text: Hikers follow a route along the Colorado River that connect Tapeats Creek and Thunder River to Deer Creek in the Grand Canyon outside of Fredonia, Arizona November 2011. The 21.4-mile loop starts at the Bill Hall trailhead on the North Rim and descends 2000-feet in 2.5-miles through Coconino Sandstone to the level Esplanada then descends further into the lower canyon through a break in the 400-foot-tall Redwall to access Surprise Valley. Hikers connect Thunder River and Tapeats Creek to a route along the Colorado River and climb out Deer Creek.