Backpacking Arizona. Bruce Grubbs

are vital for foot travel through the canyon. West of this point, the Esplanade forms the major route of travel. To the east, the Esplanade fades away because the Hermit shale is thinner. At the same time, the Bright Angel shale becomes thicker, forming a new terrace, the Tonto Plateau, on top of the resistant Tapeats sandstone. As you hike along the ridge at the head of Bass Canyon, you can look out at the Esplanade to the west, and down Bass Canyon at the Tonto Plateau to the north.

      As the Tonto Trail continues southeast, it winds around three unnamed side canyons before reaching Ruby Canyon. Although you’ve hiked 4.6 miles on the Tonto Trail, you’ve come only 1.8 miles in a straight line from Serpentine Canyon. You may find seasonal water in Ruby Canyon, and it offers small camp sites. After the Tonto Trail rounds the point east of Ruby Canyon, it swings into and heads two more unnamed canyons before heading into Turquoise Canyon, 9.9 miles from Serpentine Canyon. You will probably find seasonal water in Turquoise Canyon, which has good campsites. Beyond Turquoise Canyon, the Tonto Trail continues east, following the general trend of the Grand Canyon itself. The trail winds nearly four miles rounding Sapphire and Agate Canyons. North of Agate, the Tonto Trail comes to the very edge of the Tonto Plateau and offers fine views of the Colorado River entrenched deep in Granite Gorge.

      The trail works its way across gullies emanating from the base of Geikie Peak, and then rounds Scylla Butte to head into Slate Creek. You’ll find plentiful campsites at this popular spot, and there is almost always water below the point where the trail crosses the bed. A side hike down Slate Creek to the Colorado River is an option here.

      Granite Gorge