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Grand canyon national park
 south rim hiking trails

The Grand Canyon trail information provided for the Bright Angel and South Kaibab trails is taken almost verbatim from our Grand Canyon Hiking DVD.
We also carry Trails Illustrated and Kent Schulte topo maps; as well as books, and offer free shipping on all U.S. orders.

dvd trails described on this page:

bright angel Trail
 the south kaibab trail

 other south rim dvd trails - synopsis:
Hermit Trail to Santa Maria Spring
Trail to Dripping Springs
The Rim Trail
Plateau Point
Shoshone Point
Grandview Point
Follow this link to north rim trails featured on the DVD

Bright Angel Trail (a Corridor Trail)
Length on DVD: 8:14 (scroll down for a video clip of the Bright Angel Trail)

Trail Destinations

Day Hikes:
1) First Tunnel; 1/3 mile round trip. EASY
2) Mile-and-a-Half Rest house; 3 miles round trip, 1,131' elevation loss/gain. MODERATE
3) 3 mile Rest house; 6 miles round trip, 2,112' elevation loss/gain. STRENUOUS
4) Indian Garden; 9.2 miles round trip, 3,060' elevation loss/gain. Day hike or backpack. STRENUOUS

Backpack:
1) Indian Garden; 4.6 miles each way. Backpack or day hike.
2) Bright Angel Camp/ Phantom Ranch; 9.3 miles each way. Backpack

Trail Options:
1) Hike to Plateau Point from Indian Garden.
2) An option for those going all the way to the river (backpack only): For a change of scenery you could return via the South Kaibab Trail. However, if you do decide to make a semi-loop out of these two fantastic trails it’s recommended that you take the South Kaibab Trail down and go back up on the Bright Angel Trail. This is because the South Kaibab is the more exposed and steeper of the two.

Introduction:The Bright Angel Trail is the Parks most popular; and for good reason. It's very accessible, it has several fine day hike and backpacking options, water is available seasonally at rest houses along the trail, and it serves up fine panoramic views while descending one of Grand Canyons most beautiful tributary canyons.

Outhouses are located at the One-and-a-half Mile and Indian Garden rest houses. Water fountains are located at the One-and-a-half and 3 Mile rest houses, at Indian Garden and Bright Angel Campground. However, the water at the rest houses is not on year round, and breakage in the pipes can occur at any time. Usually non-functioning faucets are posted on the trail heads' bulletin board. However, to be sure, you may want to check the status of these faucets at the Visitor Center or Backcountry Information Center. There's no more sure way of turning a pleasant hike into a true nightmare than not having enough water on a desert hike. Indian Garden, One-and-a-Half Mile, 3 Mile and River Rest houses have emergency phones.

The trailhead is in Grand Canyon Village, west of Grand Canyon Lodge. Either take the shuttle to Grand Canyon Village, or park in Lot D near the railroad tracks. Parking Lot locations are listed in the excellent park paper The Guide.

Description: Begin your hike at the trailhead west of Grand Canyon Lodge.
Fine views are enjoyed from the very beginning. Within 1/6 of a mile you arrive at our first day hike destination - The First Tunnel. Here you'll find Mallery's Grotto, which is a series of American Indian pictographs. These pictographs are located about 30 feet past the tunnel, and 30 feet above the trail.

We continue past the tunnel, and looking northeast, in the distance we see the trail to Plateau Point - a superb, but strenuous day hike [featured in this DVD] that has spectacular views of Granite Gorge.

It's said that each step you take down the Bright Angel Trail takes you back an average of 60,000 years in geologic time. The Bright Angel Trail descends beautiful Garden Creek Canyon. Not too far into the hike we see the 3 mile Rest house [seen in video] on the point in the lower right, at the top of the Redwall.

Reaching the One-and-a-Half mile Rest house you've descended 1 1/2 miles, 1,131' in elevation and through millions of years of earth's history.

Passing the One-and-a-half Mile Rest house we descend a series of switchbacks and enjoy continuous heart-stopping views of Garden Creek Canyon. We enjoy a fine vista down canyon, and the 3 Mile Rest house, our goal. Grand Canyon flora and fauna join in with the views to ensure that there’s always something to grab our attention.

Arriving at the 3 Mile Rest house, we have come 3 miles and 2,112' feet from the Rim. The Rest house itself will likely be crowded. If so take the short trail behind the 3 Mile Rest house for more elbow room and this view down Garden Creek Canyon with Indian Garden (our next destination) nestled among the Cottonwoods. Indian Garden is another 1.6 miles and 948’ in elevation distant. It is strenuous as a day hike, and makes a fine backpack destination.

Leaving the 3 Mile Rest house, we immediately jump on a series of switchbacks known as Jacob's Ladder. These switchbacks take advantage of the break in the Redwall Limestone caused by the Bright Angel fault. Descending the Redwall, we are embraced by sheer cliffs on both sides. Having finished with the switchbacks our descent lets up noticeably until after we leave Indian Garden which is now about 1 mile away.

