Boucher Trail: Grand Canyon's Most Remote South Rim Route

Most hikers at the South Rim never set foot on the Boucher Trail. That’s partly by design. The National Park Service doesn’t maintain it, doesn’t post it widely, and doesn’t put restrooms or water along it. What they do put at the end of it is one of the most striking descents in the canyon, a 3,800-foot drop through red Supai sandstone cliffs to a quiet stretch of Boucher Creek, far from the Bright Angel crowds.

Trail Overview

The Boucher Trail runs 10 miles one-way from the Hermit’s Rest area on the South Rim down to the Colorado River. The upper section follows a traverse along the Waldron Trail before dropping sharply into Boucher Creek. The total round trip to the river covers 20 miles with 3,800 feet of elevation change, firmly overnight territory for most hikers.

For day hikers, the goal is the upper Boucher. Descend the first 1.5 to 2.5 miles, drop into Supai Group sandstone terrain, get your canyon views, and come back up before midday.

Louis Boucher built this trail in the 1890s while prospecting and mining in the canyon. He had a camp at Boucher Creek and grew fruit trees there. The NPS took over the canyon in 1919, but the trail remained primitive. It still is. Hikers follow cairns across bare rock in several spots. Losing the trail is a real possibility, especially on the descent from the rim.

The Boucher connects to the Hermit Trail and the Tonto Trail, which opens up multi-day loop routes through some of the least-traveled parts of the inner canyon.

Getting There

The Boucher trailhead starts near the Hermit’s Rest area at the west end of Hermit Road. Hermit’s Rest is 8 miles from Grand Canyon Village by road.

From March 1 through November 30, personal vehicles aren’t allowed on Hermit Road. Park at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center or at any lot in Grand Canyon Village, then take the free Hermit Road shuttle. The shuttle runs from early morning until about 30 minutes past sunset. It stops at eight canyon viewpoints along the way.

If you’re coming from outside the park, enter through the South Entrance Station on Highway 180/64 from Williams or Flagstaff, Arizona. The park entrance fee is $35 per vehicle for a 7-day pass covering both rims.

To reach Hermit’s Rest from the shuttle, ride to the last stop at the end of the road. The Hermit Trail begins there too. The Boucher branches off the Waldron Trail, which starts just inside the Hermit trailhead area. Follow signs for Waldron/Dripping Springs at the fork.

Trail Description

Miles 0-1.5: Rim to Yuma Point area

The trail begins on the Waldron Trail, a rocky path heading southwest through pinyon and juniper. After about 0.9 miles, the trail forks. Bear right toward the Boucher Trail.

The route then drops along a narrow ridgeline with views opening in both directions. This upper section is where cairns matter most. Watch for stacked rocks marking the route across flat rock surfaces. The terrain is moderately steep but manageable. You’ll cross through Hermit Shale and into the reddish Supai Group.

This stretch gives a clear look into the Hermit Basin and down toward the Tonto Platform far below. It’s the best turnaround zone for a casual day hike.

Miles 1.5-4: Into the Supai layers

The trail steepens as it drops through increasingly dramatic Supai sandstone cliffs. Switchbacks here are tight and the trail surface is loose in spots. Trekking poles help on the descent and make a real difference on the climb back out.

You’ll pass through a notch in a cliff band that feels almost like a slot. The canyon opens up below it. Views of the Tonto Platform and the inner gorge come in and out depending on where you are on the ridge.

Miles 4-7: Traversing to Boucher Creek

The middle section follows a long traverse across the Tonto Platform, a broad bench of Tapeats sandstone that runs much of the canyon’s length. The terrain flattens here relative to the descent, but the distance adds up. Heat builds fast on the Tonto in afternoon sun.

Miles 7-10: Boucher Creek to the Colorado

Boucher Creek arrives as a genuine relief. The creek runs most of the year, though it can slow in dry stretches. Treat all water before drinking. Camping here requires a backcountry permit.

The final miles from the creek to the river stay within the inner gorge and drop another few hundred feet. The river beach is small and exposed but quiet.

What to Bring

Carry more water than you think you need. There is no water on the Boucher Trail until Boucher Creek at mile 7. On the day hike options, that means you’re carrying everything for the descent and the climb out.

A good baseline for warm weather: 1 liter of water per hour of hiking. A 3-mile round trip in March might take 2 hours. Pack 2-3 liters minimum and drink before you’re thirsty.

Bring:

• Water (minimum 3 liters for short day hikes, more in warm weather)
• Electrolyte tablets or drink mix
• Food with calories, not just snacks
• Trekking poles (highly recommended for the loose descent)
• Sun protection: hat, sun shirt, sunscreen
• Map or downloaded GPX route (the trail isn’t marked well and phone signal is unreliable)
• Headlamp even for day hikes

Do not bring dogs below the rim. NPS regulations prohibit dogs on all below-rim trails at Grand Canyon.

Photo Spots

The upper Boucher delivers views that the maintained trails don’t. The ridgeline traverse between the Waldron junction and the first major descent looks directly into Hermit Basin and across to the Rim above. Early morning light hits the Supai cliffs from the east.

At the cliff notch around mile 2, the composition through the rock frame toward the inner canyon works well for telephoto shots of the layered canyon walls.

Boucher Creek itself, if you get there, has cottonwood trees that catch late afternoon light. The contrast between the green riparian strip and the red canyon walls is one of the better color shots in this section of the canyon.

Safety Notes

Call 911 in any Grand Canyon hiking emergency.

The Boucher Trail has no NPS ranger patrols. If you get hurt or lost on this trail, help is far away. Hike with a partner. Tell someone on the rim where you’re going and when you expect to return.

Inner canyon temperatures in summer routinely top 105 degrees F. The NPS advises against hiking below the rim between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in summer. That advice is serious. Heat stroke kills people in this canyon every year. If you’re planning a summer visit, stick to the rim.

The cairned sections of the Boucher Trail look obvious in photos and maps, but hikers do lose the route on the rock slabs. Stop and look around for the next cairn before committing to a direction. Download an offline map before leaving the trailhead. Cell service is unreliable below the rim.

The descent is long and the climb out is harder. Whatever distance you hike down, budget much more time and energy for the return. Start early, turn around by noon at the latest, and save water for the climb.

Related Trails

The Boucher connects to two other major routes worth knowing:

Hermit Trail starts at the same trailhead and descends more directly to the Colorado River via Hermit Creek. It’s better maintained than the Boucher and a common choice for first overnight trips in this section of the canyon.

Tonto Trail is the long east-west route along the Tonto Platform. It connects Boucher Creek to Hermit Creek and continues in both directions. Multi-day hikers use it to link otherwise separate routes into loops.

For maintained, day-hike-friendly descents on the South Rim, see the Bright Angel Trail guide and the South Kaibab Trail guide.