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Field Notes / Plan your visit
Grand Canyon Day Hikes: Bright Angel, South Kaibab and the Rim Trail (and When to Go Guided)
The short version
- Every hike below the rim is uphill on the way back, at 7,000 ft, often in heat. Plan on taking twice as long to come up as you took going down.
- Best short taster: South Kaibab to Ooh Aah Point (1.8 miles round trip, 600 ft). Best half day: Cedar Ridge (3 miles, 1,100 ft) or Bright Angel to 3-Mile Resthouse (6 miles, 2,100 ft).
- Do not attempt rim to river and back in a day in summer. The park says so with signs, and the rangers mean it.
- A guided hike is worth it if you want to go further than you would alone, want the geology explained, or are hiking with mixed abilities.
The trails, from easy to hard
| Hike | Round trip | Elevation to regain | Time | Water on trail? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rim Trail, Mather Point to the Village | 2.5 mi one way | Nearly flat | 1 to 1.5 h | Yes, at several points | Paved; shuttles back; the Trail of Time geology walk |
| Rim Trail west, Village to Hermits Rest | 7.8 mi one way | Gentle | 3 to 4 h | Yes | Shuttle back from any stop; Hopi and Mohave Points |
| South Kaibab to Ooh Aah Point | 1.8 mi | 600 ft | 1 to 1.5 h | No | The best view per step in the park; no shade |
| South Kaibab to Cedar Ridge | 3 mi | 1,100 ft | 2 to 3 h | No | Toilets at Cedar Ridge; our guided day hike turnaround |
| Bright Angel to 1.5-Mile Resthouse | 3 mi | 1,100 ft | 2 to 3 h | Seasonal (May to Oct) | Shade in the morning; the mule route |
| South Kaibab to Skeleton Point | 6 mi | 2,000 ft | 4 to 6 h | No | First proper view of the river; strong hikers only in summer |
| Bright Angel to 3-Mile Resthouse | 6 mi | 2,100 ft | 4 to 6 h | Seasonal | Good turnaround for a long half day |
| Bright Angel to Havasupai Gardens | 9 mi | 3,000 ft | 6 to 9 h | Yes (all year at the Gardens) | Formerly Indian Garden; cottonwood shade; a full day, not for summer |
| Rim to river and back | 16 to 19 mi | 4,400 to 4,800 ft | 10 to 14 h | Seasonal | Not recommended as a day hike. Read our post before you even think about it |
South Kaibab or Bright Angel?
South Kaibab follows a ridge, so the views are open and enormous from the first switchback. It has no water and almost no shade, and the trailhead is shuttle-only (no private cars). Bright Angel follows a side canyon, so it has shade in the morning, seasonal water, resthouses and more people. For a short hike with the best views, Kaibab. For a longer day in summer, Bright Angel. Many experienced hikers go down Kaibab and up Bright Angel when they do the full rim-to-river; here is what that actually involves.
What people get wrong
- Time. Going down feels easy, and the canyon keeps pulling you. Set a turnaround time, not a turnaround point, and stick to it.
- Water and salt. At least a litre per hour in summer, plus salty snacks. The park treats more heat casualties than falls. Pack like an astronaut.
- Season. April to May and late September to November are ideal. June to early September, be below the rim only before 10 am or after 4 pm. Winter brings ice on the top mile; microspikes are essential from December to March.
- Altitude. You start at 7,000 ft. If you flew in from sea level yesterday, choose a shorter hike today.
- Mules. Step to the inside (uphill) side of the trail, stand still, and do as the wrangler says.
When a guided hike makes sense
You do not need a guide to walk to Ooh Aah Point. You might want one if you would like to go to Cedar Ridge or Skeleton Point and come back feeling great rather than wrecked; if you want someone reading the rock layers as you pass through them; if your group has mixed fitness; or if you simply want the logistics (the shuttle-only trailhead, the pickup, the water, the lunch, the timings) handled.
Our private guided day hike leaves Flagstaff at 8 am, hikes South Kaibab to Cedar Ridge with a long picnic stop, and has you back by 5:30 pm with your legs still working. The e-bike and hike day combines the rim Greenway on bikes with the Ooh Aah Point walk and a picnic there. And if you want to go further, talk to us.
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