Hiking the Rim to Rim Trail (Bright Angel to North Kaibab) in Grand Canyon National Park
Distance (One Way): 23.5 miles / 37.8 km
Elevation Change (Bright Angel TH to River): 4,380 ft. / 1,335 m
The Bright Angel Trail to the North Kaibab Trail, commonly called the Rim to Rim Trail, in Grand Canyon National Park, is one of the most beautiful but also sought-after bucket list hikes in the entire National Park system, which is why Rim-to-Rim permits are among the most competitive—similar to those for the Enchantments in Washington.
It is for these reasons that hiking from the South Rim to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is not very straightforward, meaning that day hikers, backpackers, and trail runners piece together Rim to Rim in an endless variety of ways.
By this, I mean that planning Rim to Rim isn’t as simple as securing one overnight permit. Rather, backpackers can stay at as many or as few of the established campgrounds as they please, building an itinerary for Rim to Rim in whatever way makes the most sense for their group.
This is largely because hikers have the option to either descend the Bright Angel Trail or the South Kaibab Trail on the South Rim—or, in rare cases, hike Rim to Rim to Rim, which is generally only done by trail runners, totaling about 43.9 miles (70.7 km) roundtrip.
All this to say, I’ve been fortunate to hike all three routes, including the Bright Angel Trail, the South Kaibab Trail, and the North Kaibab Trail—which is why I highly recommend reading my side-by-side comparison of Bright Angel vs. the South Kaibab Trail below.
Bright Angel Trail vs. South Kaibab Trail
If you’re planning to hike from Rim to Rim but are uncertain about which trail on the South Rim to descend, consider my thoughts here to hopefully clear things up.
First, I suggest against making this decision based on the differences in distance or elevation change between the South Rim and the Colorado River. There’s only a 400-ft. (122 m) difference in elevation change between the two, and the Bright Angel Trail is only longer by 2.5 miles (4.0 km), which feels negligible if you decide to camp at Havasupai Gardens on the way down.
Rather, I recommend making your decision based on whether you would like to spend the night at Havasupai Gardens to break up the descent—similar to how Cottonwood Campground feels on the North Kaibab Trail—or if you would rather hike all the way to Bright Angel Campground/ Phantom Ranch in one day via the South Kaibab Trail.
What I feel I can confidently say is that the South Kaibab Trail is undoubtedly more beautiful than the Bright Angel Trail, as Ooh Aah Point truly lives up to its name. I say this because the views on the Bright Angel Trail feel much more sheltered, while the views from South Kaibab are far more expansive—not to mention prettier in the early morning light—which is why Ooh Aah Point and Cedar Ridge are such great places to catch the sunrise!
All that being said, my Rim-to-Rim experiences may be identical to or completely different from yours, but at the very least, both of my Rim-to-Rim Trail articles will help you understand what the hike is like through each of the major Grand Canyon corridors.
Read My Separate Post: Rim to Rim Trail (South Kaibab to North Kaibab)
How to Get Rim-to-Rim Permits in Grand Canyon?
As previously mentioned, Rim to Rim is not a straightforward booking process, meaning that finding consecutive overnight permits in the order and direction you want to hike is one of the most challenging parts of planning Rim to Rim. In one instance, our group wanted to stay at every campground along the way, which is how we ended up starting at the Bright Angel Trailhead and finishing at the North Kaibab Trailhead.
Nevertheless, hikers piece together Rim to Rim in other ways—because they either weren’t able to secure a certain campground, preferred to hike in a certain direction, did or did not want to use the Rim-to-Rim shuttle, or simply weren’t able to secure any permits, which is typically when hikers become trail runners to complete Rim to Rim—or Rim to Rim to Rim—in one day.
In any case, permits are reserved through the advanced lottery or by claiming what’s left over after the lottery on Recreation.gov using the link below. Typically, the most competitive times of the year to book are the spring and fall months, avoiding June–August, when the temperatures at the bottom of the canyon are the most dangerous!
That said, it’s important to follow the posted dates for each application period—and if you’re awarded an early-access time slot, to book yours on time!
With all that in mind, the dates and campgrounds you want to book need to be available in consecutive order, like in the photo below. If one of the checked dates didn’t have enough slots available, this itinerary wouldn’t have been possible. In addition, our group didn’t actually use my awarded date on January 19 to book our permits because a friend in the same group was awarded January 11. This is how we were able to get Memorial Day, and by the time my awarded date on the 19th came around, most of May was already booked up.
