Bright Angel Point Trail

Distance: 0.5 miles round-trip
Duration: 30 minutes
Elevation change: 200 feet
Effort: Easy
Trailheads: Log shelter near the easternmost cabins, or at the corner of the Grand Canyon Lodge [1]’s back porch

This paved trail leads to spectacular canyon views along a narrow ridge. At either trailhead, look for a box containing brochures for a self-guided nature tour highlighting canyon geology.

Though the Bright Angel Point Trail is short, the elevation (8,148 feet) and narrowness of the trail—not to mention the views—can take your breath away. This is a popular trail, and you may need to make way for other hikers, especially the ones hugging the inside of the trail because of the heights.

En route, you can see fossils embedded in the Kaibab limestone that forms the canyon’s rim. Peer over the edges into Transept or Roaring Springs Canyons or across the horizon to the South Rim [2], 10 miles away as the raven flies. On a clear day, the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff stand out on the southern horizon.

Landmarks nearer the point include Brahma, Deva, and Zoroaster Temples. Any of these stone monuments would be major attractions if they were located elsewhere—but here at the canyon, they are among hundreds of stony sentinels, many named by geologist Clarence Dutton in the late 1800s to reflect their lofty and inspiring forms.