We took the bright angel trail down, camping at the bright angel campground by phantom ranch. Only about 1% of people visiting grand canyon national park venture below the rim. Ad planned to overnight stay at of bottom the canyon planned buttshcane. You have 14 miles and 5,761 feet of elevation to descend to the bright angel campground, so bring those trekking poles if you have bad knees like myself. Although we tried six months ago to get a permit to camp at phantom ranch, they were already reserved. The bright angel trail to plateau point hike takes you on the grand canyons most popular hiking trail to the peaceful and scenic plateau point, offering stunning views of the colorado river. As native americans once did, we will hike in their footsteps along the bright angel fault to enter the. Hiking back up the bright angel trail from bright angel campground requires you to hike 4,500 feet up in 10 miles. Hike to bright angel point on the grand canyons north rim. Whether you go up the trail on the last day of an upper canyon raft adventure or down the trail on the first day of a lower canyon raft adventure, the bright angel trail is mandatory. Counterclockwise descending the azt passage 38 south kaibab trail and ascending the bright angel trail is the npss recommended direction of travel. With its long distance and nearly a mile of elevation gain, this is a. Private citizens, the santa fe railway, and government officials contested ownership of the bright angel trail from 1901 to 1928, when control finally passed to the national park service.
The main pieces of gear youll want for dayhiking the bright angel trail include. Bright angel campground can be the perfect onenight excursion into the grand canyon, but many hikers use it as a stop on extended backpacking trips. Read more about necessary permits for backpacking trips leaving indian garden. The other grand canyon hike to the bottom from the south rim is the south kaibab trail. Bright angel trail is the most traveled hike at the grand canyon. Hiking into the grand canyon in winter fodors travel. Bright angel trail to bright angel campground and river trail is a 28. Reservations for overnight tent or rv camping in developed use areas on the canyon rims mather, desert. Hiking the grand canyon bright angel loop mule supported. Well maintained, graded for stock, with regular drinking water and covered resthouses, it is without question the safest trail in grand canyon national park. When they were forced out by the park service, the trail was extended to the river by ralph cameron. Resthouses, complete with shade, water and an emergency telephone, are spaced in 1.
Elevation change from rim to river is 4460 ft 60 m, along a 7. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, nature trips, and backpacking and is best used from september until may. Bright angel trail hiking tips arizona raft adventures. An extremely popular long day hike or backpack is to descend the south kaibab and ascend the bright angel trail. Hiking the bright angel trail, grand canyon national park. Water is available yearround all along the bright angel trail, and youll find more shade in the garden and pipe creek canyons.
The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, and backpacking and is best used from september until may. Keep your eyes open for bighorn sheep and the endangered california condors soaring overhead. Kaibab is pronounced kybab where ky rhymes with eye and bab rhymes with cab for those of you who arent big on sounding like a tourist. The bright angel trail is the most popular trail on the south rimand with good reason. The trip will take us into the grand canyon via one of its most classic trails.
The bright angel trail is what the parks service calls a corridor trail. The canyons steep, vertical walls limit rimtoriver routes. Theres no way to trace the entire trail with your naked eye. The havasupai people, who once lived in the south rim area, built the bright angel trail in what must have been a daring and painstaking effort. If camping, do so at the bright angel campground, though a backcountry permit is required. The bright angel trailhead is located in the village, just west of bright angel lodge. South kaibabbright angel loop hiking trail, grand canyon. Ralph cameron, one of the early pioneers who built the bright angel trail and who would later become an arizona senator, by 1903 had come to an agreement with the resident havasupai allowing him to build a camp for tourists.