This is all to say, hopefully one member of your group will be awarded an ideal time slot, but if that doesn’t work, all unclaimed permits will be released to the general public after the early access period—which can be a good last resort.
Book Here: Grand Canyon Backcountry Permits
Rim to Rim Permits
Rim to Rim Permits
Rim-to-Rim Trailhead Parking
Depending on exactly which side of the Grand Canyon you choose to begin, parking will look a little different.
On the North Rim, trailhead parking is fairly straightforward, as there is only one place to go. However, trailhead parking on the South Rim for the Bright Angel Trail in Grand Canyon Village is much more confusing.
What I mean is that the National Park Service doesn’t have designated overnight parking for backpackers in Grand Canyon Village. In fact, trailhead parking on the South Rim is a bit of a free-for-all, and if you call, they may even tell you to park at the Backcountry Office — which is nowhere near the Bright Angel Trailhead.
Therefore, the best strategy to find parking for the Bright Angel Trail on the South Rim is to simply drive around and find the closest spot you can — with the best chances being early in the morning.
Google Maps Directions: Bright Angel Trailhead / North Kaibab Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Grand Canyon
Obviously, for camping, you will need general backpacking gear. For this reason, I wrote a separate post about what backpacking gear is worth the money, from my experience, and what the best alternatives are to save you money.
Read My Separate Post: Best Ultralight Backpacking Gear
In addition, here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Grand Canyon National Park.
Hiking the Rim-to-Rim Trail (Bright Angel to North Kaibab)
As previously mentioned, our itinerary was to camp at least one night at each campground in Grand Canyon, which is why we began at the Bright Angel Trailhead.
Bright Angel-Rim Connector Junction
At this first split, go left to continue down the canyon.
The trail to the right is nothing more than a short connector to the Rim Trail and Kolb Studio up above.
From the trailhead to Havasupai Gardens, the Bright Angel Trail descends roughly 3,040 ft. (927 m) over the course of 4.5 miles (7.2 km).
Upper Bright Angel Tunnel
The Upper Bright Angel Tunnel always makes for a nice mental checkpoint that you’re getting close if you’re climbing back up to the South Rim.
On the way down, my friend and I ran into one of the many Grand Canyon volunteers, and we stopped to talk with him for a few minutes.
To my surprise, he was not only keeping track of the number of hikers he saw, but he said the pink counter was for "hikers with a bad plan!"
By this, he meant hikers going too far, starting too late, not carrying enough water, and not dressed appropriately, to name a few things. This is why it’s important to take the hiking checklist above seriously, but above all else, come prepared with a good water bladder! That and a hooded sun shirt may be the most important gear items that you can bring!
Lower Bright Angel Tunnel
The Lower Bright Angel Tunnel is about 1.0 mile (1.6 km) below the Bright Angel Trailhead.
1.5-Mile Resthouse
At about 1.5 miles (2.4 km), the Bright Angel Trail passes by the 1.5-Mile Resthouse.
That being said, it’s important to know which water stations are operational before hiking in Grand Canyon, as some can be out of service for a variety of reasons.
Therefore, be sure to read the trail updates put out by the National Park Service to learn more about which sources are and are not available.
National Park Service: Grand Canyon Trail Updates
Two-Mile Corner
Then, at almost exactly 2.0 miles (3.2 km), the Bright Angel Trail passes by an unofficial prominent switchback known as Two-Mile Corner.
This switchback is visible from hundreds of feet up, and it makes for a nice mental checkpoint to know how far you’ve walked or have to go.
Three-Mile Rest House
Compared to the 1.5-Mile Resthouse, the 3-Mile Resthouse is a bit more popular, as it is a popular turnaround point for day hikers on the Bright Angel Trail.
In any case, I encourage you to check out the beautiful Garden Canyon Overlook, located a short walk past the resthouse.
Garden Canyon Overlook
This is the Garden Canyon Overlook, where the Havasupai Gardens Campground can be seen off in the distance.
The campground is located where the large grouping of Cottonwood trees is concentrated at the bottom of the canyon.
Once back on the Bright Angel Trail, there is only another 1.5 miles (2.4 km) until the Havasupai Gardens Campground.
