This is one of two suspension bridges over the Colorado River. This black bridge is at the end of the South Kaibab Trail and has wooden planking as its decking because mule trains use it and mules will not walk on a surface they can see through. A silver suspension bridge is built about a half mile down river and carries foot traffic to the Bright Angel Trail and also carries the water pipe which transports water from Roaring Springs to the South Rim (see the photos for the North Kaibab Trail for more info on the water system.) The cables for the silver bridge were carried down from the South Rim by Indians in 1970. Each cable was 600 feet long, weighed over a ton, and required over 40 Indians per cable to snake down the switchbacks of South Kaibab Trail. When the older black bridge was built in 1928 it was the only bridged crossing of the Colorado for 350 miles.
This is the main building at Phantom Ranch, housing their snack shop, kitchen, and dining room/meeting room. When I was there in 1985 and 1989, breakfasts were family style and wonderful! Lunches were sack lunches of sandwiches, fruit, and cookies. Suppers were a choice of steak or their all-in-one-pot-stew, both of which were fantastic. Snack items include candy, chips, pop, lemonade, etc. and are available for several hours each day. Everything needed at Phantom Ranch, as well as all garbage generated, comes in and leaves by supply mule train (yes, even the eggs!) The price for meals is therefore expensive, but well worth it, especially when compared to your dehydrated food! All employees have to walk in and out, and stay down there for a couple weeks per shift, then have a week or so off at the South Rim.
This is a view looking down at the entire Phantom Ranch area from the Tonto Plateau on the Clear Creek Trail.
This view looks at the Colorado River in the area of Bright Angel Campground
and the neighboring Phantom Ranch. The "black bridge" brings the
South Kaibab Trail over the river, and beyond it, indistinct near the top
of this picture is the "silver bridge" which brings the River
Trail/Bright Angel Trail across the river. The photo was taken from the
north side of the river up on the Tonto Plateau on the Clear Creek Trail.