Bright Angel Trail

Fantastic trail into the canyon - the most popular in the park, according to the NPS. You descend a series of switchbacks that criss cross the crevice between Yavapai Point and Maricopa Point, and most turn around at the 1.5 or 3 mile guesthouse. Whatever you do, save energy for the hike back up! The views are incredible, naturally, but it tends to be different angles of the same view (whereas South Kaibab offers more varied views).

An absolute must for when you go to the Grand Canyon. Parking is a bit tight if you arrive at peak times. The actual trailhead signs are not visible from the road so just park near the bus station and walk towards the canyon. You start at the top and the trail is composed of switchbacks all the way down. Compared to just looking at the GC from the rim this trail gives an amazing perspective of the depth and width of the canyon itself. The trial is wide but no guard rails so hold onto the kids. Go down as far as you would like but remember….you have to walk back up. Totally worth it!!!!

A trail with breathtaking views that takes you all the way down to the very bottom of the Grand Canyon, right to the Colorado River. I rate it as hard for one simple reason: many people underestimate the fact that the way down feels easy, but you still have to climb all the way back up — in the heat, and with enough water on your back. There are a few spots where you can refill water, but we chose not to rely on them after reading comments saying some taps weren’t running. When we hiked it, every tap that should have had water did — roughly three refill points along the entire trail.

A must do if you’re at Grand Canyon and want to venture into the canyon. Depending on your preference you can turn around at the first or second tunnel or go beyond to the different distance markers. Prepare accordingly!

Hiking the Bright Angel Trail gave me a deep appreciation for how powerful nature can be—it’s truly astonishing to see how water carved such a massive and intricate canyon over time. The scale and depth are hard to put into words. That said, I personally didn’t connect with the landscape as much. I tend to enjoy mountain scenery more than canyon views, so while I respected the geological beauty, it wasn’t quite my style. Unfortunately, the trail was closed during our visit, so we didn’t get the chance to fully experience the hike or explore the depths of the canyon. It’s clearly a trail with a lot to offer, and I’d love to come back when it’s fully open to see more of nature’s dramatic history.