Grand Canyon’s Hidden Wonders

Side hikes reveal pristine waterfalls, mysterious caves
by Lucas Velush

The Colorado River’s rapids may serve up the ultimate adrenaline rush, but the Grand Canyon’s hidden side canyons are where true beauty can be found.

Matkatamiba Canyon, 148 miles downstream from Lee's Ferry, is one such place. Here, a bit more than a trickle of spring-fed water has carved out a canyon so narrow that in most places both sides can be touched at once. Milky white textured walls all have rounded edges but are rough to the touch.

Hikers in Teva sandals venture up Matkatamiba Canyon by walking along a smooth channel carved out by almost tepid spring water. The sandals keep feet dry-except in places where the water has a chance to pool up-while rafters-turned-hikers get the chance to climb up a series of small waterfalls.

After less than an eighth-mile, the slot canyon opens up into a bigger canyon filled with ferns, bushes and moss. Red rock walls are framed in greenish pools of water flowing idly toward the Colorado…

…Where Matkatamiba Canyon's lifeline to the Colorado River trickles, Deer Creek roars.

Deer Creek Falls, a set of waterfalls only 12 miles upstream from its smaller neighbor, drops into the Colorado River in a waterfall that seems to descend forever. The whitewater and red rock background and the fine mist that catches the sun's rays all make the site one that has to figure prominently in thousands of photo albums.

"This is a beautiful view," said Britt Belschner from a spot above the waterfall simply called 'The Patio.' "It's indescribable-I don't know how you can describe it to anyone."

Thirty-six people and four guides all hike varying distances up along a cliff edge that runs to the side of the waterfall and along the side of a canyon where Deer Creek froths about 50 feet below. A section of the trail runs so close to the cliff that some folks decline to go further.

Those who mustered the courage to snuggle against the canyon wall and scoot up the trail got to see tiny handprints left on the rock walls by Anasazi Indians who used side canyons like this for accessing the river and growing food.

After a bit, the windy trail opens into a wide desert canyon and follows the gurgling creek two miles upstream to its source. After a long desert hike, the longest on the trip, hikers are rewarded by getting to sit underneath a waterfall and by seeing where the spring water shoots out of a rock wall.

Another spectacular stopping point is Elves Chasm, a gash in these ancient rocks brought to life by yet another spring-fed creek. A short hike takes river riders to a waterfall with a moderately deep pool of water below. Here those who don't mind getting wet can swim through the clear pool of water and climb up into a dank cave behind the waterfall. The dark, moss covered path leads around a bend and up rocks that look like they've never been dry. The eventual end of the trail stops at the waterfall's midpoint but at least 10 feet above the pool of water. At that point those who can muster the courage jump in, much to the delight of those too scared to take the plunge.

And as if that wasn't enough, the blue-green waters of Havasu Creek call out to hikers on day 5 of the trip. Sparkling pools of water created by travertine dams look so inviting that just about everyone on the trip goes for a swim-for most the only swim on the trip. Some slowly immerse themselves into the warmish water while others dive and jump off rocks and swim in deep, dark aqua pools…

…Another popular stop is Redwall Cavern, a cave right next to the Colorado River that John Wesley Powell at one time said 50,000 men could fit in. Although it obviously couldn't fit that number of people, the cavern is huge and gets seemingly bigger as you walk back into it.

Vasey's Paradis, 32 miles below Lee's Ferry, catches the eye with more than 100 different species of plants attached to a lot-sized plot of land that runs from the shore, up a cliff and ends where two springs cascade out of the canyon's wall…

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