Grandview Lookout Trail
Location: East of Tusayan
and south of Grand Canyon National Park
Difficulty: Easy. Washboard
gravel road except for FS 303, which narrows to a single
lane. This road has a few ruts and muddy spots that require
high clearance and perhaps four-wheel drive when wet.
Features: Beautiful uncrowded
forest immediately adjacent to Grand Canyon National Park.
Free camping is allowed almost anywhere in the forest except
within ¼ mile of highways and surface water. Also,
you can't camp within 1 mile of Hull Cabin. If dispersed
camping is not your thing, try the Ten-X Campground 2 mile
south of Tusayan on highway 64. This is a fee area but it's
a great campground and is seldom crowded.
There are many other roads to explore in the area. The forest
is teeming with wildlife. You are permitted to climb the
stairs of Grandview lookout, which has a distant view of
the Grand Canyon. The trip to historical Hull Cabin is interesting.
Locals say the best time to make this trip is in the afternoon.
That way you can swing through the park on the return trip
and catch the sun setting over Grand Canyon.
The small town of Tusayan has motels, fast food restaurants,
ATM's, service stations, an IMAX theatre and a full hook
up campground. Expect heavy traffic during peak summer months
and tourist prices.
Time and Distance: The trip
described here is 21.5 miles plus 3.6 miles round trip to
Hull cabin. Allow 1.5 -2 hours to reach the entrance to
the park. Add another .5 hour for the side trip to Hull
cabin.
To get there: Take US Highway
180 north from Flagstaff. Before reaching Tusayan, you'll
pass the Grand Canyon Airport on the left. As you enter
town watch for FS 302 on the right. It is marked with a
sign displaying a giant set of binoculars.
Trail description: Rest
odometer, when exiting 180. Follow this wide gravel road
2.7 miles and make a left on FS 303 (you can continue straight
on 302, but you'll miss the best part of the trip)
Continue straight on 303 ignoring side roads. For awhile,
follow bike trail signs. Make a right at 6.3. The bike trail
heads left at 6.9 miles. Bear right at this point staying
on 303. (you can follow the bike route for a distance, but
all roads for motorized vehicles are eventually blocked)
When you get back to FS 302 at 9.9 miles, turn left.
Continue east on 302 passing several side roads that head
south. Turn left when you reach a T with FS 310 at 18.8
miles. The side trip to Hulls cabin can be made by turning
right at 20.1 miles on FS 307.
Hulls Cabin directions:
Rest odometer at the intersection of FS 310 and 307.
Follow 307, an old stagecoach route, northeast. You'll drop
down a hill on several switchbacks. Turn left on FS 851
at 1.5 miles. Open and close a gate to get on this single
lane road. Hull cabin is reached at 1.8 miles. Hull cabin
was a sheep camp when it was built in 1889. Today it's owned
by the Forest Service and serves as a summer work center.
Head out the way you came in.
Turn right back onto 310. Grandview tower in .1 miles. There's
a modern vault toilet at this location. The entrance to
Grand Canyon National Park is reached in less than a mile.
Park fees can be paid when you exit the park. Connect with
paved Highway 64.
GPS Waypoints (see map of
trail to find corresponding points)
1. 35* 58'07.4" 112*07'39.3" 2. 35* 57'15.0"
112*05'17.3"
3. 35* 57'35.6" 112*01'38.8" 4. 35* 55'38.1"
112*03'21.6"
5. 35* 56'29.6" 111*56'28.1" 6. 35* 57'21.8"
111*57'14.0"
7. 35* 58'05.1" 111*58'17.2" 8. 35* 58'05.0"
111*56'43.7"
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