We took today off but still got up very early in order to have breakfast before the heat kicked in. On the menu this morning... blueberry pancakes.

Morning light at Racetrack Camp near Tapeats Creek

Sleeping on the boats was much cooler than on the hot sand of the beach. Since space was relatively limited, however, competition for a spot sometimes became fierce.

The hike to Thunder River took over 3 hours (one way) and was INCREDIBLY hot. There were several river crossings which required a change of shoes (between sneakers and water shoes).There was lots of exposure, scree and scrambling... but the reward was incredible!

On the switchbacks up the cliff from the river

Tapeats Creek flows into the Colorado. At its mouth is Tapeats Rapid (a 4-5 on the scale with a 15-foot drop).

The trail leads through some breathtaking scenery. Note the people for scale.

A California Barrel Cactus in bloom

One of the many lush stream crossings

A quick way to cool off!

A water slide!

A crescent of green follows the river.

Thunder River on the canyon's North Rim is the world's shortest and steepest river. It bursts from the Redwall Limestone, crashes down 1,200 feet, and flows for only a half mile before emptying into Tapeats Creek. The spring provides an excellent resting spot from the heat of Surprise Valley, which can reach 120 degrees F in the summer... which it certainly felt like today!

Practically the entire length of the river consists of waterfalls.

Thunder River emerges from two large holes. It is supplied by a partially water-filled cave.

Thunder River's estimated flow of 21 million gallons per day (over 240 gallons/second) ranks second for springs on the north side of the canyon. Tapeats Spring is number one with 48 million gallons per day.

Savoring the coolness of the falls. When the breeze blew, it could be downright cold!

We stayed for several hours... including enjoying a nice nap in the shade before the long hike back. As we made our way back down the trail, we suddenly encountered a large rattlesnake in the path! It slithered off into some thick grass beneath a bush. We couldn't resist having a quick peek in to see where it had gone. To our horror we discovered that there were at least a dozen snakes resting there! We hurried off quickly!

The startled snake quickly slithers off the path. Rattlesnakes belong to the class of venomous snakes commonly known as pit vipers. The rattle at the tips of their tails are used to warn predators.

Fortunately, much of the long hike back is in the shade.

A rock marked with the curly imprints of ancient worm trails

Tapeats Creek rushes by below.

The final rays of the day make the cliffs glow.

Cool darkness reaches the river.

After a lovely spaghetti dinner, we all went to bed early.

return • continue