Rim to Rim Grand Canyon Hike: Permit and Planning
A Grand Canyon rim to rim hike crosses from the North Rim to the South Rim on the corridor trails: 21 miles by the South Kaibab Trail or 23.5 miles by the Bright Angel Trail. A day hike needs no permit. A night below the rim needs a Grand Canyon backcountry permit. As of October 13, 2026, NPS had the middle of the route closed after the August 29 flash flood, so read the closure section first.
Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim permit alertsThis guide covers the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim permit.
Can you hike rim to rim right now?
No, as of October 13, 2026. NPS closed the middle of the corridor after flash flooding in Bright Angel Canyon on August 29. A crossing needs the North Kaibab Trail and a bridge over the Colorado River, and both are shut. NPS says: “There is no estimated reopening of these closure areas at this time.”
Closed
- South Kaibab Trail below Tip-Off Point.
- The River Trail east of the River Resthouse to the South Kaibab Trail junction.
- Black Bridge and Silver Bridge spanning the Colorado River.
- The entirety of Phantom Ranch, including Bright Angel Campground, the Phantom Ranch Canteen, and Phantom Ranch cabins.
- The entirety of the North Kaibab Trail. From the North Kaibab Trailhead to Phantom Ranch, including Cottonwood Campgroud.
Still open
- Bright Angel Trail from the Bright Angel Trailhead to the River Resthouse
- Plateau Point Trail to Plateau Point
- South Kaibab Trail from the South Kaibab Trailhead to the Tip-Off
- Tonto Trail between the Tip-Off to Havasupai Gardens
Read on October 13, 2026 from the NPS Key Hiking Messages page (last updated October 12, 2026). This changes. Check that page before you set dates.
Closures on the Grand Canyon backcountry permit
Open now
- Bright Angel Trail from the Bright Angel Trailhead to the River Resthouse
- Plateau Point Trail to Plateau Point
- South Kaibab Trail from the South Kaibab Trailhead to the Tip-Off
- Tonto Trail between the Tip-Off to Havasupai Gardens
Closed after the August 29 flash flood
South Kaibab Trail below Tip-Off Point
“South Kaibab Trail below Tip-Off Point.”
River Trail east of the River Resthouse
“The River Trail east of the River Resthouse to the South Kaibab Trail junction.”
Black Bridge and Silver Bridge over the Colorado River
“Black Bridge and Silver Bridge spanning the Colorado River.”
Phantom Ranch and Bright Angel Campground
“The entirety of Phantom Ranch, including Bright Angel Campground, the Phantom Ranch Canteen, and Phantom Ranch cabins.”
North Kaibab Trail and Cottonwood Campground
“The entirety of the North Kaibab Trail. From the North Kaibab Trailhead to Phantom Ranch, including Cottonwood Campgroud. This closure is a result of significant flash flooding to the Bright Angel Canyon on 8/29.”
Grand Canyon National Park. Read the closure notice
How far is rim to rim in the Grand Canyon?
Every crossing starts or ends on the North Kaibab Trail and meets a South Rim trail at Bright Angel Campground. Adding the NPS distances: 21 miles with the South Kaibab Trail, 23.5 miles with the Bright Angel Trail.
| Trail | Rim | Trailhead | To Bright Angel Campground | Descent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Kaibab Trail | North Rim | 8,241 ft | 14 mi | 5,761 ft |
| Bright Angel Trail | South Rim | 6,860 ft | 9.5 mi | 4,380 ft |
| South Kaibab Trail | South Rim | 7,260 ft | 7 mi | 4,780 ft |
- North Kaibab Trail: Supai Tunnel at mile 1.7, 6,800 ft
- North Kaibab Trail: Cottonwood Campground at mile 6.8, 4,080 ft
- North Kaibab Trail: Phantom Ranch at mile 13.6, 2,546 ft
- Bright Angel Trail: Havasupai Gardens Campground at mile 4.5, 3,800 ft
- Bright Angel Trail: River Resthouse at mile 8, 2,480 ft
- South Kaibab Trail: Tip Off at mile 4.4, 4,000 ft
Distances and elevations from the NPS Backcountry Trail Distances table, read on October 13, 2026. Bright Angel Campground sits at 2,480 ft.
Rim to rim to rim
Going over and back from the South Rim adds the North Kaibab twice. On the same NPS numbers that is 42 miles down and up the South Kaibab, or 44.5 miles down the South Kaibab and out on the Bright Angel. NPS tells day hikers: “Do not attempt to hike from the rim to the river and back in one day.” Like a one-way crossing, it needs the bridges and the North Kaibab, which NPS listed as closed as of October 13, 2026.
Do you need a permit for rim to rim?
- Day hike: no permit. NPS lists “day hikes (this includes nighttime "day" hikes)” among the trips that do not need one.
