Hermit/Boucher Loop Run in Grand Canyon

Not all trails are created equal in the Grand Canyon. There are the tourist trails with their manicured, wide, gentle switchbacks (we're talking by Grand Canyon standards here...) and water and bathrooms along the way to help the unprepared hiker survive. Then there are the other trails...the real "backcountry" trails of the Grand Canyon like the loop I did Monday where the trails are sometimes reflective of the tourist trails and then at other times barely a trail at all marked by cairns and following near vertical gullies and snaking through ledge systems with 1,000 foot drop offs to keep sloppy footwork and balance in check. To be honest, I now believe that these real "backcountry" trails give a grand canyon hiker or runner a much more "true" or "honest" representation of the ruggedness of the canyon.

This real "backcountry" loop that I did Monday is called the Hermit/Boucher Loop and is roughly 22 miles. I had been wanting to run off the beaten path of the S. Kaibab and Bright Angel for some time and I finally felt up to the backcountry riggers of tougher trails and trail finding and a general lack of water (There are only a couple water sources right now on the whole 22 mile loop and none of them are treated).


The whole thing started off with a sunrise ride on the rim bus system (cars can't drive to the Hermit Trailhead during the busy months in the canyon). It was a very pleasant ride, chit chatting with the driver and the other two passengers, seeing elk and deer and watching the sun rise over the Grand Canyon. Once I reached the trail head and while getting dropped off, the driver gave me the standard warning to be careful as "young male hikers that hike by themselves are at the greatest risk to die in the canyon." Very comforting...

I thanked him for his concern and information and assured him I would be very careful during my run. I felt confident in my training and abilities and that I had prepared properly with having enough water (full bladder and full handheld (with nuun electrolyte tabs)) and enough energy (8 gu and 1 cliff bar) to get me through. I would only need one stop at Boucher Creek, half way through the run, to refill my bladder and handheld. About as light as I can make it and still stay hydrated and fueled.

Started down the trail, the sunrise was in full effect and it was a good one. There is something special about how the shadows and the golden sunlit cliffs contrast each other to make a surreal scene. Probably my favorite time to be in the canyon.

It was a bit hard to fully absorb the early morning beauty as I had to stay focused on the trail from the first step down from the parking lot. The Hermit Trail is one of the steeper trails in the canyon and there are many boulders and rubble to maneuver through along the way.


Luckily, after the first couple miles of steep rubble, the trail traverses along a sandstone layer and offers some flatter, easier running. Apart from a few sections of boulder piles to poke through, this section is great running. I even got some nice views of where I would be in another hour down on the Tonto Plateau and crossing the Hermit Creek.

(Hermit Creek is the obviouse drainage. Hermit Creek Camp is near the bottom of this drainage.)

After the long sandstone layer traverse the trail changes to switchbacks, starting with short, steep, rubble switchbacks and ending with excellent wide switchbacks.

(Nice trail, eh?)

Despite the difficulty of the start of these switchbacks I really enjoy this section because of the interesting limestone layer it cuts through. Some of my favorite rock formations are on a ridge along these switchbacks (note in the photo below the cool little spire that looks like a woman sculpture with no arms and head).

Soon after reaching the bottom of the limestone layer switchbacks, I took a left onto the Tonto Trail to work my way over to the Boucher Trail. From here to the finish was all new trail for me. Exciting, because I have been doing laps on the standard corridor trails all spring. Something new...sweet.

Shorty after the junction with the Hermit Rapids and Hermit Creek I reached Hermit Creek Camp and a couple of older guys camped out. I pretty much ran right into them as the trail led right into their campsite. Realizing that I couldn't see where the trail left their camp spot and continued along the Tonto Plateau, I immediately asked them where the Tonto Trail continued from their camp going west. I didn't realize my folly until too late...

One of the gentlemen was very helpful and we looked at my little map and the surrounding area, figuring out that the trail led upstream from camp maybe a 100 yards before cutting back up the hillside and continuing along the Tonto Plateau.

The other gentleman was persistent in keeping me in camp until he was sure this was right. He pulled out a big map that clearly showed that what the first gentleman and I agreed on was the correct way but he wouldn't agree with us. He was sure that I missed the turn for the west Tonto earlier on the trail. I don't know what he was looking at on the map because it was pretty obvious he was wrong and we knew where the trail went but he still wouldn't let me leave. After another 5 minutes or so, I became fed up and wished them good luck and left against his wishes.

He was obviously concerned by my lack of equipment and didn't want me to run off into the canyon to be never seen again. I understand his worry but there was no convincing him I knew where I was going. It was better to just leave him behind to stress. It was best for me to keep moving.

The trail became immediately less obvious on the Tonto west of Hermit Creek. This is where trail finding was going to be more work (Note: I never seriously thought I was going to loose the trail along the whole loop but I will not say that it is "easy" to follow).

The Tonto was a surprising treat to run. I wasn't surprised by the wonderful, rolling terrain that was perfect for running but I was surprised with the exposure along the way. Some sections of the trail were perched on the edge of cliffs with thousands of feet of exposure to the river. I had some great views of the river in fact, seeing Hermit Rapids and even some river runners in rafts below Hermit Rapids.

