Hiking The Bright Angel Trail In The Grand Canyon
The Bright Angel Trail on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is one of the most popular hiking trails within the park. It is a challenging 15.6-mile (25 km) out-and-back hike that takes hikers through the canyon on a series of switchbacks to the Colorado River.
There are numerous rest stops along the Bright Angel Trail where hikers can turn around, making the hike as short or long as desired. For those looking for a longer hike, try an overnight hike along the trail and connect onto the South Kaibab Trail, or go from the South Rim to the North Rim of the canyon via the North Kaibab Trail.
Difficulty:Â Hard
Length: around 15.6-mile / 25 km out-and-back
Suggested Duration: 10-12 hours (dependent on hiking pace and weather)
Signage:Â Various signs throughout
Facilities: Restrooms and water refill stations at the trailhead and rest stops along the trail
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Key Features Of Bright Angel Trail
- Breathing views from within the canyon
- Numerous lookout points
- Day or overnight hiking options
- Connects to South and North Kaibab Trails
- Hike rim to rim from Bright Angel Trail onto North Kaibab Trail
- See and dip your toes in the Colorado River
- Potential wildlife sightings
Facilities And Services
- Located in Grand Canyon National Park
- One of the most famous and popular hiking trails in the park
- A well-maintained and well-marked trail
- A challenging hike with steep, switchback sections
- Shuttle bus near the trailhead
- Resthouses and seasonal water stations (Mid-May to Mid-October) at the 1.5 and 3-mile marks
- Drinking water and restrooms at the trailhead, Havasupai Gardens and Bright Angel Campground
- Campsites at Havasupai Gardens and Bright Angel Campground
- Lodging at Phantom Ranch by reservation only
- Restrooms and emergency phones at all rest stops
- Ranger station at Havasupai Gardens and Phantom Ranch
Before You Start Hiking Bright Angel Trail
While the Bright Angel is pretty straightforward when it comes to navigating the pathway, there are a few things you should know before you begin hiking to make the most out of your adventures. The first is that this trail is located within the Grand Canyon National Park. Therefore, you will need a pass or permit to enter.
As of December 2022, the fees are as follows:
- Vehicle Permit USD 35 (per vehicle with up to 15 passengers)
- Individual Permit USD 20 (per person on foot, bicycle or park shuttle bus)
- Motorcycle Permit USD 30 (per one non-commercial motorcycle)
Digital permits can also be purchased online at recreation.gov before visiting.
In addition to individual permits, annual and lifetime passes can be purchased at the National Park Service website. These passes include access to various other national parks around America.
General Information
The Bright Angel Trail to the Colorado River is not recommended by the Grand Canyon National Park to complete in one day unless you have the hiking expertise and fitness level to do so. Even then, due to extreme weather changes and temperatures along with 5,000 feet (1500 meters) of elevation change.
If you intend on hiking to the Colorado River and back, consider spending the evening at the Bright Angel Campground. Getting to the campground will take from the trailhead will take 9.5 miles (15.3 km). For more information about backcountry hiking within the Grand Canyon, check out the National Park backcountry brochure here.
While on the trails, please use general trail etiquette and follow the Leave No Trace Principles whenever you are out enjoying nature.
- Dogs are not permitted on the trail.
- Mules have the right away (yes, you can book group mule rides to take you along the trails).
- Do not need any wildlife.
- Do not litter or leave garbage or food on the trails (whatever you take in, take out).
- Uphill hikers have the right away.
- Do not store abandoned gear along the trail.
- Use the restroom along the trail.
- Share the trail. The trail is not overly wide. Let hikers know ahead of you if you wish to pass them.
Weather And Water
Weather can change quite quickly at the Grand Canyon. It is important to come prepared for anything. Be sure to bring plenty of water. While there are a few rest stops to fill your water bottle, some may be closed depending on the season. When we visited the Grand Canyon, there were signs at the trailhead indicating which dates water would no longer be available throughout the trail. When in doubt, please get in touch with the visitor centre.
Drinking water can be found at the following locations along the Bright Angel Trail:
- Havasupai Gardens
- Bright Angel Campground
- 1.5 Mile Resthouse (Mid-May to Mid-October)
- 3 Mile Resthouse (Mid-May to Mid-October)
Along with bringing enough water, we encourage hikers to pack salty snacks. During the summer months, dehydration is common, which can lead to heat exhaustion.
In the winter months, the trails may be covered in snow or ice. As pictured above, there was a caution sign at the trailhead when we went to the Grand Canyon in November of 2022. While we did not need crampons as there was no ice on the trails, it was quite icy a few days prior. That being said, if you are hiking in the winter months, you should bring a shoe traction device such as microspikes or crampons and hiking poles.
Our Experience Hiking Bright Angel Trail
When we first arrived at the Grand Canyon from Page, Arizona, we stopped off Desert View Road to stretch our legs and check out the Grand Canyon Desert Watchtower before making our way to the Grand Canyon Village.
From here, we made our way to the Bright Angel Trail. This was one of the top two hikes on our list (the other was the South Kaibab Trail, which we did afterwards!). Parking is limited near the trailhead. We recommend either taking the free shuttle bus or taking a short walk from one of the larger parking lots, such as Lot D (around a 10-15 minute walk away). We ended up parking at Lot D, near the backcountry information centre.
As soon as you start hiking, you will be in awe of the picturesque scenery of the Grand Canyon. The trail quickly begins to descend down the canyon, giving you many different vantage points of the canyon. Here are a few photos.
It is easy to get lost in the beauty of this trail as the views are spectacular, and the trail has a lot of character. Being from Nova Scotia, we are used to forest or ocean hikes, so this trail was unlike anything we had ever seen before.
The trail, although narrow, is well-groomed and maintained. It has steps and switchbacks throughout to make the hiking experience smoother. Naturally, coming back up was much more difficult than going down. We made sure to save our energy for when we hiked back up the switchbacks.
Along the trail, we even caught a glimpse of a bighorn sheep. It may be hard to tell in the photo below as it was in the bushes. We didn’t see any other wildlife along the trail other than a few birds flying overhead, so seeing the bighorn sheep was pretty exciting.
Once we reached the 1.5-mile resthouse, we decided to return as we still had a few more hikes to try to fit into our short, one-day visit to the Grand Canyon! On our way back up, we looked back to take in the view one last time and saw a group of people riding mules following behind us!
And just like that, another successful hike for the books!
Checklists And Recommended Gear
The following is a guide to our recommended gear for a day hike on the Bright Angel Trail.
- Whistle
- Water Bottle
- First aid kit
- Salty snacks
- Sunhat
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Phone or camera
- Comfortable hiking boots – Women’s // Men’s
- Layers of clothes
- Cascade Hiking Poles
- Map
Related Hikes
Other hikes on the South Rim Of the Grand Canyon
- South Kaibab Trail
- Rim Trail
- Hermit Trail
- Grandview Trail
