Hikers on the sandstone Esplanade of the Thunder River Trail below the North Rim of the Grand Canyon outside Fredonia, Arizona November 2011. The 21.4-mile loop descends 2000-feet in 2.5-miles through Coconino Sandstone from the Bill Hall trailhead to connect the Thunder River and Deer Creeks trails. Hikers descend into the lower canyon through a break in the 400-foot-tall Redwall to access Surprise Valley, Deer Creek, Tapeats Creek via Thunder River and even the Colorado River.

35 39 years adult adults only adventure arizona backpack caucasian ethnicity color image day esplanade sandstone exploration extreme terrain full length geology grand canyon heterosexual couple hiking hiking pole holding horizontal men mid adult man mid adult woman mountain nature non urban scene north rim outdoors people physical geography rear view rock sunlight tranquility tranquil scene travel travel destinations tree two people walking women