Statistics  Difficulty: 4.5     Route Finding: 1   Distance One Way 9.6 miles  Trailhead Elevation 6860 feet  Elevation Gain -4380 feet  Avg Time One Way 4-6 hours Interest: Perennial Creek Author HAZ Hikebot  Descriptions: 110  Routes: 1,729  Photos: 0  Trips: 1   (6 Miles)  Age:     Gender: ?  Location: Arizona HAZ Member Photos  Photos         Date Member 34  12-12-2009  Al_HikesAZ 14  11-28-2009  Nan 20  10-22-2009  cabel 48  10-22-2009  Thoreau 5  10-10-2009  hikingBob 9  10-08-2009  Crzy4AZ 5  08-26-2009  Miyamoto 7  08-24-2009  Nan 20  06-07-2009  cabel 22  06-06-2009  desert-booni 8  05-19-2009  Al_HikesAZ 23  03-12-2009  Preston Sand 4  11-04-2008  hikeaz 9  10-18-2008  LeeAnn 5  09-13-2008  Alan163 21  06-15-2008  azbelknap Page:  1,  2,  3,  4   Photosets Rated Viewed Associated GC Corridor Trails Rate Hike Mile Ft   Bright Angel Trail 9.6 -4,380   North Kaibab Trail 14 -5,760   Plateau Point 1.6 165   River Trail 0 0   Skeleton Point 6 2,040   South Kaibab Trail 7 -4,790

South Rim  Forest  Kaibab  NPS  Grand Canyon  Wilderness  Grand Canyon National Pa Backpack - Connecting Only Seasons - Spring to Late Autumn GPS Routes  2006-06-05 Al_HikesAZ 4.57 mi  2008-05-01 cboyle76 12.58 mi  Default Route by dadstudy 9.41 mi Linked Routes  Kaibab - Phantom - Bright Angel Shuttle  2009-03-08 ckollenb Expand Map Street Terrain Topo View All Routes w/ Borders!  Map - Trails Illustrated Grand Canyon NP Jump to Hike Map Culture  Glen Canyon Linear (    Kayenta Anasazi Buil   Fauna  Anise Swallowtail  Bighorn Sheep    California Condor    Clark's Spiny Lizard    Desert Spiny Lizard    Merriam's Turkey    Mule    Mule Deer    Rock Squirrel    Scarlet Tanager  Wild Turkey    Yellow-bellied Sapsu Flora  Ailanthus    Arizona Thistle    Beavertail Prickly P    Desert Globemallow    Engelmann Prickly Pe    Fremont Cottonwood*    Indian Paintbrush    Mohave Prickly Pear    Mojave prickly poppy  Ponderosa Pine    Redbud Tree    Salt Cedar*    Soaptree Yucca    Winding Mariposa Lil   Geology  Coconino Sandstone    Kaibab Formation    Redwall Limestone    Supai Group    Vishnu Schist    Zoroaster Granite   Nearby Hikes Springs Direct Air Miles Away to Trailhead 0 •  Battleship Grand Canyon 0 •  Plateau Point 0.1 •  Rim Trail - Hermit's Rest to Village 0 •  Rim to Rim 2.4 •  Dana Butte [ View More! ]       [ View Springs! ]

Overview: The Bright Angel Trail is considered the park’s premier hiking trail. Well maintained, graded for stock, with regular drinking water and covered rest-houses, it is without question the safest trail in Grand Canyon National Park. There is a ranger station located at the trail’s halfway point (Indian Garden) and one at the bottom of the canyon (Bright Angel Campground). Visitors hiking for the first time at Grand Canyon often use this trail in conjunction with the South Kaibab Trail. Particularly during hot weather, it makes sense to ascend via the Bright Angel Trail because of potable water, regular shade, emergency phones, and the ranger presence.