(Hermit rapids)

(Look closely and you can see some rafts on the river)

Further along the Tonto, nearing the Boucher Trail, I got my first glimpse of some of the cool Travertine formations in this part of the canyon.

(Travertine formation along the Tonto)

After many miles of flat running on the Tonto, I reached the Boucher Trail. If I went up I would be heading back uphill to the Hermit Trail and the rim but I was out of water and it was time to refill. Boucher Creek (.4 miles below me in a narrow canyon) is an annual flowing creek and I had planned from the start to refill here as there would be no more water after this point. Good timing.

I jogged the .4 miles down, chatted it up with some guys camping at the creek and refilled my bladder and handheld (didn't treat it). It was refreshing to touch some water after running along the dusty Tonto in the rising heat of the day and seeing the rushing water of the Grand Canyon far below.

After filling up, I left quickly, eager to start the uphill battle that I have heard so much about on the Boucher.

(Boucher Creek)

The first crux of the Boucher is one of the easier ones (I didn't think this at the time I was sucking wind power hiking up it but little did I know what was to come later...).

Crux 1 heads up from Boucher Creek though the Travertine and Limestone layer. It starts as standard steep switchbacks that are just too steep to run and ends with a scramble (yes, I used my hands a few times) through a steep gully following cairns to reach the plateau above.

I remember going through this section and wondering if I was off route only because it didn't really resemble a trail at a few points, just a line of cairns through bushes and rubble.

(Gully scrambling)

Once I reached the next plateau above the limestone it was confirmed that I was still on the trail by a well worn path leading east. I was happy to be through the limestone and enjoyed running again.

I was able to run for a little while until I reached the start of the the next crux, Crux 2. This was probably the hardest crux for me because I didn't expect it (I guess I could have researched the steep sections better). This section was just a mish mesh of faint trail leading up a super exposed and chossy section of gullies and ledges. The beta for this section is pretty much follow the little cairns even if it seems like you are going the wrong way. Somehow the trail successfully plops you onto the next plateau.

Definitely no running in this section and the walking isn't even fast. Crux 2 is pretty much scrambling...I definitely used my hands in some sections of this. Wow. What a trail! Looking back I wish I took photos in the thick of it in this section as it was quite spectacular in some spots.

(Looking back down after nearing the end of Crux 2)

After Crux 2 the terrain eased and I was able to start running again. I was on a narrow mesa that split two sandstone layers. The start of this mesa was actually quite nice running again (I was starting to wonder if this was a run or a hike...).

Then it all went tricky again...Crux 3. The trail was fine for the most part but the narrowness of the trail and the extreme exposure of the next many miles made it, again, hard to run.

Like I just said, the trail was fine for the most part but the exposure! and it was getting hot. I really couldn't move to fast through this, mostly jogging or fast walking with some stints of careful slow walking. Why? Because I was getting tired and hot and because of the exposure if I tripped and lost my footing I would not be able to stop myself from falling thousands of feet! The trail was literally on a chossy steep slope of rocks and dirt perched right above a drop off of thousands of feet! Again, I should have taken some photos of this section...

By no means was I scared, I just couldn't run much because of the consequences of falling. Very impressive that there is a trail along this section of cliffs. I really enjoyed the position...just had to be very careful. I will say one thing...I am glad I didn't have a big ass back pack on this trail. This was exciting enough with the barely noticeably little Nathan running pack.

When I reached the Boucher/Dripping Springs Junction I was very happy, knowing that the worst was over and I would soon be back on the big wide trail of the Hermit Trail. From this junction, the trail became quite nice to run and I really took advantage of it to stretch my legs back out...ahhh running again.

(End of Crux 3)

Once back on the Hermit Trail, all I had to do was power hike my butt back up the steep final switch backs to to the rim. It was refreshing to be going up a steep trail that was actually easy to navigate. The Hermit is by no means a smooth trail as I stated at the start of this post but it is like heaven compared to the brutality that is the Boucher.

(Amazing, detailed stonework on the upper Hermit Trail)

Once finished on the rim, I stopped my watch at 5 hours and 58 minutes (very slow but still under 6 hours...not quite sure why that matters...) and then jogged over to the bus. Just like that I was on a mid day rim bus, packed in with a full load of clean and well scented tourists, trying not to offend anyone with my dirty and stinky body (one lady moved away from me half way back to our cars). What a mini culture shock to be in the canyon barely seeing a soul and having such an adventure and then immediately cramming oneself into a sardine can bus of tourists.

Looking back, I'm not sure what the best way to travel the canyon is if someone wanted to go fast...I have read on websites that this loop would be a good one for FKT's (Fastest Known Times) to be recorded but man...I can see going way faster if I didn't chit chat or take a bunch of photos but I don't know how much faster. Obviously, someone could do it really fast, easily under 5 hours and maybe under 4 hours but at what cost? There were many sections that would be go time to run fast but in many of these sections on the Boucher all it takes is one minor slip and the runner would be gone forever. Someone would have to be really want it to post a super fast time... or maybe it wouldn't be as sketchy if they did the loop the other way, going down the boucher. This way they would be fresh for the sketchier sections and then down hill for the steep parts which are mostly rocky. Going up the Hermit would be way faster than going up the Boucher...mmm. Maybe, sometime I will try it the other way and see how that goes, leave the camera at home and see what happens.

I'd love to hear some other reports on this matter...