Grand Canyon Hiking: The Bright Angel Trail

The Bright Angel Trail is the premier trail in Grand Canyon National Park. From the South Rim at Grand Canyon Village, it descends about 4,500 feet in elevation via Garden Creek Canyon to Indian Garden, and then down into the Inner Gorge to the Colorado River and Phantom Ranch.
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona.
Presented by Stephen Krieg Photography: sjkphoto.com.

[@elbertamacker7525]

thanks for the video. it brought back memories of this hike I made from the rim to the river and return in 10 hours. I was age 46 and now I 'm age 79. wish I could hike it one more time.

[@JHaySWFL]

I made this hike 20 years ago and it still stays with me as one of the most rewarding things I ever did.

[@chellettepollard4211]

Very well done. The variety of the photos is amazing; which include the surrounding areas, plants, trees, the actual Bright Angel Trail, the canyons. Perfect. Thank you!!

[@anilomd]

Thank you for not including music.

[@DennyRec]

My trip starts at the Rockies in Spring of 2012, on to Bryce Canyon in Utah. From there it's off to Zion Canyon. After that short adventure it on to the Grand Canyon in AZ. I'm not done yet, last stop is Vegas to freshen up. I started Backpacking this year and love it. Thanks for sharing the video.

[@StephenKrieg]

Thanks very much! I just did a river rafting trip of Grand Canyon last week, and will be posting some new video soon.

[@alexjmtl]

Thanks for the photo's and video's were going to visit the canyon in 2 weeks. Thanks for the glimpse ahead.

[@DennyRec]

I will be their this spring. Trip starts in the Rockies then to Bryce Canyon, on to Zion Canyon to go to the Grand Canyon and to freshen up in Vegas. Every time I see such beautiful photos or videos, I wish it would be today. When I go, I will be making my first video. Happy backpacking and be careful. Thanks for sharing

[@StephenKrieg]

You're very welcome! Thanks for your comments. Steve

[@StephenKrieg]

If it's your first time hiking in Grand Canyon, you will be up against two dangerous foes, depending on where you live: the elevation, and the desert heat. I recommend only going down to Mile and a Half Resthouse, then back up and see how you feel after that. Yes, only 3 miles round trip. It's all too easy for first-timers to become so enthralled with the Canyon, and the ease of going downhill, and then run into serious trouble on the hike back up. Don't become another casualty.

[@Superduper666]

Walked 1.5 miles down then up in June. Wish we could have gone all the way down. Was quite hot and had barely enough water. Saw too many people unprepared without enough water or even suntan lotion. Towards the end we were walking up cloud cover to cloud cover, was never so happy to see clouds! Did see people with camelbacks while there, never heard of those before my trip and now own one. Thanks for the video. It's a beautiful place to visit and meeting people along the way was nice.

[@StephenLandry]

Beautiful video. I really liked the wild flowers and the flowering trees along the trail. Great views from Plateau Point, too. I've been to Plateau Point and Indian Garden three times, the most recent last November, but always in the late fall or winter. It was interesting seeing the river it's natural reddish brown color; the times I've been there it was green, and I understand it only gets brown in times of high flow. Your video brought back some great memories; thanks for sharing!

[@chelys0541]

Wow, Great filming!! My fiance & I are planning a trip to the Grand Canyon in Nov. 2011. We've never been, so were very excited to visit after watching you video! Thanks :D

[@StephenKrieg]

Yes, many sections of the trail are literally cut out of the side of the cliff, so they are not too wide. Keep your eyes on the trail and don't look over the side until you get past that section.

[@diggable]

thanks for the video, going this weekend. you have the best high quality videos!

[@StephenKrieg]

That will be a great hike. You sound like you've planned well, and you're taking advantage of the coolest part of the year. It's good that you will be able to rest up and savor the bottom of the Canyon by camping. Be sure to get some kind of foot traction for the upper portions of the trails, because there will be icy patches in the shaded areas, and you don't want to feel like you're going to slip!

