If you want to hike to the inner canyon you need a wilderness permit, which can be obtained at the South Rim Visit Center, and the right gear to get down there. Microspikes are recommended during early spring, fall, and winter. Hiking poles can also be very useful. If you plan to camp at the river, don't forget your overnight gear.

That being said, this is the steepest of all the inner canyon hikes. The descent or ascent is 1 mile in distance with a vertical drop of 1960 ft. The descent takes around 1.5 hours and the ascent around 4.5 (triple your descent time). At the bottom, you are at one of the narrowest points in the canyon which offers some wilder water rapids.

For campers, there are 0.5 miles of river access, two campsites, and an outhouse.

Before you venture out on an inner canyon hike/scramble you have to realize they all come with a risk. They are very strenuous, there could be poison ivy everywhere, there are very loose rocks, big ledges to climb down and up to, and routing is difficult. Talk to a ranger and do your own research before doing them.

Info about Wilderness Permits: nps.gov/blca/planyourvisit/innercanyon.htm
Orientation Video: nps.gov/media/video/view.htm?id=0ED0D32C-D834-4D72-853F-AA63B25B6D17

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Details

Informations

Distance 1.05 km

Uphill 20 m

Downhill 530 m

Weather

Wednesday 19 November

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Max wind speed: 10.0 km/h

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Location: Montrose County, Colorado, United States

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