Having come 4.6 miles and dropped 3, 060', we arrive at the wonderful oasis, Indian Garden. To learn more about this magical place, go to the Bonus Menu [in the DVD] and select Inner Canyon Oases.

As mentioned, Indian Garden is strenuous as a day hike. If you started early and are still full of energy you may wish to hike to incredible Plateau Point, which makes for a very strenuous day hike.

Our next backpacking destination is Bright Angel Campground. It is 4.7 miles and another 1,200’ drop in elevation away. Please note that you should not attempt to hike from the rim to the river and back in one day. Just a few hundred yards past Indian Garden you enter a narrows carved into the Tapeats Sandstone layer by Garden Creek, it gets progressively deeper and more dramatic.

Along the way, you are treated to the ever-changing dance of the creek - often hidden under thick vegetation, it occasionally emerges to delight you.

Having progressed 1 1/2 miles from Indian Garden our trail must leave the creek because it cascades down a steep slot canyon. Just around the corner, we enter a completely different environment. As we leave the creek behind, the lush oasis gives way to harsh desert. Here we descend the switchbacks known as the Devils Corkscrew through the 1.75 billion year old vishnu schist.

Having finished with the switchbacks, we are on Pipe Creek's floor. This creek bed is often dry; or it may have just a trickle of water. Shortly however, perennial Garden Creek rejoins our trail, and we accompany it on its gentle descent to the Colorado River

The River Rest house appears as we near the Colorado. Here we find welcomed shade and an emergency phone. About 1/8 of a mile further down the trail, we come upon a spur trail to Pipe Creek Beach, on the Colorado. Swimming is not allowed here due to the dangerous current. We have come 3 miles from Indian Garden. Here the Bright Angel Trail changes names and is now the River Trail. It will take us to Bright Angel Campground in 1.6 miles. Crossing the bridge we come upon a water faucet, and enter Bright Angel Campground. To learn more about Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch, go to the Bonus Menu [in the DVD] and select Inner Canyon Oases.
To see a clip of the video that corresponds to the highlighted text click here if on dial-up (264 KB):
here if on broadband (2.85 MB)
 

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The South Kaibab Trail (a Corridor Trail)
Length on DVD: 6:45

Trail Destinations:

Day Hikes:
1) Ooh Aah Point; 1.8 miles round trip, 600' elevation loss/gain. MODERATE
2) Cedar Ridge; 3 miles round trip, 1,140' elevation loss/gain. MODERATE
3) Skeleton Pt.; 6 miles round trip, 2,040' elevation loss/gain. STRENUOUS.

Backpack:
1) Bright Angel Campground. 6.4 miles each way, 4,740' elevation loss.

Trail Options: An option for those going to Bright Angel Campground (backpack only): For a change of scenery you could return via the very scenic, less exposed and less steep Bright Angel Trail.

Introduction: The South Kaibab Trail offers several good day hike options; as well as backpacking access to Bright Angel Campground.

This trail offers exhilarating, expansive views of the Canyon. Outhouses, a water faucet and pay phone are at the trailhead. Cedar Ridge (day hike) has outhouses, but no water: and water is not available anywhere along the trail between the rim and Bright Angel Campground, a distance of 6.9 miles. This trail is shorter but steeper than the Bright Angel Trail, and its lack of both water and shade make it a more taxing hike per mile.

To get to the trailhead, take the free Kaibab Trail Route Shuttle Bus from the Canyon View Information Plaza.

Description: Upon arriving at the shuttle bus stop we walk past the outhouses and fountain to the sign at the trailhead. The South Kaibab Trail wastes no time in introducing the hiker to the canyon, for we immediately get fine canyon vistas. Shortly we come to the first set of switchbacks, referred to as The Chimney. As we descend, the canyon walls loom over us, both at one and the same time moving and intimidating. Looking back at the switchbacks we just descended we can see that the switchbacks were carved into the near vertical cliff face.

Shortly, the canyon opens up, and its depths begin to unfold at our feet. We approach Ooh Aah Point, our first day hike destination. Here we get a fine view of Cedar Ridge and O'Neill Butte. Ooh Aah point is a fine and rewarding moderate day hike as it brings you in the canyon, giving you an inspiring and unique perspective you don’t get from the rim.

Our next destination is Cedar Ridge, which lies a further 540' and 6/10's of a mile below. Our trail criss-crosses the ridge, first going on its west flank, then its east, resulting in a continuing change in scenery. Arriving at the final slope to Cedar Ridge we enjoy an unhindered view west, which stops us in our tracks.

Passing Cedar Ridge's outhouses we come upon Pinyon pines that provide some welcomed shade, an ideal place to eat our lunch. From Cedar Ridge we look west across Pipe Creek Canyon, north to O'Neill Butte and the inner canyon, and east over Cremation Creek Canyon.

Now we head to Skeleton Point, the final day hike destination on the South Kaibab Trail. We get back on the trail just past the outhouses. Our trail continues its steady descent to O'Neill Butte and passes desert flora that vie for our attention.

