Lottery8/10
Grand Canyon hiking permits
Required for all overnight camping below the rim....
Bright Angel Campground Permit
Grand Canyon National Park · Arizona
Lottery, then cancellations all season
Campground at the bottom of the canyon.
70% of the openings our scanner caught on Bright Angel were gone within 10 minutes.
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Bright Angel Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodLottery
Demand LevelExtremely High9/10
SeasonYear-round - Year-round
Cost$10 permit/lottery application + $15 per person per night
Max Group Size11 people
Bright Angel Permit Facts
- As of September 2026, Bright Angel in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona requires a permit issued via lottery.
- Bright Angel is one of the most competitive permits in the United States, rating 9/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The Bright Angel lottery typically opens The 16th of each month, four months before your start month and closes 5 pm MST on the 1st of the following month, with results announced Lottery runs late on the 2nd; the top 750 applicants get booking timeslots.
- The permit season for Bright Angel runs year-round.
- The Bright Angel route covers 9.5 miles with 4,380 feet of elevation gain, rated strenuous.
- Cancelled Bright Angel permits are re-released on the booking system; PermitSnag monitors availability and alerts watchers when dates open.
Key Information
Key Dates
Lottery OpensThe 16th of each month, four months before your start month
Lottery Closes5 pm MST on the 1st of the following month
ResultsLottery runs late on the 2nd; the top 750 applicants get booking timeslots
SeasonYear-round - Year-round
Permit Details
TypeOvernight
Booking MethodLottery
Demand Level9/10
LocationColorado Plateau, AZ
Pro Tips
- •Book Havasupai Gardens as your climb-out night. It splits 4,380 feet into two days and it clears far more often than Bright Angel does.
- •Cancelled corridor space reappears within 24 hours of the cancellation, and the refund deadline 30 days out is when most of it happens.
- •Down the South Kaibab, out the Bright Angel. Shortest descent, and the only climb with taps on it - waterline permitting.
- •Ammo cans and the campground's food storage exist for a reason - ringtail cats and squirrels will get into an unsecured pack.
- •In winter, take traction devices. The upper switchbacks on both South Rim trails ice over and NPS specifically recommends them.
- •Check the Key Hiking Messages page the morning you leave the rim - it carries the live water status for the corridor.
What to Expect
Route Details
Distance
9.5 miles
Elevation Gain
4,380 ft
Route Type
Out & Back
Duration
2-3 days
Difficulty
StrenuousElevation Range
2,480 - 6,860 ft
Highlights
- •9.5 miles from the South Rim via the Bright Angel Trail, or 7 miles via the South Kaibab
- •14 miles from the North Rim via the North Kaibab Trail
- •Camp elevation 2,480 feet - a 4,380-foot climb back to the Bright Angel Trailhead
- •Ranger station, emergency phone, toilets, and a tap that depends on the Transcanyon Waterline
- •Phantom Ranch canteen next door, booked separately from your permit
- •Two nights maximum per campground per hike; four from November 15 to February 28
- •Summer at the river is genuinely dangerous, not just uncomfortable
Best Time to Visit
March-May and September-November. The river camp is comfortable and the climb out is survivable. Summer at 2,480 feet is the version of this hike that generates rescues. Winter is quiet and the four-night limit applies from November 15 to February 28, but the upper switchbacks ice up and the North Rim approach is closed December 1 to May 15.
Hazards & Considerations
- !Heat. Shade temperatures at the rim routinely pass 100°F in summer and it is hotter at the river; NPS advises against hiking 10 am to 4 pm
- !Hyponatremia from drinking water without replacing salt
- !No water at all on the South Kaibab Trail
- !Monsoon thunderstorms and flash flooding in side canyons, July to September
- !Ice on the upper Bright Angel and South Kaibab switchbacks in winter
- !The climb out takes roughly twice as long as the descent
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (5,000 ft)
Today
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82°
64°
Sun
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81°
63°
Mon
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81°
61°
Tue
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80°
68°
Wed
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80°
66°
Thu
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82°
66°
Fri
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84°
70°
View full NWS forecast →Mountain weather changes rapidly. This forecast is a guide—always be prepared for worse conditions.
How to Get This Permit
1
Create a National Park Service account
Sign up at National Park Service if you don't have an account. Verify your email and add payment info ahead of time.
