MEMBERS OF THE SIERRA CLUB START DOWN FROM YAKI POINT ON KAIBAB TRAIL, ON A THREE DAY CAMPING TRIP TO PHANTOM RANCH. PHOTOGRAPHER J.M. EDEN. CIRCA 1948. Higher resolution versions of this photo are available from: Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection, P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023

Hikers seeking panoramic views unparalleled on any other trail at Grand Canyon will want to consider a hike down the South Kaibab Trail. It is the only trail at Grand Canyon National Park that so dramatically holds true to a ridgeline descent. But this exhilarating sense of exposure to the vastness of the canyon comes at a cost: there is little shade and no water for the length of this trail. During winter months, the constant sun exposure is likely to keep most of the trail relatively free of ice and snow. For those who insist on hiking during summer months, which is not recommended in general, this trail is the quickest way to the bottom (it has been described as "a trail in a hurry to get to the river"), but due to lack of any water sources, ascending the trail can be a dangerous proposition.