Hiking near Grand Canyon National Park

Trails, viewpoints, and hikes in and around Grand Canyon National Park

Hiking Into the Grand Canyon

The National Park Service is explicit about this: there is no easy way down to the Colorado River and back in a single day, and it actively discourages attempting a rim-to-river-to-rim day hike, especially in summer heat. Bright Angel Trail and South Kaibab Trail are the two maintained corridor trails from the South Rim into the canyon — both have no reliable water above certain points (Bright Angel has seasonal water stations; South Kaibab has none below the rim), and temperatures at the canyon floor regularly run 20-25 degrees hotter than the rim.

Overnight backcountry camping below the rim requires a permit, awarded through the park's own advance lottery/request system — Phantom Ranch itself (a bunkhouse rather than backcountry camping) uses a separate 15-month lottery shared with its lodging reservations.

The North Rim's trails are higher in elevation and open only roughly mid-May through mid-October, when the road and facilities are open; it closes for the season with the first significant snowfall, typically by early December.

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Greenland Lake on the North Rim reflects a forest of aspen and pine trees under a clear blue sky.
Day HikeGrand Canyon North Rim

Greenland Lake Trail

A sinkhole lake and 1890s salt cabin on the Walhalla Plateau, currently closed after fire damage

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Greenland Lake on the North Rim reflects a forest of aspen and pine trees under a clear blue sky.
Day HikeGrand Canyon North Rim

Greenland Lake Trailhead

Grand Canyon's only lake, temporarily off-limits after the fire

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Day HikeGrand Canyon Village

Greenway

Trail near Grand Canyon Village

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ViewpointGrand Canyon interior

Hall Butte

A quiet butte in the shadow of Wotans Throne

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Day HikeGrand Canyon interior

Hance Creek Trail

A remote creek drainage deep below the South Rim, reached only by backcountry trail.

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A massive red rock butte rises from the Grand Canyon's inner gorge viewed from the North Rim at Point Imperial.
ViewpointGrand Canyon North Rim

Hancock Butte

A quiet sandstone summit framing the Nankoweap gorge, seen from Point Imperial

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ViewpointGrand Canyon interior

Hattan Butte

A remote inner-canyon summit among Grand Canyon's mythologically named buttes

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ViewpointGrand Canyon interior

Hawkins Butte

A river-runner's namesake summit seen from Grandview Point

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A bighorn sheep navigates the dangerously steep red rock cliffs of the Nankoweap Trail in Grand Canyon National Park.
Day HikeGrand Canyon interior

Hayduke Trail #11

An extreme, off-trail traverse of the inner canyon

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Grand Canyon Hiking FAQ

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

The National Park Service actively discourages this — it's a serious, often dangerous undertaking, especially in summer heat, and is responsible for the majority of the park's search-and-rescue incidents. Plan an overnight instead if you want to reach the river.

Is there water available on the corridor trails?

Bright Angel Trail has seasonal water stations at several points; South Kaibab Trail has no water available below the rim at all. Carry more water than you think you'll need on either trail.

Do I need a permit for backcountry camping below the rim?

Yes — overnight backcountry camping requires a permit through the park's own advance request/lottery system, separate from day hiking, which needs no permit. Phantom Ranch's bunkhouse uses its own separate 15-month lottery, shared with its lodging reservations.

When is the North Rim open for hiking?

Roughly mid-May through mid-October, when the road and facilities are open. It closes for the season with the first significant snowfall, typically by early December, and the South Rim stays open year-round in contrast.