2
Apply during the lottery window
Submit your application between The 16th of each month, four months before your start month and 5 pm MST on the 1st of the following month. Apply for multiple dates to increase your odds.
3
Wait for lottery results
Results are typically announced Lottery runs late on the 2nd; the top 750 applicants get booking timeslots. Check your email and your National Park Service account.
4
If unsuccessful, monitor cancellations
Permits get cancelled daily. Peak cancellation times are 24-48 hours before the trip date.
5
Set up PermitSnag alerts
Get notified when cancellations happen. Pro and $19 single-permit alerts are checked about every minute, 24/7; free accounts are checked hourly.
Learn More
When to Go
Peak: March-May and September-NovemberShoulder: Late February and early December
Conditions
Warm at the river, cool at the rim. The best conditions of the year for the climb out.
Crowd Level
HighAdvantages
- +Bright Angel Creek is full
- +Comfortable camp temperatures
- +The most comfortable climb-out temperatures of the year
Challenges
- !Hardest months to win in the lottery
- !Ice possible on the upper switchbacks into March
- !Day-hiker traffic on the Bright Angel Trail
Difficulty Assessment
Physical Demand5/5
Fitness and endurance required
Technical Skill1/5
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Exposure Risk2/5
Steep dropoffs and fall potential
Navigation1/5
Route finding and trail clarity
Commitment4/5
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
Fit hikers ready for their first Grand Canyon backcountry trip. The park describes the corridor as exactly that. The trails are wide and well maintained - the work is the 4,380-foot climb out.
Recommended Experience
A previous overnight with a loaded pack and 3,000 feet of gain. Training downhill matters as much as uphill here.
Not Recommended For
Anyone who has not carried a pack uphill for four hours straight, and anyone attempting it in July or August without a plan to be moving before dawn.
About This Permit
Bright Angel Campground is the campground at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, half a mile north of the Colorado River along Bright Angel Creek and next door to Phantom Ranch. NPS lists it as 9.5 miles from the South Rim and 14 miles from the North Rim, with a ranger station, emergency phone, toilets and piped water. That tap is fed by the Transcanyon Waterline, and the park's Key Hiking Messages page publishes a live per-location status because, in its own words, these statuses are current but can change suddenly due to breaks in the waterline - it read water OFF due to pipeline break at this campground on August 9, 2026. It is also, in the park's own description, by far the most requested below-rim backpacking destination in the park.
Getting a night here means a Grand Canyon backcountry permit, which since January 2024 is run through Recreation.gov on a monthly early access lottery. Applications close at 5 pm MST on the 1st, four months before your start month; the draw happens late on the 2nd and hands the top 750 applicants a timeslot to build an itinerary. You can hold a maximum of two nights per campground per hike, or four from November 15 to February 28.
Most trips come down the South Kaibab (7 miles, no water, no shade) and climb out the Bright Angel (9.5 miles, and the only corridor trail with taps - all of them waterline-dependent). Adding a night at Havasupai Gardens on the way out is the standard way to make the climb humane - and Havasupai Gardens is usually easier to get than Bright Angel.
The Experience
Why It Matters
This is the campground at the bottom. It sits half a mile north of the Colorado River along Bright Angel Creek, next to Phantom Ranch, at the point where the North Kaibab, South Kaibab and Bright Angel trails all converge on the only two footbridges across the river in the entire Grand Canyon backcountry. Every rim-to-rim, every rim-to-river, and every corridor itinerary wants a night here, which is why it is the hardest single reservation in the park to get.
The Route
Two ways down from the South Rim. The South Kaibab is 7 miles from a 7,260-foot trailhead: a ridgeline route with big views, no water, and no shade, past Cedar Ridge at 1.5 miles, Skeleton Point at 3, and the Tip Off at 4.4. The Bright Angel is 9.5 miles from 6,860 feet, tucked into a side canyon along a fault, past Mile-and-a-Half and Three-Mile Resthouses and Havasupai Gardens at 4.5 miles - the only taps on any corridor trail, and all three run off the Transcanyon Waterline.
Most people go down the South Kaibab and climb out the Bright Angel, which is the shortest descent paired with the only climb that has taps on it. From the North Rim, the North Kaibab reaches the campground in 14 miles.
