Late in 2020, I closed down Hit the Trail due to several factors. Costs of running the website and the fluidity of conditions caused by COVID-19 were among the greatest reasons. I was contacted by someone who said they wanted to help keep the content alive and offered to help. I am taking them up on their offer, and we are going forward on a trial basis to see how things go.
Those who have been following Hit the Trail for any amount of time will notice the new design. My hope is to make content easier to find and navigate.
Of course, COVID-19 continues to create challenges in providing current information. Please always double-check the information at the links provided before making your reservations!
New Official National Park Service App
Those visiting the national parks now have a new app for planning their outdoor adventures! The National Park Service has just launched a free app, available in iOS and Android, that covers all 423 NPS locations. Included is information on hiking trails, news alerts – especially important during this time of COVID-19 – lodging, dining, visitor centers, and much more.
The content is being updated by rangers which means that they know their parks and how visitors interact with them. It is a brand new app, and NPS emphasizes that they are still working on it. But even so, it is a wonderful app that is sure to be extremely helpful in planning your next trip to your favorite park.
Here are a couple of sites with more information and reviews:
- Outside Online: The National Park Service Launched a Brand-New App
- National Parks Traveler: New National Park Service App A Work In Progress
South Rim Shuttle Spring Schedule
As with everything else, COVID-19 has impacted the South Rim Bus Route schedules. The winter schedule runs through to February 28th, and the new spring schedule will include modifications to its operations.
You can find Grand Canyon’s announcement for the new schedule here, Grand Canyon National Park Announces Spring 2021 Shuttle Bus Schedule.
The key shuttle updates are as follows:
The Hermits Rest Route (Red Route) and the Kaibab Rim Route Eastbound (Orange Route) will operate with the following schedules.
- Both routes will start at 4:30 a.m. and run until one hour after sunset.
- During peak hours, headways on the Hermits Rest Route will be every 5-10 minutes, and headways on the Kaibab Rim Route Eastbound will be every 8-10 minutes.
- Headways will be every 30 minutes before sunrise and following sunset.
The Hikers’ Express Bus will run directly from the Backcountry Office to the South Kaibab Trailhead. No other stops will be made along the Hikers’ Express Route. The schedule for the express bus is as follows:
- March and April – 6, 7 and 8 a.m.
- May – 5, 6 and 7 a.m.
Hikers can also park at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center and access the South Kaibab Trailhead via the Kaibab Rim Route (Orange Route), which will operate from 4:30 a.m. until one hour after sunset.
The Village Route (Blue Route), the Kaibab Rim Route Westbound, and the Tusayan Route (Purple Route) will not operate this spring.
Additional shuttle bus information is available online at www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/shuttle-buses.htm.