Rim to Rim to Rim Grand Canyon Trail Guide

Rim to Rim to Rim hike or trail run is a classic trail located in Grand Canyon National Park. This gem is on most ultra runners or backpacking list and makes for a stunning day or two (or three). The hike typically starts at either the South or North Rim of the Grand Canyon, works to the opposite side and then back. There are a few variations to consider, both of which take place on the South Rim. Hikers have the option to take either the South Kaibab or Bright Angel trail down to the river before ascending to the North Rim. For this guide I am going to refer to R2R2R as starting on the South Rim, descending South Kaibab, working up North Kaibab and then ascending Bright Angel. 

Rim to Rim to Rim Quick Facts

Virtual Trail Guide: Rim to Rim to Rim Trail Run In A Day

Rim to Rim to Rim Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 Stars)

Distance: 46 Miles RT – Assumes Taking Both Bright Angel & South Kaibab Trails

Elevation Start: 7,211 (South Rim)

High Point: 8,238ft (North Rim)

Total Elevation Gain: 11,200ft

Estimated Time to Complete: 12-15 Hours (One Day) OR 2-3 Days

Difficulty: Strenuous What does this mean?

Class: Class 1  What does this mean? 

Season: Year Round; Recommended Time: October – March

Check the Weather Forecast – Be sure to check weather for North Rim & River as well! 

Directions to Rim to Rim to Rim

Trailhead: South Kaibab Trail

Getting Here: To start on the South Kaibab trail, first navigate to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Next, decide if you want to take the bus shuttle to start or end your day. I would recommend both if you are able. Park at the visitor’s center and take the first bus (5AM) to the South Kaibab Trail. This is one the Blue Line, more about shuttles below. 

Parking: R2R2R has a lot of logistics involved with parking and ultimately it comes down to a few things: the number of cars you have and if you have someone to pick you up at the end. Assuming you have neither, your best bet is to park at the Visitor’s Center and use the shuttles. If you do have two cars, you can park along the road near the South Kaibab Trailhead and near the Bright Angel Trail. There is also a parking lot directly next to the start of the North Kaibab Trail. 

Shuttles: Unless you are lucky, you will likely have to utilize the shuttles to save yourself from a 50+ mile day. Read all about them here. Your goal should be this: take the first shuttle at 5AM and then snag the last one at 9:45PM. If you do miss the last shuttle, you can always walk/run/hike along the rim trail back to your car. However, doing this will add about 3 miles to your day. Nobody will want to do that. Note that the Blue Route is rather long to go from Bright Angel back to the Visitor’s Center but it’s worth every minute. 

Fee: $35 as of 2022, visit this page for more information. 

Reservations: As of 2022, reservations are NOT required to enter Grand Canyon National Park.

Summary

Dogs: Bringing a dog on any hike inside the Grand Canyon is not allowed. 

Camping: If you do plan to stretch R2R2R into multiple days, you have a few options to camp: Phantom Ranch (lodging only), Bright Angel Campground and the Cottonwood campground. You do need a permit to camp at any location inside the Grand Canyon itself. Read more about camping here (be warned, it’s sort of confusing). Reserve a spot in Phantom Ranch here. 

Water: You are going to need a lot of water during your R2R2R run or hike. Luckily, for the most part, water is pretty abundant. On the South Rim, natural water can be harder to find and I always would recommend treating it or filtering it before drinking. On the North Rim, Bright Angel Creek basically follows you from the Colorado River to the top of the rim. Always treat this water as well. There are also several potable water stations throughout the trails. These do close seasonally (or just because the plumbing is broken), check their status here and DO NOT rely on this page to be accurate. 

Hike Xfactor(s): Trail Conditions & Weather

On any hike, knowing the trail conditions and weather is important. However, when you venture out for almost 50 miles, especially in one day, those two factors become vital. Chances are, you will be attempting this route during the later fall or winter. This means ice and snow are possible on the trail. The two most usual spots will be the first mile or so going down into the South Rim and possibly for several miles on the North Side. I would recommend both runners and hikers carrying a light pair of Microspikes to help here with traction and certainly hiking poles as well. 

The Grand Canyon creates its own weather and being prepared for everything is clutch. The mornings and evenings are likely going to be very cold while the bottom of the Grand Canyon will likely be very hot. Carrying a lot of layers for that type of weather sucks, especially for runners, but you will have a MUCH better time if you aren’t dying of heat exhaustion or shivering out of your bones. 

Hike Tip(s): 

1. Bank on no water for the first 9-10 miles getting down from the South Rim to the river. There are plenty of sources near the River and along the North Kaibab trail. Runners: carry enough to get you this distance and hikers – bring a filter to pump down near the river. 
2. The Phantom Ranch Canteen is open 8AM – 4PM, this is a fantastic spot to snag some warm food, get a sugary drink and stop to enjoy the scenery for a bit. Don’t be like us and miss the entire open window. 
3. Save your legs: this applies to hikers as well, but more so for trail runners. Regardless of your ending point, you will have A LOT of climbing to get out of the Grand Canyon. Rim to Rim to Rim is no joke, even for a seasoned ultra runner, so pace yourself accordingly. Rick and I passed SO MANY runners just crawling up the Bright Angel trail who blew their legs out too early. 
4. Stay hydrated and drink when you can: believe it or not, the plumbing system in a National Park that is miles away from civilization can be spotty. Don’t rely on the potable water spigots to stay hydrated and take advantage of the ones that are running. Having a light water filter or iodine tablets as a back-up is a must. 
5. If you want views on the North Rim – you are going to have to add on an extra 5 miles to get to Bright Angel Point. 
6. For runners or hikers looking for a smaller detour – check out Ribbon Falls on the North Kaibab trail which only adds about a half mile of extra hiking. 

