Winter on the Canyon Rim Trail

I never thought of the Canyon Rim Trail as a winter attraction, but it seems to be just that. Not every storm will be as kind to the trail as this past week's snow, but the trail has had wonderful conditions for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing over the past week. As of today (January 3), snow clings to the trail, but it is very nice for all types of trail users. There is a kick-and-glide ski track on the south (canyon) side of the trail, a compacted snowshoe track in the middle, and a snow-packed corridor suitable for walking or running.

The Parks Division has no plans to clear the trail of snow following storms. I’d like to suggest that for future storms, skiers make a track on the south side of the trail. Other users should be courteous to skiers by staying off the ski tracks, no matter how tempting it is to take the easy path that has been somewhat compacted. Snowshoe users and hikers can beat down a snowpacked trail to the north (highway) side of the ski tracks. It only takes a couple of snowshoe passes to make the trail very boot-friendly. Conditions will ice up once freeze and thaw starts, so use caution early in the day.