- Any night below the rim: a Grand Canyon backcountry permit. NPS requires one for “overnight camping outside of Mather Campground, Desert View Campground, and North Rim Campground”. A two or three day crossing camps at Cottonwood, Bright Angel or Havasupai Gardens, so it needs one.
- Organized groups: NPS says “Any organized, non-commercial group of 12-30 participants” doing rim to rim or rim to rim to rim needs a Special Use Permit, and a group may not split across several permits to get around it.
Overnight permits start with an early access lottery on Recreation.gov, months ahead. The dates, the steps and what to do if you lose are in our Grand Canyon rim-to-rim lottery guide. A permit costs $10, plus $15 per person per night below the rim, and NPS adds that for the corridor, “due to impacts from the August 2026 flash flood, availability is not guaranteed”.
Rules from the NPS Backcountry Permit and NPS Day Hiking pages, read on October 13, 2026.
The one corridor camp on an open trail today is Havasupai Gardens, which has its own page: Havasupai Gardens Campground permit.
When is the North Rim open?
In 2026 the North Rim reopened on May 15, and NPS lists it as open through November 30 or the first major snowstorm. The North Rim Campground is open through October 15. There is no lodge this year: “Overnight lodging is not available on the North Rim during the 2026 season.” The 2025 Dragon Bravo Fire destroyed the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.
An open North Rim does not mean an open North Kaibab. NPS set the trail to reopen with the rim on May 15, and as of October 13, 2026 it was closed after the August flood.
From NPS North Rim Status (last updated October 6, 2026) and the NPS 2026 North Rim season release, read on October 13, 2026.
How hot is the Grand Canyon on a rim to rim hike?
- The temperature climbs 5.5°F for every 1,000 feet you drop. From the North Kaibab trailhead to Bright Angel Campground is 5,761 ft.
- Summer highs at Phantom Ranch average about 30°F warmer than the rims.
- NPS: “Do not hike between 10 am and 4 pm.”
- NPS also says not to force fluids, because drinking too much can cause hyponatremia, a life-threatening salt imbalance.
From NPS Key Hiking Messages, read on October 13, 2026.
Other ways into the canyon
- Camping anywhere below the rim, corridor or not: Grand Canyon backcountry permit.
- Running the Colorado River through the canyon: Grand Canyon river permit.
- Sleeping in a bed at the bottom: the Phantom Ranch lottery guide, which also covers why the ranch is closed right now.
Rim to rim questions
Can you hike rim to rim in the Grand Canyon right now?
Not as of October 13, 2026. After the August 29 flash flood, NPS lists the whole North Kaibab Trail, both bridges over the Colorado River, all of Phantom Ranch and the South Kaibab below the Tip-Off as closed, and says there is no estimated reopening. Check the NPS Key Hiking Messages page before you plan dates.
How far is the Grand Canyon rim to rim hike?
Using the NPS trail distance table, the North Kaibab Trail is 14 miles from its trailhead to Bright Angel Campground. Add the Bright Angel Trail (9.5 miles) for 23.5 miles, or the South Kaibab Trail (7 miles) for 21 miles.
Do you need a permit to hike rim to rim?
Not for a day hike. NPS says day hikes need no backcountry permit, night hikes included. You need a backcountry permit to camp anywhere below the rim, including Bright Angel, Cottonwood and Havasupai Gardens campgrounds. Organized groups of 12 to 30 people hiking rim to rim need a Special Use Permit.
When is the North Rim open for rim to rim hikers?
For 2026, NPS reopened the North Rim on May 15 and lists it as open through November 30, or the first major snowstorm. The North Rim Campground is open through October 15, and there is no overnight lodging on the North Rim this season. As of October 13, 2026, NPS listed the North Kaibab Trail itself as closed after the August flood.
How do you get a Grand Canyon backcountry permit for rim to rim?
Through the NPS early access lottery on Recreation.gov, which closes four months before your start month, then any dates left over. A permit costs $10, plus $15 per person per night below the rim. NPS also warns that corridor availability is not guaranteed after the August 2026 flood. Our Grand Canyon rim-to-rim lottery guide has the dates.
Sources
- Grand Canyon National Park: Key Hiking Messages, read October 13, 2026, page dated October 12, 2026.
- Grand Canyon National Park: Backcountry Permit, read October 13, 2026, page dated September 8, 2026.
- Grand Canyon National Park: Backcountry Trail Distances, read October 13, 2026, page dated March 12, 2025.
- Grand Canyon National Park: Day Hiking, read October 13, 2026, page dated May 27, 2026.
- Grand Canyon National Park: North Rim Status, read October 13, 2026, page dated October 6, 2026.
- Grand Canyon National Park: 2026 North Rim summer season access (news release, March 25, 2026), read October 13, 2026, page dated March 25, 2026.