Best Views: In general, the views on this hike are A+ all around. However, if I had to pick a side, the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is clearly the winner. From the South, travelers are able to see deeper into the canyon to understand a bit of how large it actually is. The North Kaibab trail in particular is beautiful as well but just has slightly worse scenery, especially at the Rim where views are non-existent. 

Rim to Rim to Rim Hike Route

Gear Needed

• Running Hat
• Running Vest 
• Long Sleeve
• T Shirt
• Running Shorts
• Trail Runners
• Running Nutrition
• Water Filter
• Water Pouch
• Watch
• Hiking Poles – 120CM
• Optional: Garmin inReach
• Optional: GoPro, Joby Tripod, GoPro 360
• *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.

Rim to Rim to Rim Trip Report: November 2022

My friend Rick and I had been talking about doing Rim to Rim to Rim for a few years. However, in 2022 we were (at some point) in pretty good shape and decided this would be the year. We planned a time in early November sometime during the summer when we were both at our peak of fitness. I had just finished the Leadville 100 and Rick had just crushed the Silver Rush 50. After our big races, we both let our fitness slide and rolled into Rim to Rim to Rim week with very little training – not ideal. 

South Kaibab Trail

The plan for us was to start at the South Kaibab Trail, head down to the river, take the North Kaibab Trail up/down and then finish on the Bright Angel trail. Initially, we were going to start earlier and run along the rim trail but a late start had us on the 5AM shuttle. It was a very cold morning but as we started running down into the Grand Canyon, we both warmed up quickly. We ran in the dark for a few hours with nothing but each other’s headlamps and the stars above to look at.  I had previously done a Rim to River to Rim trip but had forgotten how rough the South Kaibab trail could be – it was not exactly runnable in many sections. By the time the sun was rising, we were near “the tipoff” and we stopped to snag some pictures.

With the sun up, the views were A+ and we were able to pick up our pace.  We passed a few groups of hikers heading up and then passed through the tunnel to reach the first suspension bridge of the day, one of my favorite parts of the entire day. We reached the river and headed towards Phantom Ranch to start the North Kaibab Trail. One trail down! 

North Kaibab Trail 

We were a bit too early to snag some food at Phantom Ranch, so Rick and I started our run to the North Rim. I had never been to Phantom Ranch or on the North Kaibab trail and was excited to check it out. The running started in a deep, narrow canyon and eventually worked to a massive open field where we stayed for several miles. We passed Ribbon Falls with plans to hit that small detour on the way back (this never happened). The North Kaibab Trail was much longer and its elevation gain was less noticeable until after reaching Cottonwood campground. We filled up our water here and kept plugging up towards the rim. 

This is towards the point of the day where I started to lose my mental edge. We were only about 20 miles in but I felt like a garbage sandwich. I didn’t realize it until later, but I had been drinking too much water and diluting my body of salt. Rookie mistake – but I was using a new running vest with a camelback since I had forgotten my usual one at home. When we finally reached the North Rim, I had some serious concerns about how long this run was going to take. I popped some salt tabs and almost immediately felt better. Crazy what electrolytes can do for you. 

The run back down the river was for obvious reasons, a lot more enjoyable than the climb up. However, we did end up missing Phantom Ranch Canteen by just FOUR minutes which was a big bummer. With 30+ miles down, all we had to do now was to make the final climb up to the South Rim. 

Bright Angel Trail

As we worked by Phantom Ranch, across the suspension bridge and over to the Bright Angel Trail, my morale was low. I was so pissed we had missed the Phantom Ranch Canteen, I had been thinking about a lemonade for hours. 100% my fault too because Rick, even in “bad” shape, is a much better runner than I am. My thoughts now shifted towards a warm dinner. In order to make this happen, we had to make that last shuttle – it was not even an option. Our running for the day was basically over, but we tried to shuffle through any flat sections we could. 

All of our stretch goals for the day had failed, including a side excursion to Plateau Point. However, we did have another water station running which we were expecting which was nice. We topped off our water for the last time and started the brutal last 4 miles up the Bright Angel Trail. It was dark by the time we reached the final switchbacks and all we could see was a trail of lights all the way up towards the South Rim – a pretty cool sight. 

I felt bad doing this, but I popped on my headphones and just started to chug away the elevation and miles. Power hiking as quickly as I could, I told Rick to just keep going and wait for me at the top. Even at our slow pace, we were passing nearly every other runner and hiker on the trail. By the time we reached the South Rim and the end of our day – I was really proud of myself for having the stamina to keep a steady/quick pace going up that Bright Angel trail. 

Our bad luck struck again as we missed the shuttle by one minute (because of me) and had to wait another 30 minutes for the next one. The positive though was that when we did reach the truck and headed back into town – we had plenty of time for a warm meal at a local Mexican place which had fantastic food. 

Summary

Chances are, if you are heading out to do the Rim to Rim to Rim you are a pretty experienced hiker or runner. If you are not – I would not recommend this route. It’s a tough day(s) that requires a lot of mental strength in addition to the physical stamina to log all of these miles and elevation gain, nearly 12,000ft. However, if you do complete this journey, it’s extremely rewarding and a gem of a trail regardless of what you are comparing it to. The views along the way are stunning and to be able to understand a small sample of how large this National Park is can be very rewarding. I would HIGHLY recommend this route, especially in a day, for any serious trail runner or hiker over multiple days. 

R2R2R In A Day Virtual Guide