The official start of the Clear Creek trail is on the North Kaibab Trail a half-mile north of Phantom Ranch.  The trail starts a steep climb to the south and southeast and switchbacks its way to the Phantom Overlook, a nice area to view Phantom Ranch below.  The CCC constructed the Clear Creek Trail in the 1930s and also built a really neat rock bench at this spot.  The trail continues to climb steeply until reaching the top where there are great views of the Colorado River, both suspension bridges, and the South Kaibab Trail.  There are then a few contours and minor boulder hopping until you reach two large cairns on Sumner Wash below Sumner Butte.  You are only allowed to camp east of these cairns.  The trail from this point on is easy walking and only slightly uphill all the way past Zoroaster temple, Bradley Point, Demaray Point, and into Zoroaster Canyon.  The trail now turns to the north and northeast all the way to the final descent into Clear Creek.  This narrow descent next to a steeply sloped drop-off makes some people quite nervous.  The three campsites are about a quarter-mile to the south down a rocky creek bed.