This section on the Bright Angel switchbacks was one of the more picturesque locations on the trail!
That being said, be sure to hike with a polarizer in order to cut through some of the harsh desert light in your photos.
At the bottom of the initial switchbacks, the Bright Angel Trail 'levels out' significantly compared to the beginning sections.
Havasupai Gardens Campground-Bright Angel Junction
Havasupai Gardens is the first and only campground on the Bright Angel Trail, where we reserved our first night before descending further.
Here, go left for the Havasupai Gardens Campground, or go right to bypass the campground and stay on the Bright Angel Trail.
Havasupai Gardens Campground-Ranger Station Junction
If you’re hiking through the campground, go right at the next split.
The trail to the left leads to the Havasupai Gardens Ranger Station.
Havasupai Gardens Campground
If this is your first time camping in Grand Canyon during the summer, it will quickly become apparent how the campsites with the best shade are the most desirable during the hot summer season.
Even in May, it was difficult and competitive to find good campsites, which is one of a few reasons why hiking early can be an advantage!
This is one of many water-filling stations found throughout Havasupai Gardens.
Honestly, not bad!
Unlike other backcountry areas in the Grand Canyon, the National Park Service provides storage boxes for your food on the highly-established Rim-to-Rim Trail.
With that in mind, these boxes aren’t for the bears, which are found almost exclusively in the upper elevations of the park. Rather, they are for squirrels, deer, and other hungry animals that can and will chew through tents, backpacks, and other gear items to get to your food!
That being said, it’s important to keep any scented items—including your clothes and backpacks—off the ground because squirrels will ruin your gear in a matter of seconds if you don’t!
It happened to one member in our group, where they chewed right through a backpack strap because of the sweat on it.
On the lower side of Havasupai Gardens, there are a number of places to check out before the trail reconnects with the Bright Angel Trail.
Bright Angel-Plateau Point Junction
At the very far end of Havasupai Gardens, the Bright Angel Trail splits, where the Plateau Point Trail begins.
With that in mind, go right to continue on the Bright Angel Trail to the Colorado River.
On day two, we started hiking at around 8 a.m., which would be a considerably late start if we were climbing up to the South Rim.
However, on these downhill days, the time we started wasn’t as crucial as the days we were ascending the North Kaibab Trail.
Bright Angel-Tonto East Junction
The East Tonto Trail is the only split in the Bright Angel Trail below Havasupai Gardens.
Here, go left to continue toward Pipe Creek Canyon and the Colorado River just beyond.
Garden Creek
The Bright Angel Trail crosses Garden Creek two different times, which can be one of the last reliable places to find water until the trail reaches the Colorado River at the bottom.
Pipe Creek Canyon
When the Bright Angel Trail reaches Pipe Creek Canyon, the views really begin to open up, which, in my opinion, was one of the most beautiful sections on the entire Rim-to-Rim Trail.
Pipe Creek
The bottom of the Pipe Creek switchbacks is where the Bright Angel Trail crosses the creek for the first time.
Eventually, Pipe Creek began to flow more than at the beginning, mostly due to Garden Creek and Pipe Creek coming together above this crossing.
Pipe Creek Shelter
Just before the Colorado River, the Bright Angel Trail passes by the Pipe Creek Shelter, located on the far side of Pipe Creek.
That being said, the Pipe Creek Shelter is the last shelter on the Bright Angel Trail before the Rim-to-Rim Trail crosses over the Colorado River.
Colorado River (Bright Angel-River Junction)
When Bright Angel Trail reaches the Colorado River, it officially turns into the River Trail, which is simply the section of trail that parallels the south side of the Colorado River from Pipe Creek Beach to the South Kaibab Trail near Kaibab Trail Suspension Bridge.
In any case, go right to continue toward the Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch.
Bright Angel Bridge (River Loop Trail)
After 1.5 miles (2.4 km), the River Trail meets the first of two bridges across the Colorado River: the Bright Angel Bridge.
With that in mind, I recommend hiking across both bridges on the River Loop Trail after setting up camp at Bright Angel, which you can learn more about below.
In any case, go left here to cross over the Bright Angel Bridge on the fastest route to both the campground and ranch.
Bright Angel Campground-North Kaibab Junction
This is the split that crosses over Bright Angel Creek to the North Kaibab Trail.
Here, go left to hike through the Bright Angel Campground, or go right to cross over Bright Angel Creek to begin the North Kaibab Trail.