[@econoni]

Thank You for sharing.

[@StephenKrieg]

Thanks very much. It was a wonderful hike, and I made it partially in response to people who want to do the hike but have never been to GC and don't have any idea what it's like.

[@usedtobesupermom]

Thank you for sharing.

[@StephenKrieg]

About a year ago I did the hike all the way from the river to the Rim, with several of the river guides that I work with. You can see that video on my channel here, too. Since you have been to Indian Garden and back up, you might enjoy knowing some history about the Kolb brothers. Water was scarce back then, so the Kolb brothers had a film developing shed at Indian Garden. Emory would jog down there and back as much as 3 times a day to develop pictures for tourists!

[@aznsketcher]

your video is amazing! I'm planning a trip to do some day hikes in the GC and this video so great! thanks for posting it up.

[@1BlueStarRising]

Awesome Sharing of the wonderful Hike. Blessings to All :-)

[@StephenKrieg]

Thanks very much, Arcturus301. A point and shoot camera with a swing-out LCD display allowed me to see where I was pointing the camera as I walked, without having to look at it directly all the time. I kind of watched out of the corner of my eye because of course I don't want to fall. But the shoot-while-walking and talking gives it a lot more realism, I think.

[@spamstoper3]

excellent vid !

[@bsbates56]

Great video. It gives me a good idea of what to expect. Will be hiking the Bright Angel in the coming weeks as a 1st timer in the GC.

[@StephenKrieg]

BarbS Bates Thanks. Be sure to talk to the Rangers at the Backcountry Office there. They are there to keep you safe while guiding you to the hike for your abilities. Easy does it.

[@bsbates56]

Oki doki...will do; was planning on doing that to cover all bases. Thanks much!

[@StephenKrieg]

Thanks very much TFBMedia.

[@ebuff57]

Nice video, thanks!

[@StephenKrieg]

The Park Service strongly discourages hiking to the river and back in one day. Even if you're in great shape. We've had people faint from the heat, and that was going downhill. The Bright Angel is the best to start with, because there is water and shade in several places. Some people think the South Kaibab is more spectacular (see my video on that one), but it has no water and virtually no shade for most of the day.

[@StephenKrieg]

@hikewithJOLI Thanks. I agree. That's one reason why I made the new video of hiking up the BA; to talk about heat related safety. I was with four river guides, one of them an M.D. and co-author of "Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon". But we kept it fun, too, and it was a great hike. See it on my Channel (Grand Canyon, River to Rim).

[@ubertee1]

I was the afraid of hiking down the grand canyon when I visited it the first time in July 2013. These pictures make me regret my decision. Maybe I should get some information about hiking there. Thanks for the sharing this video!

[@StephenKrieg]

UberTee It's wise to follow your gut feelings. The best way to hike into the Canyon is in small bites until you get a better feel, get some experience. Next time try just going down to Mile And A Half Resthouse and back up. It will make a world of difference.

[@StephenKrieg]

Thanks so much StephenHornsby1.

[@cajunman55somewhere54]

i am going in 2018

[@StephenKrieg]

Winter's a great time except that the trail gets icy, so be sure to have traction devices on the bottoms of your boots. As always, check with the Backcountry Office for advice.

[@StephenKrieg]

haro82, yes the trail is as shown. I'm quite uncomfortable with heights like this, too, as are most people. When you come to a section that scares you, keep your eyes on the trail in front of you, relax as much as possible, and when you're past it, take a few moments to look around, appreciate the spectacular beauty, and take pictures if you want to. There are many places along the trail for that.

[@randomisnotgood]

I went down to Colorado River on foot when I was 12, and when I was back up, swore that I would never do it again.

[@dschondog]

Is there a way to go down and have someone bring you back up, by that, I mean, in some sort of tour vehicle? The change in elevation will be different for me and the combination of challenging factors would make not having to hike back up a determining factor in my hiking down. This video is so good. Thank you.

