Find Your Park
Road Trip
Activities
Nature
Grand Canyon National Park South Kaibab Trail
Trailhead is located off the access road to Yaki Point (South Rim). We suggest parking at the Backcountry Information Center and using the shuttle to get to trailhead. Express shuttles are available in the mornings from the Backcountry Information Center. Contact the Backcountry Information Center for information about the express shuttle schedule.
Drinking water available at trailhead May-September. There is no water available on the trail. Take at least 4 quarts/liters per person.
The Bright Angel Campground is located on the Colorado River 7.1 miles from South Kaibab trailhead. Drinking water, flush toilets, ranger station with medical facility and emergency phone. Phantom Ranch Lodge and a pay phone are also located here. Permits are required for all camping. Camping is in designated sites only! No camping is allowed anywhere along the South Kaibab trail.
For camping at the Bright Angel Campground , many hikers prefer to hike down the South Kaibab and up the Bright Angel Trail . The South Kaibab is steeper and does not have water or shade. If you are hiking directly to Indian Gardens, the recommendation is to use the Bright Angel Trail . The hike down South Kaibab typically takes 4-6 hours. There are toilets at Cedar Ridge (1.5 miles) and a toilet and emergency phone at Tipoff (5 miles). Access to Bright Angel Campground is by the black bridge (6.7 miles). Many people choose to day hike to Cedar Ridge (3 miles round trip) from the South Rim. Skeleton Point is located 3 miles down and it is not recommended to hike further than this for a day hike on South Kaibab.
Maine ocean islands provide the only nesting sites for Atlantic puffins in the United States. Eastern Egg Rock in the midcoast region, Seal Island and Matinicus Rock at the mouth of Penobscot Bay, and Machias Seal Island and Petit Manan Island off the downeast coast provide habitat for more than 4,000 puffins each summer.