Bright Angel Trail
Bright Angel Trail
5
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One of the two superhighways of the Grand Canyon, this well maintained and popular trail offers breathtaking vistas, some shaded areas.
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- orangegecko23Syracuse, New York262 contributionsBreathtaking views and it was great to get on the trailThis was our first view of the grand canyon and it was breath taking. We stood there for a minute or two and couldn't believe this was real. The depth and rock formations were just amazing. We hiked about and hour down to the toilet building, then back up about an hour if you stop for photos.Visited November 2022Travelled as a coupleWritten October 3, 2023
- ConfederateMikeGlasgow, Kentucky371 contributionsA must-do hike for anyone visiting the canyonWe hiked to the 1.5 mile rest area and then back up. Our fear of heights passed after just a short while because we were focused on getting to the rest area then surviving the hike back up. We all had a sense of accomplishment when we finally made it back. We all had an appreciation for anyone who could make it to the bottom of the canyon and back up.Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten October 21, 2023
- Doug H4 contributionsDon’t Be Intimidated by Reviews. You Can Do This.Did the 9.2 mile out and back today. Read lots of reviews beforehand. Completed the full hike in 3:51. The hike is uphill for 4.1 miles. We had good weather. After reading reviews, the hike was intimidating. After hiking it, while it was strenuous, I didn’t feel like it was nearly as grueling as many reviewers made out. I consider myself averagely fit.Visited September 2024Travelled with friendsWritten September 7, 2024
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travelingAnthony
Hampstead, NC37 contributions
Jun 2020
Beautiful, well-kept trail that allows a special vantage point of the canyon and rim. We headed down, not sure how far we'd go knowing that every 100 easy feet forward represented anther 100 tough feet back. I took advantage of those we passed by asking them at what point did they turn around. Just as they're huffing and puffing, sweating bullets and looking like they can keel over at any moment, that's when I would pepper them with questions. Amusing, and I also found you get closer to the truth that way.
For those who are afraid of heights like me, just look down for the first ten minutes. You'll be fine. Eventually, the trail has a semi-gradual slope off to the side, enough that I was actually able to enjoy the view. 3 quarts of water and a nose bleed later, we made it just past the 1.5 mile marker. After getting accosted by rock squirrels at the water spigot, we took in the amazing view of the rim above us. Well worth it.
Heed the warnings though and the best way to do that is to be honest with yourself. There are some shady areas and plenty of encouraging hikers. Just take your time and get below the rim somehow.
For those who are afraid of heights like me, just look down for the first ten minutes. You'll be fine. Eventually, the trail has a semi-gradual slope off to the side, enough that I was actually able to enjoy the view. 3 quarts of water and a nose bleed later, we made it just past the 1.5 mile marker. After getting accosted by rock squirrels at the water spigot, we took in the amazing view of the rim above us. Well worth it.
Heed the warnings though and the best way to do that is to be honest with yourself. There are some shady areas and plenty of encouraging hikers. Just take your time and get below the rim somehow.
Written June 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
IndyKevin317
Indianapolis, IN109 contributions
Nov 2020 • Couples
This trail was the highlight of our trip. We hiked down to Plateau Point and back in less than 8 hours. We could have done it much quicker had I prepared myself for the hike. You might be able to go to the 1.5 or 3.0 mile mark and back with little to no training or preparation, but I wouldn’t recommend going past that point if you are not in shape. If you can’t hike 12 miles on flat ground you won’t be able to do it here either.
That being said, regardless of all the pain I was in for the next 3 days, it was worth it. It was so amazing to stand at the rail at Plateau Point and look down at the Colorado River below and the 360 degree views of the Grand Canyon. I would do it again, but I will be ready next time. I would also recommend you have good hiking boots/shoes and trekking poles. Of course bring plenty of water and food/snacks because you are going to need it. Layer your clothing. Temperatures started in the 40s at the top on the South Rim to 60s at Plateau Point back down into the 30s by the time we got back to the top.