I went to the left because we were staying at Bright Angel Campground.
Bright Angel Campground
The Bright Angel Campground is a 0.25-mile (0.4 km) campground that parallels Bright Angel Creek and the North Kaibab Trail on the far side.
Finding a campsite with good shade proved to be the most difficult at the Bright Angel Campground, being that it is the most popular campground on the entire Rim-to-Rim Trail.
This was the temperature midday over Memorial Day weekend!
North Kaibab Trail
This is where the trail through the campground meets back up with the North Kaibab Trail.
Here, go left to hike to Phantom Ranch, which is a great place to hang out during the heat of the day!
Phantom Ranch
At first, the North Kaibab Trail passes by the Phantom Ranch Ranger Station, which I recommend visiting to sign the hikers’ log inside.
At this split, go right to continue hiking through Phantom Ranch, or left to bypass the busier sections of the trail.
Phantom Ranch Canteen
The Phantom Ranch Canteen is truly one of the best places to hang out during the hotter summer months.
It is here where you can buy snacks, drink cold beer, mail a postcard, and borrow games while enjoying the shade under one of the many Cottonwood trees surrounding the canteen.
That said, be sure to hike in with cash in case—for some reason—cards aren’t being accepted.
Phantom Ranch Steak Dinner
The canteen is also where you have the opportunity to eat the famous Phantom Ranch steak dinner, but this needs to be reserved in advance, as seats are limited and typically sell out during the busiest hiking seasons.
On this trip, we booked ours for our second night at Bright Angel because we thought it would be more rewarding further into our hike.
Book Here: Phantom Ranch Canteen Reservations
'Secret Beach' (Colorado River)
While not advised, swimming in the Colorado River or the Bright Angel Creek was easily the best way to cool off throughout the day!
'Secret Beach' in particular ended up being our favorite, especially as golden hour made the colors on the canyon walls come out toward sunset!
Then, later that night, as we were sitting around camp talking and playing games, this little visitor literally dropped into our campsite.
When I say 'dropped,' the snake literally slithered down the cliffs of the adjacent wall and hung out in our camp for at least 10-15 minutes before moving on!
We learned from a ranger who happened to pass by that this is the Grand Canyon Rattlesnake, which is endemic to Grand Canyon National Park—endemic meaning it is found nowhere else on earth! So, while this was quite the shock at first, it was a pretty cool wildlife encounter, to say the least!
River Loop Trail
On our second day at Bright Angel, we decided to hike the 1.3-mile (2.1 km) River Loop Trail in order to walk both bridges that cross the Colorado River.
River Loop-South Kaibab Junction
After 0.6 miles (1.0 km), the River Trail meets the South Kaibab Trail junction, about 0.2 miles (0.3 km) above the Kaibab Trail Suspension Bridge.
Here, go left to hike back across the Colorado River.
Read My Separate Post: Rim to Rim Trail (South Kaibab to North Kaibab)
Kaibab Trail Suspension Bridge
In my opinion, the Kaibab Trail Suspension Bridge was cooler than the Bright Angel Bridge because of the tunnel through the rock, and the Black Bridge also had better views of the canyon.
River Loop-Boat Beach Junction
Just before completing the River Loop, the trail passes by Boat Beach, which is a very popular landing spot for those rafting the Colorado River, as well as a popular spot for campers to visit and enjoy the ice-cold waters of the Colorado River.
That being said, the National Park Service advises against swimming in the Colorado River because of the strong currents.
Bright Angel Campground-North Kaibab Junction
This is the same junction before the Bright Angel Campground shown previously, except this is on the North Kaibab side of Bright Angel Creek.
Phantom Ranch
Elevation Change (River to North Kaibab TH): 5,760 ft / 1,756 m
After our second night, we woke up early to get a head start on the heat, which was on our minds because this was our first day making our way back up the canyon.
On a different note, from this point on, my Bright Angel and South Kaibab Rim-to-Rim Trail articles will mirror one another.
Bright Angel Canyon (North Kaibab Trail)
Upon leaving Phantom Ranch, the North Kaibab Trail begins a very gradual climb up Bright Angel Canyon, gaining roughly 1,600 ft. (488 m) from Bright Angel to Cottonwood Campground.
However, the elevation change is hardly noticeable for most of the hike because it is spread out over the course of 7.2 miles (11.6 km).
