for the trail. In fact, prepare everything the night before, food and drinks, etc. Leave nothing that can delay you in the morning. The great thing is that in June the sun rises by 5 am, so grab your belongings and get ready to go. When we hiked this trail, we left at 8:30 am after I dragged my tired butt out of my tent and cursed Chris for why we had to leave so early. Little did I know how late we were! By the time we reached the Mile-and-a-half Resthouse, we were already meeting people who were on their way back up. I felt amazed and puzzled, why would anyone leave so early? By 2 pm that afternoon, I understood. The sun was high in the sky, the Canyon felt like an oven, and I was baking. It was a level of heat I had never experienced and every piece of shade I found felt like it was literally extending my life. From June- September, the Canyon can reach temperatures of 100°F or 38°C so do your best to leave as early as possible and avoid hiking up the canyon in that temperature. I imagine it’s something akin to climbing out of an active volcano.

1. Bring water- Lots of water. And, Salt tablets!

The Bright Angel Trail hosts three water stations, one at each rest stop but don’t take for granted that they’ll be working. Don’t risk getting caught out and then lacking water for the rest of the trail. Luckily the water stations were in working order the day we hiked, they came in useful when I took off my t-shirt and shorts and soaked them in cold water to cool myself down. It was a brilliant plan and it worked for about three minutes which is how long it took them to dry in the heat. Chris and I brought liters of water and patted ourselves on the back for how ‘prepared’ we were. The water made little difference in that heat and I met a man who summed it up quite nicely. He said, “What good is water in your body if you can’t retain it?” At that, he handed me a salt tablet and I was never so grateful. Bring salt tablets and if you forget them, do what Chris did and lick the sweat from your arms. Trust me, it did the trick. Move over, Bear Grylls!

1. Sun cream- Lots of it

This one goes without saying, bring ample amounts of sun cream. I’m pasty white and Irish with ginger hair and freckled skin, so I brought about a gallon and still ran out. I found that applying the sun cream and rubbing dirt and sand over my skin worked well to protect me from the sun. As I said, I have ginger skin so I’m paranoid about the sun. It did work, though.

1. Food

You may think that with a long hike ahead you want to limit the amount that you are carrying. It’s understandable, nobody wants a heavy bag weighing them down. This is where a good rucksack pays off, one which takes the weight off your back and allows you to carry what’s necessary. And food is necessary. Take bulky foods like fruit and bread and plenty of good snacks. Personally, I’m a huge fan of Nature’s Bakery fig bars. They’re super filling and very tasty. Nobody paid me to say this. By the way, I’m just a huge fan. Although if anyone out there knows how I can get paid for saying it, please get in touch! Back to food, this hike is going to take 6-7 hours depending on your fitness level. Take enough food to get you through it, you’ll need the energy.

1. Taking a photograph? STOP walking

This one seems silly to even mention, but it comes as a result of witnessing an almost fatal accident. The Grand Canyon is beautiful and chock-full of beautiful Insta moments but word to the wise- when taking a photograph, stop walking! It is after-all a canyon and the drops are steep. We saw more than one person near closer and close to the edge of a cliff in the name of taking the perfect snapchat. So, pick your snapshot, stop, click, and post.
 
So, there they are, my tips for hiking the Grand Canyon. I suppose the last one is to enjoy it; it is absolutely amazing and by far one of the coolest experiences. I will never forget the feeling of finally reaching the top and walking out that gate, it’s a moment that can only be improved by someone standing and waiting to hand you a cold beer as you exit. My advice is to go the restaurant and get a Navajo burrito, nothing will ever taste better. Also, if you’re staying on the grounds in one of the campsites, here’s a word of warning. Avoid the elk. They wander freely and may even walk past you, if this happens, ignore. They are not looking to make friends!