That being said, regardless of all the pain I was in for the next 3 days, it was worth it. It was so amazing to stand at the rail at Plateau Point and look down at the Colorado River below and the 360 degree views of the Grand Canyon. I would do it again, but I will be ready next time. I would also recommend you have good hiking boots/shoes and trekking poles. Of course bring plenty of water and food/snacks because you are going to need it. Layer your clothing. Temperatures started in the 40s at the top on the South Rim to 60s at Plateau Point back down into the 30s by the time we got back to the top.
Written December 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Keith
81 contributions
Sept 2020
We did this hike the same day we did Kaibob. We only went to the mile and a half mark as we were totally spent from our earlier hike. Very hot day inside the Canyon as we were told temps were around the 110 degree mark. There are water stations along the way, so that's helpful. Kaibob Trail for us was a bit more scenic, so we preferred it over Angel. Hiking down is easy, just don't forget.....you have to hike back up.....which is the hard part. Next time we plan to get down to Indian Garden (4.5 miles), tho several hikers we ran into that got that spot, said the payoff wasn't really worth it. Fun hike!
Written September 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joseph P
San Jose, CA389 contributions
Apr 2021
We're older so we knew we were not going all the way down. But we took our time, saw a petroglyph that another hiker pointed out only about 100 - 200 ft from the start under the rim, and hiked down to the archway in the trail. About 40 minutes total and returned.
Written May 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BestTravelsNow
Amarillo, TX497 contributions
Oct 2020
Don't let them scare you. If you're in shape, you can get back up from 1.5 mile marker about as fast as you go down. After getting back up, we wished we had gone down further. Extremely scenic. We got to see some Bighorn sheep so keep your eyes open. Most easily seen by spotting their white butts. Early October was perfect time to be at the Canyon.
Written October 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JonQuirk
Orange County, CA106 contributions
Sept 2020 • Couples
We hiked to 1.5 mile rest for both sunset and sunrise back to back and it was amazing. Going down is easy but coming back up will put some lactic acid in your quads. Highly recommend taking this semi easy (considering the trip from the rim to the river and back is 14 hours long) hike!
Written September 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
benl
annapolis137 contributions
Jul 2020
This is the trail where people head out for the four days of serious hiking and camping into the canyon, and even rock climbing. But I just found that if you want to go in a 1/4 mile or a mile, it's OK and well worth it. After several trips to the Grand Canyon over the years I didn't realize that. Even the first 1/3 of a mile is spectacular and you can do it safely in casual clothes and good shoes (although I did pass a group of ladies in Jack Rogers sandals...Yow. )
Written July 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Justin T.
Lancaster, PA127 contributions
Jun 2021
Definitely do this trail over South Kaibab, particularly if you don't have experience hiking much. This trail did not seem as slippery, and it is also easier. There are also rest stations and water stops (not all are available all year), which South Kaibab did not have. There is also a really nice portion of the trail that is relatively flat about 3.5 miles down and a wooded section.
Naively, when we first planned this trip we thought about hiking down to the river and back in a day. We ended up ditching this plan. There is absolutely no way. We ended up stopping four miles down at Indian Garden. That wasn't even halfway to the river! I couldn't believe we'd only gone four miles.
I would not recommend going beyond Indian Garden, and even that will be too far depending on the person. There was a sign to the effect of "going down is optional...going up is mandatory." Bring lots of water and Gatorade...more than you think you'll need. I saw some people walking with one water bottle. This is a really, really bad idea.
Be smart, take it slow, and have fun!
Naively, when we first planned this trip we thought about hiking down to the river and back in a day. We ended up ditching this plan. There is absolutely no way. We ended up stopping four miles down at Indian Garden. That wasn't even halfway to the river! I couldn't believe we'd only gone four miles.
I would not recommend going beyond Indian Garden, and even that will be too far depending on the person. There was a sign to the effect of "going down is optional...going up is mandatory." Bring lots of water and Gatorade...more than you think you'll need. I saw some people walking with one water bottle. This is a really, really bad idea.
Be smart, take it slow, and have fun!