North Kaibab-Clear Creek Junction
The Clear Creek junction is the only split in the North Kaibab Trail before Ribbon Falls.
That said, stay straight (left) to continue up Bright Angel Canyon.
'The Box'
It was fairly universal that 'The Box', the section just north of Phantom Ranch, was one of the most beautiful parts of Bright Angel Canyon and the entire Rim-to-Rim Trail, similar to Pipe Creek Canyon and Ooh Ahh Point on the south side.
To this point, I strongly believe that the entire North Kaibab Trail is prettier than the Bright Angel Trail, especially on the upper-elevation switchbacks past Cottonwood Campground.
Hikers are considered lucky to see Sacred Datura, as the flowers are known to open in the late afternoon/ evening and close by mid-morning the following day.
After about 4.2 miles (6.8 km), Bright Angel Canyon begins to open up, which is a nice sign that you’re getting closer to the first Ribbon Falls junction.
North Kaibab-Ribbon Falls Creek Junction
Whether you choose to visit Ribbon Falls via the Creek Trail and return to North Kaibab via the Bridge Trail, or hike to Cottonwood first and return later, I highly recommend visiting Ribbon Falls at some point during your hike!
We chose the latter of the two scenarios, which I preferred because we had it all to ourselves in the late afternoon when all the day hikers had cleared out.
In any case, go right to continue on the North Kaibab Trail toward Cottonwood Campground.
After the first Ribbon Falls junction, the North Kaibab Trail climbs a bit of an annoying hill before dropping down to the second Ribbon Falls junction.
North Kaibab-Ribbon Falls Bridge Junction
This is the second Ribbon Falls junction, and it’s the route we took later in the day to get to Ribbon Falls.
In any case, go right to hike the remaining 1.1 miles (1.8 km) to Cottonwood Campground.
Wall Creek
If you’re in need of water, I recommend passing by Wall Creek and continuing on to Cottonwood, unless it’s an emergency.
I say this because a reliable water station can be found near the Cottonwood Ranger Station at the beginning of the campground, about 0.7 miles (1.1 km) away from Wall Creek.
Cottonwood Campground
Cottonwood Campground is the final campground on the Rim-to-Rim Trail before the North Rim Trailhead, located about 6.8 miles (10.9 km) away.
With that in mind, Cottonwood was our least favorite campground, but in my experience, it was the least crowded of the three.
However, I’m happy that we stayed here because it allowed us to enjoy Ribbon Falls without the day hikers that we could see when we passed by early in the day.
If you walk down to Bright Angel Creek for a swim, remember to hang up your bags to prevent them from being damaged by the squirrels.
Bright Angel Creek
This was the little swimming hole that we enjoyed in the creek, as we waited for the sun to pass over before hiking back to Ribbon Falls.
Ribbon Falls Trail
Regardless of which junction you take to get to the Ribbon Falls Trail, the final stretch ends up being a fun little scramble to get up to the waterfall.
Ribbon Falls
After only 0.3 miles (0.5 km) from either North Kaibab junction, the trail ends at the 100-ft. (30.5 m) Ribbon Falls, which, to me, made me think of my time at Havasupai, located further down the Grand Canyon.
In any case, I can confidently say that Ribbon Falls was much more beautiful than it appears from the North Kaibab Trail, and it was even better that we got to enjoy it all to ourselves!
Cottonwood Campground
The next morning, we got up the earliest we had all trip to begin hiking up to the North Rim.
In fact, we were even late compared to other groups leaving Cottonwood.
At first, the North Kaibab Trail simply continues up Bright Angel Canyon, but it isn’t until Manzanita that the elevation gain becomes much more noticeable.
First light was truly something to enjoy on both mornings that we hiked early up the North Kaibab Trail, but be sure to come prepared with a good headlamp for these early days!
Manzanita
Manzanita is truly nothing more than a place to take a break and refill water.
However, it is the signifier that the steeper climbing is about to begin.
With that in mind, there’s about 4,160 ft. (1,268 m) of climbing from the Cottonwood Campground to the North Rim, with about 3,640 ft. (1,109 m) of that from Manzanita to the North Kaibab Trailhead.
North Kaibab-Roaring Springs Junction
After Manzanita, the Roaring Springs junction is the only split in the North Kaibab Trail before the North Rim.