The trailhead begins at the north rim lodgevisitor center that rests of the edge of the grand canyon and heads east until you reach bright angel point a half mile later. The trail begins on the south rim just west of kolb studio, and descends to the colorado river. Hiking the bright angel trail grand canyon hikerlore. Bright angel trail offers a meandering descent into the grand canyon and is the easiest trail that goes far below the rim. So we must hike the entire distance down to the colorado river and back in a day, hence, the earlybird start. Remember that uphill hikers have the right of way since they are doing the hard part, and to stay on the right side of the trail. You can look up from the bottom of what looked bottomless from where you stood long ago on the rim. South kaibab follows ridge lines and is a steeper hike and not suggested for ascents and offers huge vistas, whereas bright angel follows side canyons, has more shade and foliage and animal life, and is considered an easier ascent.
It is more difficult than the first half of the hike because you are going uphill, but your pack can be a bit lighter since there are three rest stops with potable water along the trail. Grand canyon backpacking south rim bright angel express. Head up the well signposted trail to the canteen at phantom ranch to. As the season starts turning cold, questions come in from readers about hiking the grand canyon in winter. The south kaibab and bright angel trails are the most popular trails in the park. May 27, 2018 the south kaibab and bright angel trails are the most popular trails in the park. Read our bright angel trail description, browse our bright angel trail photos, find practical information for bright angel trail and join in with our trekking and hiking. The bright angel trail will take you all the way to the colorado river. Its a tough hike, but the bright angel trail is the safest and most wellmaintained trail in the park. This mile section of the tonto trail is bookended by bright angel trail to the east and hermit trail to the west, and is a recommended backpack trip. Check the backcountry updates and closures page for current information on trail conditions and situations affecting the backcountry. Upper portion of trail may be extremely icy in winter or early spring. Most choose to descend to the river on the south kaibab trail as this trail is shorter and steeper. Bright angel trail provides access to the colorado river at phantom ranch, and is commonly used on rimtoriver and rimtorim treks.
Grand canyon bright angel trail terrence zhang medium image. Apr 09, 2020 the south kaibab and bright angel trails are two of the grand canyons classic hiking trails. Hike 3 mile resthouse on the bright angel trail 2020. North rim hikes best of the grand canyon backpacking nut. There are multiple turnaround points which can make the hike 3 miles, 6 miles, 9 miles, or 12 miles round trip. The climb out of the canyon on the bright angel trail ascends 4,380 feet in 9. Bright angel trail day hike tour wildland trekking. Bright angel campground grand canyon grand canyon trust. The bright angel trail is one of the most breathtaking hiking trails in the world. Descend the bright angel trail from the south rim to indian garden. You can combine these two trails together to create one massive day hike or a twoday backpacking trip. Backcountry trail distances grand canyon national park u. Starting near several popular hotels, it provides convenient access below the rim, offering dramatic views of the inner canyon.
Bright angel trail hiking trail, grand canyon, arizona. Watch the hiking grand canyon, prepare for backpacking video. The primary thing to keep in mind when winter hiking is that the weather. A day prior to our trip we been inundated with weather news regarding the blizzard of the grand canyon south rim.
Bright angel trail is one of the most trafficked trails in the park, and you will definitely notice the crowds. Grand canyon hiking south kaibab and bright angel trails. From the bright angel trailhead, zigzag your way down 3,195 feet to indian garden, an oasis smudged into a crease in the canyon wall. The bright angel trail is the most used trail in the park. Visitors can park their cars at maswik lodge or the backcountry office for easy access. The bright angel trail is considered the parks premier hiking trail. It is a long, challenging hike but it makes for some incredible memories.
Grand canyon backpacking rim to rim north kaibab to. The bright angel trail is a better choice for the ascent as it is less steep and passes indian garden campground, a possible campground to break up the ascent. Backpack the bright angel trail to indian garden and bright. Grand canyon bright angel trail information hiking. I was graciously invited to join a party of three other women autumn, annette, and gretchen on their five day, four night hike from hermit trail to bright angel starting on september 14 th. Enjoy stunning views along the colorado river before heading up pipe creek along the bright angel trail. As you journey down the bright angel trail, you descend into rock that is almost 2 billion years old.
