One of the hardest things about hiking the South Bass Trail is reaching the trailhead.  Be sure you have directions for getting to the trailhead before starting out.  Forest Road # 328 is fairly easy driving until you reach the Havasupai Tribal check station.  After that the condition of the road deteriorates rapidly and is extremely rough and rutted.  This section of the road may be impassable if it is wet or snowy. 

     The trail begins a gradual descent to the east for a half-mile or so before turning back to the north.  There are some Indian ruins off to the east of the trail at this point.  At about the 1.5 mile point, the trail levels off and reaches a cairn and the Royal Arch Trail junction.  The South Bass continues straight ahead across the Esplanade and is almost flat for another mile.  Then the trail makes a right turn back to the south and continues its gradual descent for another half-mile.  At this point, the trail turns left back to the north and continues its descent almost straight ahead until reaching the Tonto Trail junction at the five-mile point where there are some nice campsites.  Turn left or right here for the Tonto or continue straight ahead for almost another three miles to reach Bass Rapids.

     The South Bass Trail is one of the easiest non-Corridor trails into the Canyon that I have done with moderate descents and only five miles to the Tonto Trail junction.

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