Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon National Park: How to Visit and What to Do Nearby

Bright Angel Trail descends from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon near Bright Angel Lodge at 6,860 feet, dropping 4,380 feet over 9.5 miles to the Colorado River at Phantom Ranch. Rest houses with potable water sit at the 1.5-mile and 3-mile points during summer, and Indian Garden—a cottonwood-shaded oasis at the 4.6-mile mark—has year-round water and restrooms. The trail follows a geological fault line through rock layers spanning roughly 1.7 billion years. Day hikers commonly turn around at Indian Garden, as a rim-to-river round trip takes 10 to 12 hours. is just one of many options in Grand Canyon National Park. Major attractions worth considering include Grand Canyon Skywalk, Grand Canyon South Rim, and Bright Angel Point.