Bright Angel Trail Grand Canyon Hike Information & Review

Bright Angel Trail Grand Canyon Hike Trail Guide

December 18, 2019 The Virtual Sherpa Comments 1 comment

The Bright Angel trail is a popular trail that starts at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The trail has some shade and consists mostly of packed dirt. Ambitious hikers can hike all the way down to the Colorado River but most day hikers will turn around at the 1.5 or 3 mile lookout points. This is a family friendly trail with a variety of options to hike to. Hikers that attempt the Bright Angel trail can expect continuous elevation gain or elevation loss (depending on the direction of hiking).

Bright Angel Trail Quick Facts

Virtual Trail Guide: Grand Canyon Bright Angel Trail

Bright Angel Hike Rating: ★★★★ (4/5 Stars)

Distance: Various – most people hike 3-12 miles RT (view complete map here)

Elevation Start: 6,850 ft

Lowest Point: 2,600 ft (Elevation of Colorado River at base of Grand Canyon)

Total Elevation Loss/Gain: Various: 1,000 – 4,000 ft (depending on ending point)

Estimated Time to Complete: Various – 3-10 Hours RT

Difficulty: Easy to Difficult (depending on distance) How do you Grade Your Hikes?

Class: Class 1 – What does this mean?

Season: July – October (Expect snow/frozen lake outside of this period)

Check the Weather Forecast

Directions to Bright Angel Trail

Trailhead: Bright Angel

Getting Here: The best and most efficient way to access the Bright Angel trail via the Grand Canyon is to start at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. There are a number of ways to get to this area (walk, drive or take the shuttle) but in general you can just enter the TH into your favorite navigational device.

Fees: $30 per vehicle to enter the Grand Canyon National Park

Parking: There are a few areas to park to start the Bright Angel Trail. There is a medium sized lot right off Village Loop Drive (see map above) that is shared with the Bright Angel Lodge so will fill up quickly. In addition, there is parking along the Village Loop Drive and a much smaller lot (can fit about 20 cars) at the Bright Angel TH itself. There are bathrooms at the TH but these can close seasonally. Finally, you could take the free park shuttle to the TH as well.

Summary

Camping: The Grand Canyon has a ton of different options to camp at. View this page for more information. If you want to hike down the Bright Angel Trail and camp in the canyon itself, you can, but just be sure to apply for the appropriate backcountry permits.

Dogs: The hike along the Bright Angel Trail (and anywhere else inside the Grand Canyon) is not dog friendly. However, you can bring your dog along the South Rim trail of the Grand Canyon which does provide miles of hiking for dogs.

Make it a Loop: The Bright Angel trail is an out and back hike with several points to hike to or turn around at. Typically, hikers will venture to the Indian Garden at the furthest for a day hike, but experienced and in shape hikers can venture all the way to Plateau Point (or beyond). I have hiked the full rim to river to rim hike which you can check out here.

Trail X Factors: Without a doubt the two biggest X factors on the Bright Angel trail is the elevation gain/loss and the time of year when you are hiking. From the second you step foot on the Bright Angel trail you are constantly losing elevation until you decide to turn around. As the many signs and brochures warn you, hiking down into the Grand Canyon will take far less time than hiking back up. Be sure to plan your trip accordingly.

In addition, the time of year you hike the Bright Angel trail will have a huge effect on your experience. During late spring and summer months, the heat can be downright unbearable so I would recommend saving any longer hikes on the trail for early spring or fall.

Hike Tip(s): If you want to avoid crowds on the Bright Angel Trail, be sure to arrive to the trail very early or during the slower seasons (Early Spring, Fall or Winter). The Grand Canyon is an extremely popular spot to visit year round, so expect lots of other hikers on the Bright Angel Trail regardless of when you plan on hiking it.

When planning your hike down the Bright Angel trail, be sure to allow ample time and energy to get back up towards the South Rim of the Grand Canyon after hiking down into it.

Best Views: Some of my favorite views on this trail are near the popular stopping points. There are two fantastic overlook spots right after the 1.5 mile resting point and 3 mile resting point that allow for fantastic photo opportunities. However, in general, the views on the Bright Angel Trail do not disappoint from start to finish. If you have the energy, the extra hike to Plateau Point is 100% worth it as it easily has the best views on the hike.

Bright Angel Trail Hike Route

Hiked to the 3 Mile Resting House

Gear Needed

Men’s Trail Runners
Women’s Trail Runners
La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Men’s)
La Sportiva Trango Hiking Booths (Women’s)
Backpack
Food & Water
Optional: Garmin inReach
Optional: Microspikes – only needed during snowy months
Optional: Hiking Poles
Optional: Headlamp
Optional: Garmin Fenix Watch
Optional: Camera and Lens
Optional: GoPro, Joby Tripod
*Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you.

Our Trip to the Bright Angel Trail – Grand Canyon: November 2019

Our on the Bright Angel trail at the Grand Canyon was my first hike 2 days after completing my first full distance Ironman. Needless to say, I was not feeling great physically and to make things worse, I had picked up a head cold as well (thanks Mom). Jackie, Juno and I had spent the previous day at the Grand Canyon hiking along the South Rim Trail but were ready to venture away from the crowds and deeper into the canyon.

We got an early start on the hike (starting around 7AM) in an attempt to catch the sunrise, but a colorful one never came to fruition. Jackie and I started down into the canyon and the trail was a bit icy to start so we popped on our microspikes to deal with the slippery trail. Since Juno was back in our hotel room and we had to hit the road to head back to Colorado later in the day, we had a limited time window to hike. Our plan was to attempt to make it down to the 3 mile resting point and see how my legs were feeling.

Overall, Jackie and I loved the hike on the Bright Angel trail and would love to come back to the Grand Canyon in the future to tackle a longer hike into the canyon.