Near the top of our ascent, we saw lots of people in tennis shoes. In summer read the summer hiking page and in winter read the winter hiking page. Backpack the bright angel trail to indian garden and. As native americans once did, we will hike in their footsteps along the bright angel fault to enter the inner canyon.
During the second week of november, a buddy and i are considering a rim to river to rim hike in the grand canyon. And even as you hike down the trail, its difficult to predict where it will lead 800 feet in front of you. Its one thats easy to make on the bright angel trail, which departs from the south rims commercial cluster. After some rest and relaxation, we will take an enjoyable stroll out to plateau point to take in one of the greatest views grand canyon has to offer. One of only two fully maintained hiking routes into the grand canyon from the south rim south kaibab is the other, the bright angel trail begins near the main visitor complex, at the start of the hermits rest road, and follows the course of garden creek, reaching the colorado after 9. Considered the most famous and easiest of the three corridor trails, the bright angel trail provides the perfect introduction to both the grand canyon and to backpacking. Often overlooked in favor of its southern counterpart, the grand canyon north rim offers some of the best hikes in the western us. Head up the well signposted trail to the canteen at phantom ranch to grab a snack or a cold drink with ice. The south kaibab to bright angel loop backpacking trip is among the most popular grand canyon hikes. I had been to gcnp about 6 years about, but wasnt able to hike below the rim since i had a dog with me dogs arent allowed below the rim. Bright angel trail to bright angel campground and river. Depending on the time of year, spring wildflowers may also line the trail. Over 4,000 feet up and down, this hike isnt easy, but the views are one of a kind.
We are planning to descend south kaibab trail, walk along river trail, and ascend via bright angel trail. At 3 miles down, you will reach the threemile resthouse. If you can manage 2 nights at the bottom, go for it. Hiking grand canyons bright angel trail in between lattes image. Jan 03, 2020 the bright angel trail bakersfield to grand canyon at the south rim is roughly around 510 miles, fairly long drive along the stretch of mojave desert and into the high country of northern arizona. This trail offers a wonderful contrast to the views found along the kaibab trail on day 1. Our familys grand canyon hike on the bright angel trail my. Bright angel trail most traveled hiking trail at the. The complete guide to hiking the bright angel trail, grand. Back then, you had to pay a dollar to access the trail, and cameron charged extra to use the outhouses and water. This is a beginners guide to hiking the grand canyon.
Apr 21, 2010 the bright angel trail is the premier trail in grand canyon national park. The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, and backpacking. Backpacking the grand canyon first part the bright angel. Located on the south rim, trail begins just west of bright angel lodge. Hike the bright angel trail to plateau point in grand canyon. That convenience attracts scores of impulsive hikers who find that going down is easybut climbing up is torturous. Permits are valid only for the trip leader, itinerary, number of people, and dates specified on the permit. Bright angel trail to bright angel campground and river trail. Bright angel point trail is the perfect hike for either hanging out at sunset with a beer or waking up and catching the sunrise with a cup of coffee. Bright angel trail to bright angel campground and river trail is a 17.
This is unfortunate since it is such an incredible time of year for backcountry treks. The bright angel trail will lead us onward and upward along pipe and garden creeks, through the devils corkscrew and on to indian gardens, a beautiful, shaded oasis and our second campsite. Explore one of the natural wonders of the world and get the experience of backpacking both grand canyon rims. Mar 28, 2012 bright angel campground is gorgeous and the hike to ribbon falls was a great day hike. Backpacking the bright angel trail, grand canyon national park backpacking the bright angel trail in grand canyon national park has been one of my longtime backpacking goals.