Written June 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
himmelcat13
Howell, MI196 contributions
May 2022
Do NOT underestimate the hike up. As a sign states very accurately 'going down is optional, going up is mandatory' That being said, if you want to completely immerse yourself in the grand canyon, this is the hike to do. You don't truly understand the depth until you start going into the belly and realize just how long it took to go so little. START EARLY, bring water and proper hiking gear, and unless you are physically fit, do not try going down to the colorado river and back in one day. We went down to Indian Gardens, 9 miles rt, starting at 6am and arrived about 8am, hitting about a 1.5 miles every 30 minutes on average with stops for photos. However, the way up took twice as long, about one hour for every 1.5 miles, and by the time we reached the surface at 11:15 am, there was barely any shade left. We were fortunate to have cooler weather for our hike (about 60 degrees at Indian Garden when we were there) but we were still very warm due to the exertion of going up 3,000ft. When we were at Indian Garden, we overheard people asking for directions to the colorado river, which was another 4 miles away, effectively making it a 17ish mile round trip which was far too long to do in a day by the time they arrived. If you're hoping to go down to the river, either spend the night in phantom ranch (which books up far in advance) or leave very early in the morning with headlamps on. We also saw quite a very people in sandals, flip flops, carrying purses and not paying attention to where they were going and what they were doing, and even saw someone need helicopter rescue at Indian Gardens while we were on our ascent. Do not be fooled, this is a hiking trail through and through, and planning ahead for that will save you a lot of agony. Overall, we felt like this was the quintessential experience for hikers wanting to truly experience the grand canyon more than just gawking, but if you're not prepared you will regret it.
Written May 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Travellinguy2013
Dallas, TX133 contributions
Jun 2021
This is one of if not the most popular trail that actually goes into the canyon. First time I was there, I was confused to discover it gets hotter as you go deeper. Apparently cold does not sink at the GC. And apparently I was not the only one who didn't realize this. We came across dozens and dozens of people who looked like they were seriously about to die within the top quarter mile of this trail. So I strongly advise staying on the rim if you are not in shape. While it was only about 80 degrees on the rim, it quickly rose above 90 not far below it, and was over 100 down by the river. If you are in shape for it though, this is one of the best hikes in the west.
Written July 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, I'm planning to hike to the Canyon floor on Bright Angel trail and would like to float out. Does anyone have a recommendation of an outfitter that we could use? thanks
Written November 8, 2020
In my research prior to going, we only found one company that did one day rafting trips and it wasn't cheap (~$700.00 if I remember correctly) Everything else was multi day trips. Maybe I missed something in my research, but that's what I found.
Written November 9, 2020
Are you allowed to camp out along the Bright Angel Trail
Written October 17, 2020
Has anyone hiked down the South Kaibab and back up the bright angel trail? I would like to know if it’s possible to hike down south Kaibab in the morning and back up Bright Angel trail but stop at Indian Gardens. Amp ground to camp out. Has anyone done this trip? Can we find a camping spot at the Indian Gardens Campground heading back up Bright Angel trail and about how long will this take?
Written February 18, 2020
You are describing a very popular trip into the Canyon. If you wish to stay at Indian Gardens (now called Havasupai Gardens) on Day 1, get in your reservation request in ASAP since spaces fill quickly. Make your request months in advance. Your trip from HG to the rim depends on your fitness level, time of year, temperature, etc. You will be very sore after going down the SK to the River and then along the River and back up the 'Devil's Corkscrew' along the BA to the campsite. The SK is a killer hike because it is all downhill with NO water along the route to the River. You will need to carry it down with you. You will be braking the entire route so use hiking poles and have good quality hiking boots. No tennis shoes---you will batter your feet and ankles. If you are not 100% sure on your fitness for this 'loop ' hike, Go down the BA and stay at the Gardens and then back up. That is the recommended entry level backpack. The BA has water stations and shelters along the way.
Written September 17, 2024
Is it safe to hike the top of the trail (the 1.5 mile resthouse is the farthest we'd go) in tennis shoes, or are hiking boots needed?
Written August 5, 2019
Since you are only going to the 1.5 mile resthouse on Bright Angel Trail, tennis shoes should be fine. We wore hiking boots but we hiked the entire way to the bottom on the S. Kaibab trail and back up the Bright Angel Trail. Near the top of our ascent, we saw lots of people in tennis shoes. Taking a water bottle is important as well as hiking before the sun becomes too hot.
