There are lots of ways to reach the Confluence on foot. None of them are easy. Here are the major routes that don’t involve ropes or rappelling.
Trails to the Confluence
| Name | Description | Yearly Hikers* | Distance to Confluence | Elevation Gain/Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beamer Trail | Long, dry and without shade, Beamer is the only National Park trail to reach the Confluence. A descent via Tanner Trail from Lipan Point is the shortest path to reach it from that side. | < 250 | 18 miles | 4,600' |
| Blue Spring Trail | Difficult, seldom-used trail. Reaches canyon floor where the river starts becoming turquoise. Significant, exposure and unforgiving route-finding. | < 25 | 16 miles | 2,200' |
| Cameron Route | Longest but simplest grind enters the gorge near the town of Cameron and follows canyon bottom the whole way | 0 - 25 | 38 miles | 1,400' |
| Horse Trail | Comparatively easy descent down an unknown side-canyon, far upstream from the confluence. Brief section of raw cliff exposure to negotiate. | 25 - 75 | 23 miles | 1,900' |
| Salt Canyon Trail | Rugged, ancient route with moderate exposure, route-finding and scrambling. | 250+ | 11 miles | 2,900' |
| Walter Powell Route | Faint, dangerous route with high degree of exposure and notoriously difficult route-finding. | 0 - 25 | 4 miles | 3,400' |
A note about distance in the table above: the measurement indicated is the distance from the trailhead to the confluence of the Little Colorado and Colorado Rivers. It is not the distance from the trailhead to the Little Colorado.
