The Grand Canyon is considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world. If you’ve ever been, you know exactly why. It spans 18 miles wide and descends 1 mile to the 277 miles of the Colorado River. The canyon walls magically change color revealing the millions of years of geologic history. It’s a place unlike any other and definitely a bucket list destination. But how to go about visiting?

I’d been to Grand Canyon National Park a few times on various road trips and made the stop along the way. I’ve gotten out of the car and snapped the obligatory Instagram-worthy pics and then hopped right back in the car. But that’s not truly experiencing this magnificent park and seeing it in all of its glory. That’s why when I had the opportunity to take an REI adventure tour flying over the canyon and then hiking into it, I jumped at the chance.

We charted a private plane with Westwind Air Service that flew us over the red rocks of Sedona, Coconino National Forest, and then finally the Grand Canyon. Seeing the canyon from above is an experience unlike any other. So much of this park is unexplored and inaccessible by road, so soaring above and seeing different sides of the park was amazing. 

Once we landed in Flagstaff, our pilot drove us over to Yaki Point and the South Kaibab trailhead. The South Kaibab trail is an excellent introduction to the Grand Canyon for a few reasons. It is a wide and well-maintained trail that for someone, like me, who’s afraid of heights is manageable. Another reason that this is a great beginners trail is that there are many turnaround points that you can use based off of your time, and skill level. 

From the trailhead, the first point of interest is Ooh Ahh Point which is located a little less than a mile down from the rim. This is where the majority of people turn around. A mile may not seem like much but remember, everything you climb down, you have to climb back up on the way out and with no water sources and no sun coverage, any trails in this park can be brutal in the summertime. 

We continued on to Cedar Ridge. This is a 1.5 mile hike and over 1,100 foot descent. Here, there were bathrooms and a nice wide flat area that was a great place to set up lunch. Bonus to an REI adventure, is that the guides provide the meals! They carried all of our food with them and set up an incredible picnic for us. We also had the treat of seeing horses and mules that were climbing up from the base of the canyon.

The South Kaibab trail continues to the base of the canyon at Phantom Ranch. This is a 7.1 mile trail and almost 5,000 foot descent. This hike should NOT be attempted as a day hike! The total distance down and back is 14.3 miles and considering the extreme temperatures the canyon can reach, it’s best to only do this for a multi-day trip. Here is a list of other great day hikes in Grand Canyon National Park.

Once we finished lunch at Cedar Ridge, we had the grueling uphill battle back to the rim. But the beauty of the surrounding canyon makes this hike completely worth it! It’s hard to truly appreciate the vastness of the canyon from the rim only. Hiking down into it, gave me a whole new perspective and appreciation. 

This was the ultimate Grand Canyon adventure. Seeing it from up high and then hiking beneath the rim was an experience I’ll never forget! So if you’re looking for some unique ways to visit this natural wonder, check out REI adventures and check out these 2 awesome ways to see the Grand Canyon. Watch the full below for more.

Special thank you to the Adventure Travel Trade Association, REI, Westwind Air Service, and Visit Arizona for this incredible opportunity.