The Feeling
Cottonwoods, running water, and walls so high the sky is a strip. You come down through rock that gets older with every hour of walking and end up at a creek you can put your feet in. There is a ranger station, there are toilets, and there is a tap that works whenever the Transcanyon Waterline does - and none of that makes the 4,380 feet back up feel any shorter the next morning.
Trailhead Information
South Kaibab Trailhead
7,260 ft elevationShortest way down at 7 miles from 7,260 feet. Ridgeline the whole way, so the views are constant and the exposure is total.
Restrooms
No water
Parking
No private vehicle access. Kaibab Rim (Orange) Route shuttle from the Visitor Center.
Nearest Services
Grand Canyon Village, year-round.
Notes
No water on this trail at all. Fine as a descent, punishing as a climb out in summer.
Bright Angel Trailhead
6,860 ft elevation9.5 miles from 6,860 feet, with the only shade of the three corridor trails and the only taps of the three - all waterline-dependent.
Restrooms
Water on site
Before you rely on this water
Fed by the Transcanyon Waterline. NPS publishes a live per-location status on its Key Hiking Messages page because, in the park's words, these statuses are current but can change suddenly due to breaks in the waterline. Check it the morning you start, and carry treatment regardless.
Parking
Parking Lot D by Maswik Lodge and the Backcountry Information Center is the fallback, about 0.4 miles from the rim. Village (Blue) Route shuttle from the Visitor Center to Hermit Road Interchange.
Nearest Services
Grand Canyon Village - lodging, food, Backcountry Information Center.
Notes
Every tap on this trail - both resthouses and Havasupai Gardens - runs off the Transcanyon Waterline and NPS shuts them off without notice when it breaks. Read the live status on Key Hiking Messages before you commit to any of them.
North Kaibab Trailhead
8,241 ft elevation14 miles from the North Rim at 8,241 feet, via Cottonwood Campground.
Restrooms
No water
Getting There
North Rim roads and services closed December 1 - May 15.
Notes
Closed between Redwall Bridge and the north end of Cottonwood Campground from October 15, 2026 to approximately February 2027 for waterline work.
Rules & Regulations
- •A backcountry permit is required and must be in your possession while below the rim
- •Groups larger than eleven people may not camp in the same campground or use area
- •Two nights maximum per campground per hike (four from November 15 to February 28)
- •Wood and charcoal fires are prohibited; fossil-fuel backpacking stoves are allowed
- •Quiet hours 8 pm to 6 am; no smoking within 100 feet of the campground
- •Pack out all trash including toilet paper
- •Your permit is void if another group affiliated with yours camps here the same night
- •Pets are not allowed below the rim
Gear Checklist
Required
- 3-4 litres of water capacity minimum, and more if you descend the South Kaibab
- Electrolytes - NPS names hyponatremia as a seizure-producing risk on this trail
- Sun hat, long sleeves and sunscreen for the exposed South Kaibab
- Headlamp for pre-dawn starts, which is the only sane way to do this in summer
- Traction devices for the upper switchbacks in late fall, winter and early spring
Recommended
- Trekking poles - the descent is where knees get destroyed
- A soakable sun shirt or bandana; the park's own advice is to get wet and cool off
- Camp sandals for Bright Angel Creek
- Backup water treatment for pipeline outages
- Rain shell for the July-September monsoon
Plan Your Trip
Lottery concierge
Your next shot at Bright Angel
Next season’s application dates aren’t published yet.
We check for them every day. Track Bright Angel now and your concierge picks them up the moment they land, then emails you when applications open, before the deadline, and when results post.
Better odds with a crew
Bright Angel is a lottery. Every friend who applies adds another entry, so a crew gets more shots at the same permit than any one of you alone.
One of you runs the pool (Pro or a $19 alert). Everyone else joins free.
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Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Bright Angel
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Shuttle Services
Trailhead transportation options
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Guide Services
Experienced wilderness guides
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Key Landmarks
↑
4,380ft
Gain↓
4,380ft
Loss⛰️
6,860ft
High📏
7.4mi
Distance📐
11.2%
Avg GradeClick on a marker to view details•7 landmarks
Landmarks (7)
Lottery Statistics
Competitive
estimated success rate
Get detailed lottery statistics and tips. Sign up to track this permit.
Boost Your Chances
Apply with a crew to multiply your combined odds, and let auto win-detection tell you the moment you win — you never have to check National Park Service. Win-detection reads the result email you forward us, so it takes a one-time setup in your inbox (about two minutes, and we walk you through it). Pool and auto win-detection are on Pro or a $19 permit alert.
