Best trails in Grand Canyon National Park
Top trails
Visitor info
Admits one single, private, non-commercial motorcycle and its passenger(s).
Individual ($20 valid for 7 days): for bicyclists, hikers, and pedestrians.
Admits one single, private, non-commercial vehicle and all its passengers, up to a 15 person passenger van. Organized non-commercial groups over 16 passengers require different charges. Commercial groups are not eligible for the vehicle permit.
Available to the general public for purchase for unlimited visits to Grand Canyon National Park only. This is an annual pass, valid one year from month of purchase; it is non-transferable.
It admits the pass holder and any accompanying persons in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle, or the pass holder and accompanying immediate family (spouse, children, parents) when entry is by other means (train, shuttle, bicycle, or foot).
Join millions of people who enjoy our National Parks with the "America the Beautiful" National Park & Federal Recreational Lands Pass, otherwise known as the Interagency Annual Pass. The pass is valid for a year's worth of visits from the month of purchase at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites across the country.
No entrance pass required on these days:
Monday, January 20 — Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Saturday, April 19 — First day of National Park Week
Thursday, June 19 — Juneteenth National Independence Day
Monday, August 4 — Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
Saturday, September 27 — National Public Lands Day
Tuesday, November 11 — Veterans Day
The Interagency Access Pass is accepted here.
The North Rim Visitor Center, Grand Canyon Visitor Center, Yavapai Geology Museum, and Tusayan Museum are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers and have wheelchair accessible restrooms. All the bookstores and gift shops are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers, except for South Rim’s Kolb Studio and Desert View Watchtower. Orientation films include open captioning.
Loaner wheelchairs are available at Bright Angel Bicycles and the North Rim Visitor Center. Tandem bicycles are available for rent at Bright Angel Bicycles.
Many ranger-led programs are wheelchair accessible, and assistive listening devices and ASL interpreters are available by reservation. Please call 928-638-7888 or email grca_information@nps.gov at least 3 weeks in advance to make a reservation for interpretation services.
Additional information about accessibility at Grand Canyon National Park can be found on their website: https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm.
All park shuttle buses are wheelchair accessible and can accommodate manual or motorized chairs under 48 inches long and 30 inches wide (122 by 76 cm). However, most motorized scooters cannot be accommodated on the shuttle buses.
A Scenic Drive Accessibility Permit is available at the entrance gates and service centers for visitors with mobility disabilities. It allows access to some areas not open to public traffic, but a state-issued parking placard is still required for parking in wheelchair accessible parking spaces.
The North Rim Visitor Center, Grand Canyon Visitor Center, Yavapai Geology Museum, and Tusayan Museum are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers and have wheelchair accessible restrooms. All the bookstores and gift shops are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers, except for South Rim’s Kolb Studio and Desert View Watchtower. Orientation films include open captioning.
All hotels have wheelchair accessible rooms.
There are accessible restrooms at the following trailheads: Point Imperial, Cape Royal, Hermits Rest, Hopi Point, Grandview Point, and Buggein.
Mather and North Rim Campgrounds have individual wheelchair accessible camping sites.
Service animals must be on-leash throughout the park.
Visitors must check in at the Backcountry Information Center to take service animals into the canyon.
Guides
Trail reviews for Grand Canyon National Park
A perfect off the beaten path way to experience the Grand Canyon without the crowds. Need to be safe at the end overlooking. No guard rails.
Great hike! There is something special about being in the Grand Canyon and not simply viewing from the rim. Tough hike with the heat, but so worth it.
This trail is brutal regardless of experience. Please make sure to heed all warnings mentioned on signs and by park rangers. The sights however were absolutely stunning as expected from the Grand Canyon. The trail is well maintained and there is plenty of space so there wasn't much worry about falling as long as you weren't being reckless. Overall, a stunning trail that you need to be prepared for.
This is a great (and popular) up and back trail option in the Grand Canyon. Descent is easy, but little to no shade. It becomes hotter the farther down you go - bring water! there were too many people we saw without any water. It was extremely windy at the Ooh Aah point so hold on to your hat. plan for the ascent to take double the time it did for the descent. A great trail but come prepared!
Completed on 6/21. The South Kaibab Trail was my favorite part of my 2022 rim-to-river trip, and it was great to revisit and confirm that. If you had to pick one hike to do in the Grand Canyon, this would be it. Unlike Bright Angel, there are many more unique views here, with the staircase between Ooh Aah Point and Cedar Ridge being one of the most beautiful sections of trail I've ever hiked. Ascending the switchbacks on the way back in direct sunlight is still brutal, but it's well worth it for those insane views. One final note is that you must park at the Visitor Center and take the Kaibab/Orange shuttle over, as there is no direct access to the trailhead.
Completed on 6/21. Nearly three years after completing a rim-to-river trip, it was awesome to revisit the Grand Canyon. I originally planned to go down to the 3-mile house, but due to the unrelenting sun and 95+ degree weather at the top of the South Rim, I settled for the 1.5-mile house today. While it wasn't nearly as crowded as I expected, parking can still be tough, as I had to park by Maswik Lodge at 3:30 on a Saturday. Just as I remembered, the Bright Angel Trail is easy to move quickly on since it's all switchbacks, but ascending it in direct sunlight is still brutal. The main view on this section of trail is insane, but since it's the same the whole time, I'd actually recommend South Kaibab over Bright Angel every time.