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Hayduke Trail #12
Trail near Grand Canyon Village
Trail Information
Grand Canyon backcountry permit required for overnight stays; obtain through the Backcountry Information Center.
About
Hayduke Trail #12 is one segment of the roughly 800-mile Hayduke Trail, an unmarked, unmaintained long-distance route stitching together trails, washes, and cross-country stretches across southern Utah and northern Arizona canyon country, crossing Grand Canyon National Park along the way. This segment carries the route through the canyon's inner corridor, linking the Tonto Trail with the South Kaibab and Bright Angel corridor trails near Phantom Ranch — the lowest point on the entire Hayduke.
What to expect
- Not a maintained trail in its own right — the Hayduke numbering marks where the route follows existing park trails (Tonto, South Kaibab, Bright Angel) end to end
- Extremely rugged overall route: minimal signage and real route-finding required outside the corridor trails
- Permits: a Grand Canyon backcountry permit is required for any overnight stay in the park; camping is restricted to designated sites such as Bright Angel and Cottonwood campgrounds
Realistically, this segment is for experienced desert backpackers already planning a Hayduke thru-hike or section-hike, not a casual day-hike option.
Best Time for This Section
Spring and fall, same as the rest of the inner canyon — summer heat in the Inner Gorge is dangerous, and the corridor trails this segment follows can exceed 100°F at river level.
Good to Know
- This segment follows established park trails (Tonto, South Kaibab, Bright Angel) rather than being its own maintained path — the Hayduke Trail is a route, not a signed trail.
- A backcountry permit from Grand Canyon National Park is required for any overnight stay.
- Water sources are limited outside the corridor trails; plan a real water strategy, not just extra bottles.
Access
Most hikers pick up this segment via the South Kaibab or Bright Angel trailheads in Grand Canyon Village, or from Horseshoe Mesa via the Grandview Trail, depending on which guidebook's section breakdown they're following.
What to Expect
This is the stretch of the Hayduke Trail crossing the Grand Canyon's Inner Gorge, linking the Tonto Trail to the corridor trails near Phantom Ranch — the lowest elevation on the entire 800-mile route. Expect exposed, hot terrain, major elevation change between rim and river, and the same rules and permits that apply to any other Grand Canyon backcountry route.
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