Grand Canyon Hiking Guide: Trails, Heat and Permits

Hiking the Grand Canyon is upside down. The easy half comes first, and the climb out, in the heat of the afternoon, comes when you're tired. Park rangers rescue hundreds of hikers a year, most of them fit people who went too far down. These are the questions we'd ask before setting off.

Which trail should I choose?

From the South Rim there are two main trails. The Bright Angel Trail starts next to Bright Angel Lodge and descends through a side canyon, with some shade and rest houses at 1.5 miles and 3 miles. The South Kaibab Trail follows an open ridge with bigger views, no shade and no water. Reach its trailhead by shuttle or the early Hikers' Express.

How far should I go on a day hike?

Plan to take twice as long coming up as going down. Sensible turnaround points: on South Kaibab, Ooh Aah Point (under a mile, about 1.5 km, down) or Cedar Ridge (1.5 miles); on Bright Angel, the 1.5 Mile Resthouse or the 3 Mile Resthouse. Fit hikers in cool weather can go on to Skeleton Point or Plateau Point, but that is a long, hard day.

Can I hike to the river and back in one day?

Not in summer. The park strongly warns against rim to river and back in a single day, and its signs say so at every trailhead. In summer the inner canyon passes 100°F (38°C), and heat exhaustion, heatstroke and hyponatremia (low blood salt from drinking water without eating) are the main causes of rescues. From May to September, stay off the trails between 10am and 4pm.

What should I carry?

More water than you think, salty snacks and a real meal, a hat, sun cover and a headlamp. Eat as often as you drink. Seasonal water taps on the corridor trails depend on the ageing Transcanyon Waterline, and in September 2026 all inner-canyon water was turned off, so ask at the Backcountry Information Center before relying on a tap.

Do I need a permit?

Not for day hikes. Any overnight stay below the rim, outside Phantom Ranch, needs a backcountry permit, booked on Recreation.gov up to four months ahead. The best chance for popular dates is the early access lottery, open from the 16th to the 1st of each month for trips four months later. Organised rim-to-rim groups need a separate permit.

What's closed in 2026?

A flash flood on 29 August 2026 destroyed nearly all the footbridges over Bright Angel Creek. At the time of writing, Phantom Ranch, the whole North Kaibab Trail, the Black and Silver bridges and the trails below Tip-Off and the River Resthouse are closed, with no reopening date. Rim-to-rim hikes are off until repairs are done. Check the park's hiking updates page.

Anything easier?

The Rim Trail is flat, and from Hermit Road the first few hundred metres of any trail give you the feeling of being inside the canyon. See our South Rim guide, and pack with our what to wear guide.