That being said, go left to continue up to the North Rim, but you can see what the Roaring Springs Trail looks like from my photos below.
Roaring Springs Trail
Let’s just say, I hiked the Roaring Springs Trail, so that you don’t have to.
It was pointless; I thought there would be something to see, but just be happy that my curiosity saved you this 0.6-mile (1.0 km) roundtrip trek.
This is the end of the Roaring Springs Trail, and needless to say, it was pretty disappointing.
However, if you hike downstream to the waterfall, it may be better than simply hiking down to the creek.
North Kaibab-Roaring Springs Junction
Once back at the North Kaibab junction, I continued back up to the rim.
It was from here to the top that I finally began to hike in the sun.
This is where the North Kaibab Trail really begins to get pretty and bear a striking resemblance to somewhere in Zion National Park.
In total, there are 49 switchbacks, depending on how you count, from the Roaring Springs junction to the top of the North Rim.
With that in mind, they aren’t all at once, and only certain sections are more condensed, most notably the final sections following the Supai Tunnel.
Some of these sections along the edge are absolutely no-fall zones!
Roaring Canyon Bridge
It was sections like the Roaring Canyon Bridge that made the hike up the North Rim much prettier than the south, in my opinion.
Then, all of a sudden, this little Desert Centipede crossed right in front of me—and while it was cool to see, it’s important to leave them alone, as they are venomous and do bite humans!
Supai Tunnel
Located roughly 1.7 miles (2.7 km) below the North Kaibab Trailhead, the Supai Tunnel is one of the best mental checkpoints on the hike up to the North Rim.
At this split, go right to continue up to the North Rim.
In my experience, this is where the North Rim started to feel closer, as the white Coconino sandstone layer atop the North Rim is the last section to climb.
This is where the heat, at only 8:30 a.m., began to make the ascent feel more difficult than it would have been otherwise.
That said, comments were made to our group like 'I wouldn’t want to be you' or 'I hope that camera was worth it,' referring to our climb back up the North Rim. However, I personally didn’t find the ascent to be all that difficult.
The only part that made it harder than it would have otherwise been was the mid-May heat, but other than that, the North Rim provided much more shade than the south, which is why I truly didn’t mind the extra elevation gain.
However, hiking in a good sun shirt was the best thing I could have worn!
Coconino Overlook
Finally, the North Kaibab Trail passes by the Coconino Overlook, which is a popular day hiking destination for hikers visiting the North Rim.
It is here that you can see Humphreys Peak, the highest peak in Arizona, off in the distance on a clear day!
After the Coconino Overlook, there is only 0.7 miles (1.1 km) and 790 ft. (241 m) of climbing to reach the North Rim!
These Aspen trees were a nice sign that I was near the uppermost elevations of the trail.
This is the 49th and final switchback before reaching the top!
North Kaibab Trailhead (North Rim)
Finally, after about 30+ miles (48.3 km) of hiking, including separate day hikes, we finished on the North Rim after an enjoyable 5-day, 4-night trip.
For those familiar with backcountry adventures elsewhere, I think it’s worth mentioning that the Rim-to-Rim corridor in Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most manicured and commercialized 'backcountry' trips I’ve ever done. I say 'backcountry' because calling Rim to Rim backcountry is a bit loose in terms of what the word typically means.
That being said, I’ve always enjoyed hiking Rim to Rim, but it was a common sentiment among our group of five that we don’t see ourselves doing it again. Personally, I guess I just don’t like seeing an endless supply of other hikers, mostly day hikers, when I go into the backcountry, but I understand that I’m a bit spoiled after having other amazing backcountry experiences, like climbing Gannet Peak in the Wind River Range.
I know that the amount of hikers largely had to do with the fact that our permits for this hike were over Memorial Day weekend, but nonetheless, the trail is often just as busy throughout the cooler months of the year.
In any case, we booked the North-to-South Rim shuttle to get back to Grand Canyon Village, in which the afternoon pickup seemed to be the most popular option for returning backpackers. With that in mind, I highly recommend making your pickup location the North Grand Canyon Lodge if you plan to get to the trailhead in the morning before the scheduled pickup time, because it’s a much better place to get some food and kill a few hours compared to the trailhead—which you can hopefully hitch a ride over to, like we did!
Read My Separate Post: Rim to Rim Trail (South Kaibab to North Kaibab)
