New Hance Trail

New Hance Trail dips down from the eastern side of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and ends at the bank of the Colorado River. It’s a trail freight with rocks, loose footing, and tough routefinding. If you’re one of those hikers who like to push their limits, this might be the route for you. For the rest of us, we don’t generally recommend this route as more than a means to an end. If you want good views, there are better ones to be found on safer trails. We recommend trying the nearby Grandview Trail.

If you need to use this route, be prepared! It’s not shaded at all and can get extremely hot. The footing is questionable and rocky, and getting off the route can put you in precarious spots. Download a GPS route and practice careful routefinding.

The route drops off from the rim through extremely tight switchbacks before beginning a descent past Coronado Butte. Keep right away from the stream to descend the edge of a mesa and make a still-steep descent to another arm of the creek. Once you’re in the canyon, things get a little more manageable. The route ends where it reaches the river.