Bright Angel FAQ
How do I get a Bright Angel Campground permit?
It is part of the Grand Canyon backcountry permit, run on Recreation.gov. Applications for the monthly early access lottery close at 5 pm MST on the 1st, four months before your start month. The lottery runs late on the 2nd and gives the top 750 applicants a date and time to log back in and reserve. Leftover space opens to the remaining applicants around the 20th and to everyone on the 1st of the next month.
How hard is it to get a Bright Angel Campground permit?
Grand Canyon does not publish a success rate for it. What the park does say is that Bright Angel Campground is by far the most requested below-rim backpacking destination in the park, and that only 750 lottery applicants per month get a booking timeslot at all. Havasupai Gardens and Cottonwood come up far more often.
How many nights can I stay at Bright Angel Campground?
Two per hike, consecutive or not. From November 15 to February 28 the limit rises to four nights per campground.
Is there water at Bright Angel Campground?
There is a piped tap, but do not count on it. The campground's water comes off the Transcanyon Waterline, and NPS's Key Hiking Messages page carries a live per-location status because, in the park's words, these statuses are current but can change suddenly due to breaks in the waterline. On August 9, 2026 that page listed Bright Angel Campground as water OFF due to pipeline break. Check it the morning you leave the rim, and follow the park's standing advice that day and overnight hikers should always carry water treatment options.
How far is Bright Angel Campground from the South Rim?
9.5 miles by the Bright Angel Trail from 6,860 feet, or 7 miles by the South Kaibab Trail from 7,260 feet. Camp is at 2,480 feet, so the climb out is 4,380 feet on the Bright Angel.
Do I need a backcountry permit to stay at Phantom Ranch?
No. Phantom Ranch Lodge is booked through its own separate lottery and NPS explicitly lists it as not requiring a backcountry permit. Camping next door at Bright Angel Campground does require one.
What is the group size limit at Bright Angel Campground?
Eleven. The park's Backcountry Management Plan does not allow groups larger than eleven people to camp in the same campground or use area, and your permit is void if another affiliated group is in the same campground that night.
👥Community
Trail Conditions
No active conditions reported
Sign in to report trail conditions.
Photography Guide
Golden Hour
Sunrise from the Silver Bridge, and the last light hitting the walls above camp about an hour before it goes dark down there.
Best Light
The canyon bottom loses direct sun early and gets it late, which gives you a longer soft-light window than the rim does.
Beat the Crowds
Camp is busiest between 3 and 6 pm as everyone arrives. Shoot the bridges in the morning before the day-hikers reach the river.
Classic Shots
- 📍Silver Bridge deck with the Colorado underneath
- 📍Bright Angel Creek running through camp under the cottonwoods
- 📍The Black Bridge tunnel approach on the South Kaibab side
- 📍Night sky from the campground - the walls frame it into a strip
- 📍Looking up at the Tip Off from the inner gorge
Can't Get a Bright Angel Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Havasupai Gardens Campground
Easier Alternative4.5 miles down the Bright Angel Trail at 3,800 feet, with a ranger station, toilets and a waterline-fed tap.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Half the descent, a much shorter climb out, and noticeably easier to reserve. You do not reach the Colorado River, though Plateau Point is a flat 3-mile round trip away.
Grand Canyon rim-to-rim
Similar ExperienceThe full crossing - North Kaibab down, Bright Angel out, with Bright Angel Campground as the second night.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
23.5 miles instead of 16.5, and a 215-mile car shuttle between rims. Not possible October 15, 2026 to approximately February 2027 because of the North Kaibab closure.
Cottonwood Campground
Same AreaThe corridor campground on the North Kaibab, 6.8 miles below the North Rim at 4,080 feet.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Quieter than Bright Angel and easier to get. NPS publishes its tap as seasonal, mid-May to mid-October, it is off whenever the waterline breaks, and the North Rim approach closes for winter.
Grand Canyon backcountry permit (non-corridor)
Similar ExperienceAt-large camping in the park's use areas away from the corridor trails.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Real solitude and far better lottery odds. No maintained water, no ranger stations, and the park expects previous Grand Canyon experience.
🏕️
Where to Stay
Nearby campgrounds to complete your Bright Angel trip
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