Mount Washburn Spur Trail

From the pullout, follow Seven Mile Hole Trail along the Grand Canyon rim. The first mile and a half has occasional openings toward the canyon and a seasonal waterfall across it; after that, the tread enters woods and rolls gently for a little over a mile to the spur junction. This easy start is deceptive: the described route gains only about 300 feet in its first 5.8 miles, then most of the climbing comes later. At the junction, take Mount Washburn Spur; continuing down Seven Mile Hole heads toward the Yellowstone River and belongs to a different hike.

From the junction, the spur meanders through woods for about a mile and a half to Washburn Hot Springs, a cluster of acidic mud pots. The 1870 Washburn Expedition called the springs “Hell-Broth Springs”; their odor may reach you before you see them. Stay on the established tread around the thermal ground. Past the springs, the path crosses a meadow with Mount Washburn ahead, then begins the long climb.

The final 2.5 miles are steepest: about 1,200 feet up in the first mile, a short easier traverse, another sharp rise, and the approach to the lookout at the top. Save strength for the descent as well as the ascent. The summit is 10,219 feet above sea level, a high payoff after the long approach; most of the route before the final climb is a steady, rolling walk rather than a sustained ascent.

Choose this for an all-day combination of canyon rim, thermal features and a summit; skip it if the summit alone is your goal or 16 miles is too much. Separate Mount Washburn routes start from Chittenden Road and Dunraven Pass. Combining one of those with this trail needs a drop-off or ride back to the original start, so treat them as separate out-and-backs unless you have transport arranged.