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The Tabernacle
A river-trip summit with canyon views in every direction
About
The Tabernacle is a church-shaped butte deep in the eastern Grand Canyon, capped in Muav limestone and rising to roughly 4,830 feet. You won't stumble onto it from a rim overlook or a day hike from the South Rim — it's reached only from the Colorado River, on foot from Rattlesnake Camp near river mile 74. The climb starts by ascending a narrow spine of Dox Sandstone with steep drop-offs on either side, then keeps gaining ground steadily to the summit, roughly 2,200 feet of elevation gain over a couple of miles. It's a fixture on multi-day non-motorized rafting trips, typically scheduled as a layover-day hike a few days into the float.
What you get for the effort
Sure footing and a head for exposure matter more than raw distance here. From the top, the payoff is a 360-degree sweep of the eastern canyon — Furnace Flats spreading below, the Palisades of the Desert rising across the river, and canyon layers stacked in every direction. Spring and fall are the better windows; the exposed sandstone fin gets brutal in summer heat with zero shade.
Best Time to Climb It
Spring and fall are the better windows; the exposed sandstone fin gets brutal in summer heat with zero shade.
Trail Tips
- Sure footing and a head for exposure matter more than raw distance here.
- From the top, the payoff is a 360-degree sweep of the eastern canyon — Furnace Flats spreading below, the Palisades of the Desert rising across the river.
- This is only accessible as part of an organized multi-day river trip, not a standalone hike from any trailhead.
Getting to The Tabernacle
The climb starts by ascending a narrow spine of Dox Sandstone with steep drop-offs on either side, then keeps gaining ground steadily to the summit, roughly 2,200 feet of elevation gain over a couple of miles.
What to Expect Climbing The Tabernacle
The Tabernacle is a church-shaped butte deep in the eastern Grand Canyon, capped in Muav limestone and rising to roughly 4,830 feet. You won't stumble onto it from a rim overlook or a day hike from the South Rim — it's reached only from the Colorado River, on foot from Rattlesnake Camp near river mile 74. It's a fixture on multi-day non-motorized rafting trips, typically scheduled as a layover-day hike a few days into the float.
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