Rim-to-River via Bright Angel

From a scenic standpoint, this will no doubt be one of the best hikes of your life. The view from the rim is impressive, but the scale of the Grand Canyon and the awe it inspires really begins once you descend into its depths. You'll do that quickly as Bright Angel Trail quickly drops from the rim toward the river that caused this wonder--the Colorado River.The trail is obvious and there are not many connecting trails. Additionally, the signage is always clear. Simply continue to plummet and remember to enjoy the views. Around mile four (half way down), the trail begins to flatten as it approaches Havasupai Gardens. Here there is camping and water. Clearly this is quite the oasis compared to the parched and rocky red earth the trail began on.After the Gardens, the descent begins anew. Follow the trail until you get close to the river. At the river resthouse, a continuation called River Trail can be taken to reach Bright Angel Campround, Phantom Ranch, and points farther. However, to simply dip your hand in the mighty Colorado (swimming not advised), you need only continue off-trail down the wash for a short distance from the resthouse. There you can cool off, enjoy the views, and fear the 6000+ ft climb back to the rim.

Following a natural break in the cliffs formed by the massive Bright Angel Fault, todays Bright Angel Trail approximates a route used for millennia by the many Native American groups that have called the Grand Canyon home. Early western pioneers at the canyon first built a trail in 1891 to reach mining claims established below the rim at Indian Garden. Recognizing that the true worth of the claims would be measured in visitation by tourists, these pioneers immediately registered their trail as a toll road and extended the trail to the river. The mining claims and use of the trail as a toll road would be the source of much controversy, first in legal battles with railroad companies that wanted to control tourism and later with the federal government. The trail was turned over to the National Park Service in 1928. Look for ancient pictograph panels and historic structures, and the trails construction to sense its rich history.