Despite having been on multiple backpacking trips in the Grand Canyon I was nervous to head out solo on the Beamer Trail. Being new at anything comes with a set of nerves. But I absolutely fell in love with solo backpacking in the Grand Canyon. Couldn’t have asked for a better place to go as a first-time solo backpacker. BUT… And a big BUT here - I WOULD NOT recommend this itinerary to someone who has never backpacked in the Grand Canyon - especially if you’re going solo The Beamer Trail is certainly difficult. There is no shade and you must understand how to plan for water. The exposure on the Beamer Trail is EPIC. I felt fine, but I am an alpine climber, canyoneer, and have spent many nights tackling tough trails and routes in the Grand Canyon. One small slip can certainly kill you. The backcountry office also alerted me that rescue is difficult in this area. If you’ve got the know-how and experience, this is a wonderful adventure! I’ve read so many different stats, but here are mine: Round Trip Miles: 38 Elevation gain and loss: 9,063’ Days: 3 days Water source: Colorado River Red tape: No camping within a 1/2 mile of the Confluence. Permit required A 3-day itinerary is very aggressive. Going from the river to the rim involves over 5,200 feet of elevation gain. See the pinned comment for more Grand Canyon resources. ✨Follow me… Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/Aforestfox/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@megintheforest Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megintheforest/ ✨ Additional Resources ✨ Purchase Your America the Beautiful Annual Parks Pass and enter Grand Canyon NP at no charge (affiliate link): https://bit.ly/nationalparkspass2024 You MUST have a permit to backpack in the Grand Canyon. Grand Canyon Backcountry Permit info: https://www.recreation.gov/permits/4675337 Permits can be a little confusing if you’re not used to the system. My advice? For popular routes, enter the lottery. You’ll likely get AN itinerary this way (may not be your first choice). ✨Safe and responsible hiking Practice Leave No Trace: https://bit.ly/leaveitbetterthanufoundit Hiking Safely in the desert: https://bit.ly/deserthikingtips ✨My favorite Gear👇 OR Astroman Sun Hoodie: https://alnk.to/fSiBG9O SaltTabs Electrolyte Fast Chews (if you don’t like the water): https://amzn.to/4mTuum9 A way to carry 4 liters of water (I use a combo of SmartWater bottles and a bladder for hikes) Granite Gear Blaze (for any overall weight above 30 lbs): https://alnk.to/ge87E1A Snapfolds UL Bowl: https://alnk.to/c09W6w0 BRS 3000 Campstove (budget-friendly, but flimsy): https://alnk.to/dezeYeS Platypus Gravity Works Filter: https://rei.pxf.io/POvV9e P&G Purifying Packet: https://amzn.to/3SPB7YN Alum Powder: https://amzn.to/4jGUKNz Sea to Summit UL 10L Collapsible Bucket: https://amzn.to/44dB4wg Silver Shadow Mini Sun Umbrella by Six Moon Designs: https://alnk.to/6xMrH5r Gossamer Gear Hands-free Umbrella Pack Clips: https://alnk.to/aWFoduk One Hydration Drinking tube for SmartWater Bottle: https://alnk.to/4XxCRKZ Ratsack medium: https://amzn.to/45R7GNz Loksak: https://amzn.to/43FMfOf Sunscreen stick: https://amzn.to/43PDbq9 REI Cork-Grip Hiking Poles: https://rei.pxf.io/POvVZe Kula Cloth Pee Rag: https://alnk.to/5Q7pLD5 Garmin inReach Mini: https://rei.pxf.io/JKvV0q Thermarest Z Lite (more durable, pricier, better R value): https://rei.pxf.io/raqDrG Thermarest NeoLoft Pad - wide: https://rei.pxf.io/VxvY9R Enlightened Equipment Enigma Sleeping Quilt 20F: https://alnk.to/aWFodLm NiteCore NB10000 Gen 2 Power Bank: https://alnk.to/c09W6sB Duece of Spades Toilet Trowel: https://alnk.to/2Qyx6dv Culo Clean Bidet: https://amzn.to/4l08ST7 Big Agnes Copper Spur (I own 1p, 2xl, 3xl and LOVE them all): https://rei.pxf.io/2aL5zD ✨About the Photos and Video: All the photos and videos you see of the Grand Canyon were taken by me except one stock photo that shows what the Confluence looks like while it’s running torquise. I rarely edit other people out of photos (and I would make a note here if I did!). #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #backpacking ✨Time stamps: 00:00 - intro 00:32 - Trail info 01:10 - The start of the Tanner Trail 02:50 - Esplanade Layer 03:31 - The Redwall Break 04:30 - Why I chose to backpack solo in the Grand Canyon 05:31 - Reaching the Colorado River 05:45 - Starting the Beamer Trail 06:18 - Palisades Beach Camp 07:06 - Day 2 - Hiking to the Confluence 07:27 - Native American history of the Confluence 08:24 - Narrow, exposed section of the Beamer Trail 09:13 - Micro terrain and GPS inaccuracies 09:34 - Reaching the Confluence 10:05 - Hiking to Tanner Beach 11:08 - RARE animal sighting and jaw-dropping sunset 11:41 - Day 3 Pre-dawn hike 12:02 - Sunrise in the Grand Canyon 13:24 - Steep march back to the Tanner Trailhead

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