Beamer Trail
The Little Colorado River joins the main stem at river mile 61.5. Since the voyage of exploration in 1869 this confluence has marked the end of Marble Canyon and the formal commencement of Grand Canyon proper – the threshold of Powell’s “Great Unknown.” The setting is remarkable. When unstained by floodwater the Little Colorado is the color of the sky. Huge unbroken sweeps of vibrant vertical stone range 4000 feet up to the rim as two monumental canyon systems merge into one. The Grand Canyon’s a place where the extraordinary is routine, but even here, the Beamer trail to the mouth of the Little Colorado River represents choice Canyon decor.
Vital Statistics
Mileages
Tanner Beach to Little Colorado: 9.5 miles (15km)
Maps
Cape Solitude and Desert View 7.5 USGS Quads
Elevations
Little Colorado/Tanner Beach: 2700’ (823 m)
Tapeats Bench at Palisade Creek: 3100’ (945 m)
Trailhead Access
The Tanner Trail provides access in the south.
It is possible to access the Beamer Trail at the north end by way of the Little Colorado River gorge, but rim to river routes in the Little Colorado River are, without exception, rough, possibly dangerous wilderness routes. The Little Colorado River drains most of northeastern Arizona and has the potential to produce sediment-laden floods of massive proportions. A current weather report, careful campsite selection, a conservative attitude and a vigilant eye on the sky are essential for safe travel through this confined, flood-prone canyon system.
Trail Description
Walk the Tanner Trail to the river and head upcanyon along the river. Small outcroppings of Dox sandstone present minor problems (with obvious solutions) at a couple of spots along the way, but in general the route between Tanner Canyon and Palisades Creek is straightforward. Riparian vegetation is dense near the shoreline so the trail tends toward a line a short distance above the water where the brush starts to give way to rocky slopes.
The character of the Beamer Trail changes dramatically between Palisades Creek and the the Little Colorado River. What was an easy, straight-line stroll across sandy slopes becomes a tedious, demanding trek along narrow, exposed ledges at the very brink of high cliffs.
Tapeats Sandstone outcrops emerging from deep water make it impossible to stay near the River about the mouth of Palisades Creek. Climb about 400 vertical feet up the talus north of Palisades to the top of the Tapeats. This slope offers the only possible break in the sandstone for miles in either direction so the place to start up should be obvious. The top of the Tapeats is the route all the way to the Little Colorado. The trail is badly eroded, narrow, and, in places, remarkably exposed at the edge of an impressive precifice, so walk carefully. It’s almost like a junior version of the Tonto Trail, contouring around each of the many, small, steep gullies that drain Palisades of the Desert. The trail is reasonably well defined, but if there are to be rout finding problems they will probably occur at the point the trail crosses the drainages. It is possible to scramble down to walk the shoreline ¼ mile below the confluence, but the main trail stays on the Tapeats rim all the way to the Little Colorado River.
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