Bright Angel Trail
Day Hike Tour
From $625/group
3-10 hours
Easy-Moderate
Jan-Dec
3-12 Miles
Up to 3K feet
The Bright Angel Trail is the original hiking and mule route into the Canyon. Traveled by Native Americans for centuries before European descendants arrived, the trail follows a fault line that creates a natural break in the canyon walls. Soaking up breathtaking views the entire way, we can make this hike exactly what you want by turning around after 1.5 miles, 3 miles, 4.5 miles or even 6 miles!
Highlights
Rates
1-2 People: $625
3-4 People: $845
5-7 People: $1025
Rates are in USD and are per group.
Gratuity not included (recommended 10-20% of rate)​
What's Included
Local Transportation
Professional Guide
Snacks & Lunch
Trekking Poles
Entrance Fees*
Fascinating Interp
* Entrance fees are not included if meeting us inside the Park.
What's Not Included
Clothing & Footwear
Backpack
3 Liters of Water
Headlamp or Flashlight
Sun Protection
Guide Gratuity*
* Recommended guide gratuity is 10-20% of the tour cost, depending on your level of satisfaction
Dates and Booking
Logistics
Where Do We Meet?
​​Your guide will pick you up at your accommodations in Flagstaff, Williams, Tusayan or at the South Rim. Your guide will reach out approximately 48 hours before the hike to answer any questions you have and confirm the pick-up time and location.
Start/End Times
This tour begins with pick-up at your hotel between 5 and 8 am, depending on the time of year. We will drop you back off at your accommodation no later than 5 PM.
Dietary Restrictions
We can accommodate all dietary restrictions. Please notify your guide of any restrictions when they contact you 48 hours prior to your tour.
Gallery
Reviews of the Bright Angel Trail
"The entire experience with Grand Canyon Hiking Co. was amazing. Our guide, Jamie, was top notch and made it as wonderful as it could be! The views are mind-blowing on this hike and even the same strata of the canyon seemed to change as we ascended or descended. Highly recommend!"
Kathy W., Appleton, WI
Is This Hike Right For You?
Asking whether this is the right hike for you is important! Please read below for some straight talk about what to expect and whether this hike is the best option for you and your group.
Breathtaking Views
The Bright Angel Trail has incredible views. We are looking across the Bright Angel Fault, which forms the Rim to Rim route across the Canyon.
Bathroom
There are bathrooms every 1.5 miles on this hike, so if that's important to you this is a great choice. They are elevated National Park Service pit toilets with a pungent aroma.
Moderate Heights Exposure
We hike on trails that are close to sheer drop-offs. They are well-maintained trails and wide enough for mules, but there is moderate heights exposure.
Sun & Shade
This hike has shade, which is a lovely change of pace from its nearby cousin, the South Kaibab Trail. Much of the hiking is in the sun, but you can find shade when desired.
Popular Trail
This is one of the most popular trails in Grand Canyon. The beginning of the trail is often quite busy, but the deeper we go the quieter it becomes.
Water Sources
There is water every 1.5 miles on this trail, making this a great choice for families. We still recommend hiking with 3 liters of water, but refilling is easy and convenient!
More About the Bright Angel Trail
The Bright Angel Trail was Grand Canyon's first heavily-traveled trail dedicated entirely to tourism. However, the route the trail follows had been used for millenia by Native Americans, as it takes advantage of a natural fault line which creates a break in the sheer, often impenetrable cliffs that line the Canyon's
History of the Trail
Up to 1880
Likely for millenia, Native American peoples used a major natural fault line to enter and exit the Canyon. The fault - known today as the "Bright Angel Fault" - is where two tectonic plates come together, and create a break in the sheer cliffs that guard the inner canyon. This fault also leads to springs and creeks, providing delicious, cold, fresh water straight from the ground. The Havasupai people had a seasonal camp and gardens at a spring 3,000 feet below the rim. This area is now home to the oasis campground of Havasupai Garden.
1880-1919
Early miners, including Pete Barry, reconstructed the traditional Havasupai route by widening it and improving it down to Havasupai Garden. Ralph Cameron, the most famous of Grand Canyon's early entrepreneurs, took over the trail and began charging a toll to take this route into the canyon. The famous Kolb brothers began their photography service and studio on this trail, photographing tourists as they began down the trail, and selling them the photos on their way back up. By 1898 the trail extended all the way to the Colorado River at the junction with Pipe Creek.
1919-Now
In 1919 president Woodrow Wilson signed the bill that founded Grand Canyon National Park. It was the 14th national park established in the United States. (Yellowstone was the first in 1872.) At the time of its founding there was significant resistance from local business owners to give up control of the land within the Canyon to the people of the United States. One of the first initiatives of the new national park was to wrest control of the Bright Angel Trail (by this time owned by Coconino County.) This effort ended in failure. However, Bright Angel Trail did eventually become part of Grand Canyon National Park in 1928 when the National Park Service took control of the trail. Now Bright Angel Trail is the most popular hiking route into and out of Grand Canyon. Utilized by Rim to Rim runners and hikers, day hikers, backpackers, and people hiking to Phantom Ranch, it is a bustling thorofare into the Canyon.