[@StephenKrieg]

I take it that you're tired of all the background music that is used on these kinds of videos?

[@MrKimmp284]

Tried talking our Boy Scout Troop into this trip for High Adventure. So far I think it'll be me, my son, and possibly daughter. Some day soon I hope.

[@StephenKrieg]

@hikewithJOLI On my South Kaibab hike video I show the Park Service helicopter coming in to med-evac out a hiker that had broken his ankle on the trail. Later on that hike I came across a guy below the Tipoff that was really struggling and had less than a quart of water. His party was hiking out via the South Kaibab, which is the wrong way to go (no water, no shade). I tried to convince them to take the Tonto over to Indian Garden and hike out with water, but his young friends didn't want to.

[@missouritimberwolf3677]

my buddy and I are planning a base camp at the South Rim in early April of this year 2016. And then taking day hikes from the base camp at desert view. any suggestions? Gear ? Clothing?

[@randallarismendez2121]

I'm planning on going to the Grand Canyon for the first time next month, this is beautiful! I'll have to go on this trail and see the Indian Gardens myself. Any other suggestions? I was considering doing the half day river float, but it's pretty pricey.

[@haro82]

I'll be doing this end of this week for a white water rafting trip. I must confess a fear of heights though. Is this trail pretty bad for that?

[@StephenKrieg]

But if August is when they're going to be there, all the better reason to only go down to Mile and a Half. You get a feel for the Canyon you can't get from the rim, and you would be in the uppermost elevations: 6,850 feet at the trailhead, and only dropping about 1,000 feet down to Mile and a Half.

[@StephenKrieg]

Respond to this video... We did it from the River Resthouse at the bottom of the Bright Angel Trail this past April, and we did it in 4.5 hours, stopping a few places to video. I have not done the additional 1.9 miles on the River Trail from Phantom Ranch itself.

[@yiyo2008monte]

thanks Stephen, considering I'm hiking during winter this december, would this be more possible to achieve?. I understand in the middle of summer cause of heat exhaustion I wouldn't be able to do so.

[@unowho67]

A great video! Is it possible to go down to the bottom and back up in a day.

[@StephenKrieg]

Simon Gill Thanks. It is feasible to go all the way down to the river and back in a single day trip. But not recommended unless you are in great shape, including being acclimated to desert heat and taking along the necessary water and salty snacks (for electrolyte replenishment). The Park Service posts a warning of how a young Boston Marathon athlete died hiking down there by overestimating what was needed. Contact the Backcountry Office in the park for more information.

[@randomisnotgood]

@naturalmoment It was during winter, so heat was not a problem at all for me. It was just that I was fatigued. Also, are you allowed to set up a tent anywhere on inside the park or are there specific places that are restricted to the hikers?

[@yiyo2008monte]

how long does it take to do bright angel trail all the way down to the river and back? Also is this a better alternative for photography compared to other trails?

[@wizloon]

6:21 "NO DIVING" - Who would dive in that?

[@rogerbombardier5188]

It was 125 degrees when i went hiking it was beautiful!

[@StephenKrieg]

@randomisnotgood You need a backcountry permit for anything other than day hiking.

[@StephenKrieg]

@randomisnotgood Now you why the Park Service strongly tries to discourage hiking down to the river and back in one day. For People that aren't in good shape, and/or don't know how to take care of themselves in the desert heat, you can be in big trouble.

[@Slacker887]

Going down is easy. Going up is awful. Good hike either way though.

[@StephenKrieg]

You're welcome. You inspired me to write a blog post about winter hiking in the Canyon. Go to GrandCanyonPhotography.blogspot.com.

[@yazabug2933]

Does anyone know of any great trails that are very challenging? I'm used to trekking in Saudi Arabia so walking might be a bit boring for me. I would like to find trails that require some jumping, climbing, et cetera. Thanks!

[@Slacker887]

Going down is easy. Going up is awful.

[@StephenKrieg]

That's the joke...