A former employee of the North Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon was killed when a boulder fell on him. Since then, strange lights and apparitions near his grave on the trail, as well as the Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Canyon, have reportedly haunted the park.
In the immense expanse of the Grand Canyon, near the iconic Phantom Ranch, lies the North Kaibab Trail, a path steeped in history and tragedy. It’s a two-day trek from rim to rim of the Grand Canyon, but the area you’re hiking is believed to be haunted by a former park employee.
The North Kaibab Trail is the least-visited and most tough of the inner canyon trails in the park. Starting at 1,000 feet, it is demanding, with a steep path worn down piece by piece by those who supposedly haunt it.
Rees Griffith's Haunted Story
In February 1922, Rees B. Griffiths, a 48-year-old foreman on a construction crew tasked with demolishing part of the Grand Canyon, met a gruesome end on the North Kaibab Trail. While working on a building on the southern part of the trail, he was crushed by a boulder that suddenly ended his life by tumbling down the slope.
He survived the initial crush but died later at a camp on the trail. Griffiths, who had a deep connection to the canyon and loved the outdoors, expressed a wish to be buried there after his death.
In honor of that wish, his grave was placed between Black Bridge and Phantom Ranch, directly across from the Pueblo Ruins on the North Kaibab Trail. His casket was made from materials they had at camp, and a pile of stones marked his grave. The burial site remains a poignant reminder of his untimely death.
Haunted legends of strange lights
Since Griffiths’ tragic death, the area around his grave has become a focal point for ghost legends and eerie encounters. Many visitors and hikers have reported seeing the spirit of Rees Griffiths wandering the North Kaibab Trail.
These apparitions are often described as a lone figure appearing just before the lights go out. Some witnesses have reported seeing a diminutive, mysterious airy hovering over Griffiths’ gravesite, which many believe to be his restless spirit. Ghostly sightings aren’t constrained to the trails; campers near the North Kaibab Trail have also reported chilling experiences, including unexplained sounds and a pervasive sense of being watched.
Haunted Ghost Ranch
Many of those who have noticed it are people who live at Phantom Ranch, east of Bright Angel Creek, with its eerie name, which is accessible only by foot or boat. The diminutive ranch opened in 1922 at the bottom of the canyon, and there are mules that take tourists into the wilderness for lottery winners to stay there, since they don’t take reservations.
The spirit presence of Rees Griffiths is not just a campfire tale. Many hikers and tourists have experienced signs of paranormal activity in the area. The ghostly figure is often seen at dusk or dawn, silently walking the trails, but does he haunt the area alone?
According to some sources, another name is said to haunt the place in a very similar way and that is the reason it got its name. Phantom Ranch is located in Phantom Canyon, a side canyon of Bright Angel Canyon. It is said to be named after John Shane, a prospector who died many years before the ranch. A rock fell from the wall and killed him at the mouth of the side canyon near the stream. Both hunters and prospectors reported seeing strange storms and nights.
Noah Kelley, the caretaker of Phantom Ranch in its early years, knew Shane well and after he and others saw strange things, they named the place Phantom Canyon. “I saw something that looked like someone was carrying a lantern, going from place to place. Then it would go out and then come back on again. That's how it was, and sometimes it would just be really dark, and then it would brighten up and keep thundering. I would just lie in bed and cover my head. That's how it was.” (Source)
The Charm of the Haunted Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon, with its majestic beauty and profound silence, has always exuded an aura of mystery. The haunted legends of the North Kaibab Trail add a layer of intrigue to the natural wonder, attracting both paranormal enthusiasts and curious visitors. The tale of Rees Griffiths and other spirits believed to haunt the North Kaibab Trail, as well as Phantom Ranch, serve as a stark reminder of the canyon’s threatening history and the lives that have been lost amid its rugged landscape in search of adventure and wilderness.
References:
History of Phantom Ranch in the Grand Canyon – 1922-1934
Grand Canyon – Phantom Ranch Information
Signs of Paranormal Activity at Grand Canyon National Park – Part 1
GRIFFITHS, Rees B. – The Arizona Pioneer and Burial Ground Research Project
Rees Bladen Griffiths (1873-1922) – Find a Grave Memorial
Image Source: Pixabay.com