Written August 7, 2019
Hi. What are average hiking times (there and back) to 1.5 mile rest stop and the 3 mile. I can't seem to find the info anywhere. I know it will depend on the hikers but a rough estimate would help with planning. Thanks!
Written August 4, 2019
We did the round trip 3 mile check point and back in 5 hours. Stopped just at the 1.5 check point also for a few minutes for water and restroom. We were happy with the distance. It was our first day so it was perfect!
Written August 15, 2019
Planning a trip to the GC beginning of July. Have four athletic boys - 19, 17, 15, and 10. Will have 3 days in the canyon. What are the best hikes? Would like to stay away from the crowds as much as possible, but also see the most. Suggestions appreciated!
Written June 19, 2019
To hike down to Bright Angel and come back the same day is almost impossible.
Written August 8, 2019
I am hoping to hike down Bright Angel and back on Monday. Some say its foolish, others make it sound doable. I am a 58 year old runner with a67 year old hubby, also a runner. We couldn't secure reservations via the lottery for 2 years of trying! Any thoughts are appreciated. We were really hoping to do this before we can't!
Written March 10, 2019
We did it! 3.5 hours down, 5 hours up. Glad we did it. Will not repeat, I don't think! ♥️😉
Written March 31, 2019
We are planning a trip with two kids, ages 12 and 10, and wanted to hike the first 1.5 miles and back on the Bright Angel Trail. We will be driving up from Williams that morning and are a bit concerned about the heat, so wanted to hit the trail first thing as we arrive. Since we have never been, I also want to make sure our kids get a beautiful lay of the land and see the grandness of the canyon before we do a little hiking. If we choose to drive straight to parking lot D and begin our hike right away, will we still be able to see the beautiful views of the whole canyon before we descend? Or would we be better off driving first to the visitors center to get in the views and then continuing on to the trailhead? Keeping in mind that we won’t be able to arrive until a bit later in the morning...
Written September 22, 2018
My husband and I walk 5 miles most days with some hills. We found the first 1.5 miles of Bright Angel Trail difficult due to altitude and sun beating down into the canyon. Plus the design of the "steps" makes the trail more difficult than a regular trail. I suggest taking adequate water for each person, starting as early as possible in am and committing to turning around before reaching the 1.5 miles if the trail seems too challenging. Also plan on intermittent breaks. I don't suggest going late morning to early pm.
Written December 12, 2018
My friends and I are returning in October for our second annual hike down to Phantom Ranch. Last year, when we reached Bright Angel, we were so exhilarated and so exhausted. We wanted some ice cream, a cold drink and to sit and bask in our success and exhaustion just a bit. However, to stand in the crazy lines for ice cream or at the restaurant were just out of the question. We wanted to sit! Ha! As we plan this year’s trip, I am wondering if there is a spot at the top of Bright Angel where we can get away from the throngs of people and get a drink and a bite to eat. Even make reservations ahead of time. Appreciate any ideas and suggestions!
Written August 13, 2018
I hope the crowds are kinder to you this time. We were there at the begining of June, and had no trouble at all with dining. The Harvey house was easy, and tasty. Very reasonable priced. If you were on your way up the angel bright trail, and went left on the rim trail, it isn't very far. It's located inside the Angel bright lodge.
Written August 14, 2018
Olá!
Por favor, é possível fazer a trilha em apenas um dia, saindo bem cedo (por volta das 5h da manhã)?
Só tenho um dia e gostaria muitíssimo de chegar até o rio colorado mas, não sou uma atleta; meu condicionamento físico é razoável.
Obrigada.
Written August 9, 2018
It would be possible but it would be hard. I think it's about 4 hours down and 6 hours back up on average. I have heard people say the last part coming up is the hardest part. If you are going in summer, the bad part is that most of the climb up would be during the hottest part of the day. The good part is that there are water points and rest houses along the way and you could do the final part in the cooler evening hours.
Written August 9, 2018
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