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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A backpacker with a full pack descends the rocky Hermit Trail into the Grand Canyon's vast layered interior.
Day HikeGrand Canyon interior

Hermit Creek Trail

A historic, rugged descent to a perennial desert creek

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A backpacker with a full pack descends the rocky Hermit Trail into the Grand Canyon's vast layered interior.
Day HikeGrand Canyon interior

Hermit Trail

A rugged 1911 trail to Hermit Creek, built for hikers who know what they're doing

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A backpacker with a full pack descends the rocky Hermit Trail into the Grand Canyon's vast layered interior.
Day HikeGrand Canyon interior

Hermit Trailhead

A steep, historic descent into the canyon's Supai cliffs

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Visitors walk past the iconic rustic stone facade of Hermit's Rest on Grand Canyon's South Rim.
ViewpointGrand Canyon interior

Hermits Rest Viewpoint

A 1914 stone cabin at road's end with west-facing canyon views

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ViewpointGrand Canyon interior

Hillers Butte

A remote butte in the Powell Plateau backcountry, visible only from deep-canyon overlooks.

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A fiery sunset blazes over the Grand Canyon from Hopi Point, with the Colorado River visible far below.
ViewpointGrand Canyon interior

Hopi Point

The South Rim's farthest-reaching overlook, and its best sunset.

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A sweeping panoramic view of Horseshoe Mesa and layered canyon walls under a clear blue Arizona sky.
ViewpointGrand Canyon interior

Horseshoe Mesa

A steep mining-era trail to a mesa full of history

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Aerial view of Horus Temple rising from layered red sandstone cliffs deep inside Grand Canyon National Park.
ViewpointGrand Canyon interior

Horus Temple

An Egyptian-named butte glimpsed from the South Rim

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Sweeping panoramic view of Grand Canyon's layered red rock buttes and mesas with the North Rim visible in the distance.
ViewpointGrand Canyon interior

Isis Temple

A temple of stone visible across the gorge from the South Rim

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Day HikeGrand Canyon interior

Juniper Hill Trail

A quiet, unmarked route through South Rim juniper woodland

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Ken Patrick Trail junction sign surrounded by golden autumn aspens in North Rim's Kaibab forest.
Day HikeGrand Canyon interior

Ken Patrick Trail

A quiet rim walk through recovering North Rim forest

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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.