Start of the Eberhart Trail in Little River Canyon National Preserve

Length: 1 mile round trip
Time: 1 hour with time to explore the river area
Difficulty: Strenuous climb into and out of Little River Canyon

The Eberhart Trail is a mess. I hiked it back in 2014 and it wasn’t bad, but eleven years later, erosion has taken its toll, and obviously the National Park Service has no intentions of stopping the destruction. It is one of three trails along the Canyon Rim Drive that descend into Little River Canyon and end at the river, and none of them are fun to hike. I will say that the Eberhart Trail is better than the Powell Trail, but that’s like saying Iraq is a better place to live than Gaza. And it is certainly easier than the Lower Two-Mile Trail, a trail that is essentially a path straight down the canyon wall.

Typical terrain on the Eberhart Trail in Little River Canyon National Preserve

The Eberhart Trail forms a series of three switchbacks as it travels to the river below. It is wide, rocky, and rutted, but I suspect that it wasn’t always this way. At the bottom lies the ruins of an old picnic area, and I’m pretty sure the tables weren’t carried down by hand. Without a doubt, this trail originated as a road to the bottom of the canyon.

From the parking lot for the Eberhart Point Overlook, a 200-foot connector leads down to the wide, road-like Eberhart Trail. As with the main trail, the connector is steep, having an average grade of 22% (15% is where strenuous hiking begins). Be sure to pay attention on the way back, because if you miss the connector—there are two concrete steps where it meets the main trail—you will continue farther up the old road than you care to be. I’m guessing it comes out on the Little River Canyon Parkway (CR 176) somewhere, which is how vehicles would gain access.

Intersection of the Eberhart Trail and the connector back to the parking lot, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Once at the main trail, take a left and head downhill. The trail surface is rutted with a gully down the middle, plus there is a lot of loose gravel. It’s like walking on marbles. I had my feet slip out from under me once, and I nearly twisted an ankle four times. The only good thing I can say about the Eberhart Trail is that it is only .4 mile to the bottom.

Typical terrain on the Eberhart Trail in Little River Canyon National Preserve

There is a bench at the end of each switchback, but I do not advise sitting on them without inspecting them first. For reasons I don’t want to get into here, I suspected that ticks might be lurking on the benches. I didn’t find any, but I did find three large, red velvet mites. They aren’t harmful to humans, but they are equally as creepy as ticks.

Bench at the start of the second switchback on the Eberhart Trail in Little River Canyon National Preserve

Red velvet mites on a bench along the Eberhart Trail in Little River Canyon National Preserve

Just for reference, the average grade of the first switchback is 15%, which isn’t too bad. The length is a tenth of a mile. The average grade of the second switchback is much steeper at 23%. The length is also a tenth of a mile. The third switchback has the same grade as the second, but it is only 400 feet long.

Once the Eberhart Trail reaches the bottom of the canyon, it is as flat as a pancake all the way to the Little River, roughly another tenth of a mile away.

Flat section of the Eberhart Trail at the bottom of Little River Canyon, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Eberhart Trail ends at the Little River, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Depending on the water level, it is possible to go swimming in the Little River at this point (why else would there have been a picnic area here?). There are some small rapids both up- and downstream from where the Eberhart Trail meets the river, but in between, the water is typically calm enough for swimming.

Calm pool of water at the end of the Eberhart Trail, Little River Canyon National Preserve

For non-expert level kayakers, the Little River starting at the Eberhart Trail offers calmer waters than what lies farther upriver: Class 3 and 4 rapids versus Class 5 and 6 rapids below Little River Falls. These calmer waters actually start at the Lower Two-Mile Trail, but to get your kayak in at that point you have to carry it down the side of the canyon wall. A Ranger told me that people do it, and if you are up to the task, you can cover an additional 2.5-miles of river from Lower Two-Mile to Eberhart Point.

Rapids upstream from where the Eberhart Trail meets the Little River, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Just prior to coming to the river is a trail that branches off to the right. This is where the old picnic area is. I’m not sure how far the trail goes, but it extends much farther than the picnic area. I didn’t hike to the end due to it being overgrown.

Ruins of an old picnic table on the Eberhart Trail, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Ruins of an old building at the defunct picnic area on the Eberhart Trail, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Old shelter at the former picnic area at the end of the Eberhart Trail, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Plan to spend up to 1.5 hours for your trip on the Eberhart Trail. The total hiking time is just 40 minutes: 20 minutes down and 20 minutes up. However, there is enough to see and do at the river and picnic area ruins to kill another half hour. If you stay to swim, picnic, or just sit and relax at the river, set aside additional time.

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