Plateau Point Sunset (photo by Brian Lane)

Last Sunday I enjoyed a relatively easy one night jaunt into the Canyon with friend and award-winning photographer Larry Lindahl (www.LarryLindahl.com). We wanted to take some photographs of cactus in spring bloom along the Tonto Plateau between South Kaibab and Bright Angel Trail, and then out to Plateau Point for sunset photos. Camping one night at Indian Garden gave us time to rest while providing a pleasant hike out along Bright Angel Trail on Monday morning.

While the plan was sound, the cactus proved uncooperative. We were about a week early for the most prolific blossoms, as the prickly pear cacti were ripe but had few open blooms. But it didn’t really matter, it was a beautiful day and we made our way over toward Indian Garden, out to Plateau Point for sunset, and subsequently enjoyed a cool and pleasant hike up Bright Angel Trail the next morning.

I took plenty of photos, as did Larry, during this quick overnight trip. And it was a nice journey, with no rushing about, the kind of trip that we both had hoped to enjoy. It allowed us to savor the Canyon while poking around its vast landscapes, taking in all the Grand Canyon has to offer.

Some highlights of the trip included sunset at Maricopa Point the night before descending into the Canyon, the descent down South Kaibab, finding two stone "alters" while hiking around the plateau off the Tonto Trail, a huge freshly leaved cottonwood tree at Burro Creek, lunch at Pipe Creek, sunset at Plateau Point, a fully bloomed redbud tree in a side canyon off Bright Angel Trail, and talking with folks as we hiked out. And as always, I appreciated Larry’s company. After years of solo hiking in the Canyon it is great to have a compatible hiking partner, while at the same time hiking with others has helped to relieve the anxiety my wife would normally feel when I was traveling alone in the Canyon.

Hike Smart & Have Fun!
Brian