Powell Plateau Trail

Powell Plateau Trail is a remote out-and-back from Swamp Point, following the North Bass approach to Muav Saddle, then climbing onto a pine-forested tableland above the Colorado River. The mapped corridor is about 4.0 miles one way, for 8.1 miles round trip; plan about 6 to 8 hours. This is a full canyon hike, not a quick rim walk: it drops steeply before climbing again, the turn at Muav Saddle is unsigned, and tread fades in places. The payoff is a long stretch of forest and a string of canyon views. The mileage ends at the named trail's mapped end on the plateau; hiking farther south along the rim adds a separate excursion.

From Swamp Point the path switchbacks for about a mile and drops roughly 800 feet to Muav Saddle. The junction is unsigned. Take the middle branch south toward Powell Plateau; the left branch drops into the North Bass drainage, and the right branch heads toward an old patrol cabin. Stop to match the fork with your map before continuing. Cairns mark parts of the broader North Bass system, but they are not reliable enough to follow blindly. Several miles of the historic route were restored to their old alignment in 2005, so older maps may disagree with the tread you find.

Beyond the saddle, the trail drops to a lower saddle and climbs about 900 feet over roughly 1.5 miles onto the plateau. The tread is faint in places. The first section feels easier because you are going down; on the way out, you have to climb back to Swamp Point, so save energy for that return. This is a hard day on a remote route with real route-finding, but it is the constructed trail to the plateau, not the separate technical circumambulation around it.

Powell Plateau is a high, pine-forested tableland; its rim gives you successive views across the canyon instead of a single viewpoint. From the north end, Steamboat Mountain sits across the layered canyon. For a photo, keep a pale cliff edge or pine branches in the foreground and the canyon beyond, so the plateau's scale comes through.

Water is scarce on the plateau, and summer temperatures can exceed 100°F. Carry all the water you need for the day and start early. A seasonal spring is described down the North Bass route near Muav Saddle; it is off this spur and not a supply to plan around. If you camp in the pine forest, you need a backcountry permit. Pets are not allowed below the canyon rim, and this route descends below it.

Swamp Point is a remote trailhead, not a roadside rim stop. The approach by Forest Service roads from the north is easier than driving through the park via Point Sublime and Kanabownits Roads. Swamp Ridge Road is gated after first snow until crews clear downed trees; in some years it does not reopen until late May or early June. Confirm the route, gate and current access status before setting out.