Hike: While the South Kaibab Trail follows a ridge line, the Bright Angel Trail follows the head of a side canyon. Views on the Bright Angel Trail are framed by massive cliffs, and by virtue of being a shadier trail with natural water sources, there is more plant life and animal life along the Bright Angel Trail than on the South Kaibab Trail. These features make the Bright Angel Trail appealing to those interested in geology and in viewing wildlife.

The majority of this trail’s elevation change takes place in the upper four miles of trail via a series of switchbacks that can seem endless. Be sure to utilize the resthouses and seasonal water sources along the way (there are composting toilets at Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse, but no toilets at Three-Mile Resthouse). Whether ascending or descending, it is worthwhile to take breaks regularly. Approaching Indian Garden, the trail flattens out considerably as it crosses the shaley and desolate Tonto Platform.

Indian Garden is an oasis in the canyon used by Native Americans up to modern times. 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. He staked mining claims to secure the site, built tent cabins, and planted the enormous cottonwood trees still present today. Hikers camping at Indian Garden should consider the mile and a half side trip to Plateau Point.

Below Indian Garden, the trail follows a creek through a meandering gully of water-sculpted stone and shimmering cottonwood trees. The trail becomes steep once again where this gully empties into the broad, bowl-shaped Pipe Creek drainage. This section of trail, affectionately referred to as the Devil’s Corkscrew, is brutally hot during the summer months and should therefore only be attempted during the early morning or late evening hours. There are no potable water sources between Indian Garden and Bright Angel Campground. A composting toilet is located near the River Resthouse.

From the Pipe Creek/River Resthouse area to Bright Angel Campground, the trail traverses exposed sand dunes for over a mile until reaching the silver bridge across the Colorado River. Again, during hot weather, these sand dunes become a dangerous slog.

Water Sources/Rest Stations: During summer months there is potable drinking water at Bright Angel Campground, Indian Garden Campground, Three-Mile Resthouse, and Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse. From mid-October to early May, water is only available at Bright Angel Campground and Indian Garden. There is never potable water available at the River Resthouse. Please note that, due to occasional pipeline breaks, potable water is not guaranteed: bringing an alternative form of water treatment, such as iodine tablets or a water filter, is essential.

Campsites: Along the Bright Angel Trail, the only campgrounds are at Indian Garden (CIG) and Bright Angel Campground (CBG). At-large camping is not permitted on Corridor Trails; visitors must camp in designated campgrounds.

Notes: Grand Canyon is, above all else, a place of extremes. Even though Bright Angel Trail has been constructed with visitor safety in mind, it is necessary to take appropriate precautions depending on seasonal variations in trail conditions. During winter months, the top 2 miles or so of this trail is particularly icy: Because the wintertime sun never reaches the trail, it will remain slick for weeks or even months after a snowstorm, so in-step crampons and hiking poles are recommended. From May to September, it is critical that hikers have the discipline to begin hiking well before dawn. Hikers should plan on reaching either their destination or a place where they might take a shaded siesta before 10 in the morning (average descent time from rim to river is between 4 and 6 hours). Similarly, when ascending from Bright Angel Campground during hot weather it is important to reach Indian Garden before 8 in the morning. It is best to hike during the fall or spring hiking seasons.
- Mar 13 2008 HAZ Hikebot

Grand Canyon NPS Reports  Segments to Consider:

Rim (6860 ft)	to	Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse (5729 ft)	1.5 mi
Mile-and-a-Half (5729 ft)	to	Three-Mile Resthouse (4748 ft)	1.5 mi
Three-Mile Resthouse (4748 ft)	to	Indian Garden (3800 ft)	1.9 mi
Indian Garden (3800 ft)	to	River Resthouse (2480 ft)	3.2 mi
River Resthouse (2480 ft)	to	Bright Angel Campground (2480 ft)	1.5 mi
Rim (6860 ft)	to	Bright Angel Campground (2480 ft)	9.6 mi

One-Way Notice: This hike is listed as One-Way. When you hike several trails on a single "hike", log it under the initial trail or the destination trail. Then link the other trails to your logged trip, check out the example.