While hiking along the eastern flank of O'Neill Butte we enjoy a fine view east. This is Cremation Canyon; so named because the Havasupai used to cremate their dead on the rim above. Looking down, we see our trail in the distance as it traverses the ridge north of O'Neill Butte. Past the Butte, walking along the ridge, the views west open up again. And we drop down to our final day hike destination - Skeleton Point. We’re on the top of the Redwall Limestone and have superb views in all directions. Skeleton Point gets its name from the skeletons that have at times been visible from the trail...no, not of hikers, but of pack mules (without riders) that on rare occasion have fallen from the switchbacks below. From here, we get our first glimpse of the Colorado River, that powerful force that played a major role in the forming of the Grand Canyon.

Backpackers with permits can continue on to Bright Angel Campground. We now descend onto the Tonto Platform - that expansive shelf that rests right above the inner gorge. Next we near The Tipoff, where there are outhouses. Located 150' further down the trail is an emergency phone. We have come 1.6 miles and dropped 1,330' from Skeleton Point, and will plunge another 1,470' to reach the Colorado River; with 2.3 miles lying between us and Bright Angel Campground.

The next half mile is one of steep descent into the inner gorge, and we finally get clear views of our goal: the bottom of the Canyon and Kaibab Bridge that we will use to cross the river. Arriving at Panorama Point we enjoy clear views up and down convoluted Granite Gorge. Looking down 1,200' below and to the west is Bright Angel Delta, near the campground. We continue our steep descent.

Finally we reach the tunnel, and cross the Kaibab Suspension Bridge. On the other side of the river, we head west and soon pass Anasazi Pueblo ruins. 1/2 mile later we come to the trail junction for Bright Angel Trail,Bright Angel Campground, Phantom Ranch and the North Kaibab Trail.

For more on Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch, as well as for hiking options, go to the Bonus menu and select Inner Canyon Oases.  [These menus are on the DVD]

Synopsis of other Grand canyon south rim Trails on the DVD:

 Hermit Trail to Santa Maria Spring
Length on DVD: 4:28

Day Hike Destinations:
1) Kaibab Limestone Fossil Beds; 1/2 mile round trip; EASY
2) Coconino Fossils; 2 1/2 miles round trip; MODERATE
3) Hermit Basin; 3 1/2 miles round trip; MODERATE
4) Santa Maria Spring; 4 1/2 miles round trip; STRENUOUS

Hiking Trail Sum-up:
Though not offering the jaw-dropping vistas typical of the Grand Canyon, hikers on the Hermit Trail enjoy an inspiring, intimate experience with the head of Hermit Gorge. A "must do" for fossil lovers.

Trail to Dripping Springs
Length on DVD: 3:21

Day hike Destination:
1) Dripping Springs; 6.5 miles round trip (from Hermits' Rest); 1,480' descent/400' climb one way; STRENUOUS

Hiking Trail Sum-up:
The first 1 1/2 miles follows the Hermit Trail; boasting the intimacy and fossils mentioned above. The final exhilarating 1 3/4 miles ends in an alcove that was formed by Dripping Springs.

The Rim Trail
Length on DVD: 10:19

Day hike Destinations:
Numerous options - between any two parking lots and/or shuttle stops; Trail length varies from a few hundred feet to 11.8 miles. Elevation gain/loss minimal. VERY EASY, EASY, MODERATE.

Hiking Trail Sum-up:
The Rim Trail offers almost continuous panoramic views into the Canyon's immense, rich depths. Though you will have plenty of company on much of it, there are areas of relative solitude.

Trail to Plateau Point
Length on DVD: 2:18

Day hike Destination:
1) Plateau Point
A) From Indian Garden: 3 miles round trip; minimal elevation change; EASY
B) From the South Rim: 12 1/5 miles round trip; 3,060' elevation loss/gain; VERY STRENUOUS. (Can camp at Indian Garden with a Backcountry Use Permit.

Hiking Trail Sum-up:
This very enjoyable and rewarding trail ends at one of Grand Canyon's best vistas: enjoy far-reaching views below on the Colorado River, and above to the Rim. This is my favorite Grand Canyon hiking trail.

Trail to Shoshone Point
Length on DVD: 2:20

Day hike Destination:
1) Shoshone Point; 2 miles round trip; minimal elevation change; EASY

Hiking Trail Sum-up:
This easy, scenic rim-top trail is relatively unkown.

Grandview Point to Horseshoe Mesa
Length on DVD: 5:56

Trail Destinations:

Day hikes:
1) Coconino Saddle; 2 1/5 miles round trip; MODERATE
2) Horseshoe Mesa; 6 1/5 miles round trip; 2,500' elevation loss/gain; STRENUOUS
3) West Arm Vista; 8 1/2 miles round trip; 2,500' elevation loss/gain; VERY STRENUOUS

Backpack:
With a Backcountry Use Permit number 2 can be backpacked.

Hiking Trail Sum-up:
This is a relentlessly steep and exposed trail. Enjoy rich vistas from the rim and Horseshoe Mesa; and visit an an old miners' cabin.
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