North kaibab, south kaibab, and bright angel trails. Feb 08, 2017 as the trail begins to flatten out, the rock walls transition from mauv limestone to bright angel shale. We wore hiking boots but we hiked the entire way to the bottom on the s. I had been to gcnp about 6 years about, but wasnt able to hike below the rim since i. The bright angel trail is the most famous of the grand canyon trails and the most popular route for hiking down the grand canyon from the south rim to the colorado river. Backpacking the grand canyon first part the bright angel trail. Backpacking the grand canyon first part the bright angel trail the land of the havasupai, hualapai, navajo and the hopi the bright angel trail bakersfield to grand canyon at the south rim is roughly around 510 miles, fairly long drive along the stretch of mojave desert and into the high country of northern arizona. Dayhiking the bright angel trail to indian garden in the. Bright angel trail grand canyon grand canyon trust. The south kaibab and bright angel trails are two of the grand canyons classic hiking trails. From the south rim at grand canyon village, it descen. Miners improved the trail in 1891 and began charging a toll for others to use it. Bright angel trail hike grand canyon, az 10adventures.
From here, you can take the clear creek trail east along the river, or use the corridor trails to make your own transcanyon loop route. A daypack with a slot for a hydration bladder so you can have plenty of drinking water on demand. Together with south kaibab, it is one of the two corridor trails that are maintained to lead people and pack mules to the colorado river in the bottom. Start at the north rim of grand canyon national park at the north kaibab trail. Snaking up the winding path of bright angel trail, we savor the magnificence of almost 40 layers of rock exposed within the canyon walls. This guided backpacking trip in the grand canyon on the bright angel trail can be scheduled as a two or three day journey. The havasupai forged the upper part of the bright angel trail to indian garden, where they lived seasonally. Starting with the youngest, the kaibab limestone at the trailhead, you progress down gentle switchbacks through progressively older rock. This is the most popular long distance trail in the national park. Oct 04, 2019 the havasupai people, who once lived in the south rim area, built the bright angel trail in what must have been a daring and painstaking effort. Finally, following in the footsteps of only the most resolute backcountry explorers, well celebrate our rim to rim accomplishment along the edges of the canyons magnificent south rim. Grand canyon, and one of the worlds best walk, treks, hikes and climbs. The knowledge of basic bright angel trail hiking tips and etiquette comes in handy as you tackle the trail. Well maintained, graded for stock, with regular drinking water and covered resthouses, it is without question the.
Although steep and challenging, its wellmaintained and makes a terrific introduction to inner canyon hiking. Hermit to bright angel hike hit the trail at grand canyon. This itinerary features the very best of bright angel, as our expert local guides lead us on an immersive trek into the heart of one of the worlds most spectacular. Hiking the bright angel trail we arise when the first bus leaves our campsite. From the rim, nearly 100 switchbacks snake down the canyon, etched into the red rock, cutting a thin ribbon of matted red dirt. Our familys grand canyon hike on the bright angel trail. A nice day hike on your layover day is to ribbon falls if youre feeling energetic about. How to hike the south kaibab and bright angel trail in one. The corridor trails are heavily used and actively maintained. Follow path along rim, trail starts by mule corral. Aug 27, 2016 a 3day, 2night winter backpacking trip in grand canyon national park on the bright angel and south kaibab trails. Bright angel trail grand canyon national park 2020 all. Finally, following in the footsteps of only the most resolute backcountry explorers, well celebrate our rim to rim accomplishment.
Zigzag your way down 3,195 feet on nearly 100 switchbacks to indian garden, an oasis smudged into a crease in the canyon wall. Read our bright angel trail description, browse our bright angel trail photos, find practical information for bright angel trail and join in with our trekking and hiking forums to find out why we think so. Hiking to the river is only recommended if you are spending the night in the canyon, but. Permits for all overnight backcountry use must be obtained through the backcountry information center at grand canyon national park. One of the two superhighways of the grand canyon, this well maintained and popular trail offers breathtaking vistas, some shaded areas. In comparison to the south kaibab route, bright angel offers a more gradual climb, more shade, and most importantly, several potable water spigots. Begins near the main visitor center complex, grand canyon national park, az 86023. This trail is the daily descent route for passenger mules, so once again, encounters on the trail are likely. An oasis in the middle of the canyon, indian garden has shade, water, and a rest area. Guided backpacking trip grand canyon bright angel trail.