The Tipoff — Attraction in Tuba City

The hike from Skeleton Point to the Tipoff was, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful hikes I have ever been on. The views in this section of the park are absolutely incredible and take your breath away. Unfortunately, you're gonna need your breath if you decide to hike here, because although the hike down isn't too bad, what comes down must also come back up, and the way back up is orders of magnitude harder.

Hiking here is not for the casual hiker or people who aren't in great shape. Getting here requires a round-tip hike of nearly 9 miles, nearly all of which is hills. Doing this hike, even if you are a fast hiker, will take you at least 5 hours. And make no mistake, if you come this far, your only options to get out are climbing back up the 3,200+ feet of elevation you climbed down, or being evacuated on a helicopter. If you have doubts about your ability to handle this hike, don't do it. There is a reason why the NPS recommends you stop at Skeleton Point if you are doing this as a day hike. And if you are in good enough shape to hike here, make sure you bring PLENTY of water, because you aren't going to find any on the trail.

That said, if you are up for the challenge and are fit enough to handle it, this section of the trail is, in my opinion, the most beautiful section, hands down. Once you get to the Tipoff, you have a really difficult decision: turn around and hike the minimum 3 hour, 4.5 miles uphill back to the trailhead, or continue another 2 miles downhill to the Colorado River and the Bright Angel Campground. I hiked all the way to the campground, and then back up the Bright Angel Trail, and completed the nearly 17 mile hike in 8 hours and 17 minutes. So doing it in a day is possible, but I would not recommend this unless you are a very experienced hiker in really good shape. If you want to do this section, seriously consider making it a two-day hike and camping in the Bright Angel Campground at the bottom of the Canyon. Regardless of how you try and tackle this hike, the views in this section...

It's just a pit toilet. No running or drinking water available in this area, so please plan ahead. The Tipoff is 4 miles away from the South Kaibab Trailhead (2-4hrs), and 2 miles (1 hr) away from the Colorado River. If you want to see the river from here and go up using Bright Angel trail, It'd be a whopping 12 miles (6-8 hrs of walking). It's super strenuous so only advance further if you are well'prepared and experienced...

Good news! Bathrooms!! This is the final bathroom stop in the South Kaibab until you get to the Bright Angel campground! There is also a steel-mesh building for a very windy rest area, and you can hop on the Tonto trail to cut to Bright Angel trail. The trail gets steep going from here, but you can get amazing views of the river...