Granite Gorge Panorama | Arizona Landscape Photography

First-time visitors to the south rim of the Grand Canyon are sometimes disappointed that only short sections of the Colorado River are visible from many of the most famous overlooks. For the most part, the river is hidden from view as it flows beneath the cliffs of the inner gorge. As I studied maps in preparation for a February 2024 trip to the Grand Canyon, I realized that finding locations where I could see long stretches of the river probably meant hiking deep into the canyon, perhaps as far down as the rim of the inner gorge.

Immediately above the inner gorge is a broad bench called the Tonto Platform, which runs for some 95 miles from Red to Garnet canyons. The Tonto Trail follows this bench and offers access to vantage points along the rim of the inner gorge. The designated backcountry sites at Hermit Creek and Monument Creek are both along the Tonto Trail. Competition is fierce for reservations at backcountry sites in the Grand Canyon, and the park has moved to a lottery system. Lottery winners are assigned a time slot (along with a number of other lucky winners who get the same time slot) when they can try to book a trip. Fortunately, I won a time slot in the lottery and was able to book two nights at each campsite. When February arrived, I drove to the south rim, shot sunrise at Maricopa Point, hiked down the Hermit Trail in the rain and was rewarded with rare photos of a rainbow, then camped at Hermit Creek.

After two nights at Hermit Creek and a series of unremarkable photo shoots, I packed up and headed for Monument Creek. Along the way I dropped my pack and went exploring along the rim of the inner gorge. Colorado River pioneer explorer John Wesley Powell had named this stretch of the inner canyon Granite Gorge. I hoped to find locations that would give me a panoramic view of the river 850 feet below.

The terrain between the Tonto Trail and the rim of Granite Gorge proved to be a minefield of prickly pear cactuses, each mid-calf in height and so closely spaced that extreme care was required when placing my feet to avoid impaling myself on the needle-sharp spines. The view when I finally reached the edge of the gorge surpassed my expectations. Two miles of river stretched out below my airy perch. The Tower of Set, named for the Egyptian god of war, storms, and chaos, towered 3,600 feet above the river. I made a careful mental note of the location, high-stepped my way through the prickly pear minefield back to my pack and finished the hike to my campsite. After dinner I hiked back to my chosen shooting location and shot wide panoramas until dusk. Although I returned at sunrise and sunset the next day, this image proved to be the most evocative rendition of an amazing place.