Hiking Grand Canyon Rim to Rim in One Day

Pictured above Tyler and Mimi Ford decending down the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon

As of this post, we have hiked and or run the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim going down the South Kaibab Trail and up the Bright Angel Trail in one day 12 times and it never gets old.

It all started one day when Mimi asked me (Tyler) what do you want to do for your birthday? My reply was to hike the Grand Canyon rim to rim in a day. So without knowing much about the trek and NO specific Grand Canyon training we jumped in the car and drove from Tucson, AZ to the south rim of the Grand Canyon for the adventure.

Every time we do the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim hike or run we post photos on Facebook and share our adventure. We get tons of questions on the logistics of doing rim-to-rim.

Doing Grand Canyon rim to rim never gets old. It is majestic… an experience and adventure everyone should set out to do in their lifetime. Words and pictures can only do so much in sharing the experience with others but actually doing the trek is something you will remember for life as an epic incredible adventure.

This post is to explain how to do Grand Canyon rim to rim in a day.

TRAINING FOR GRAND CANYON RIM TO RIM HIKE IN ONE DAY

When training for the Grand Canyon rim to rim in one day we highly recommend that you focus your training on steep up and downhill training. If your legs are not trained for steep downhills it makes the day trek a tough one. The key to training rim to rim is having your downhill legs ready.

The downhill will trash your legs more than the uphill so preparing for the downhill is the best training you can do to get ready for rim to rim.

The first year we did Grand Canyon rim to rim in a day we were not trained for it and a couple of miles into the start of the downhill on the South Kaibab Trail my legs were cramping up. The last mile to the bottom of the canyon to the Colorado River my legs were trashed.

The key to a successful and enjoyable rim-to-rim is training for the downhill and pacing yourself at the start. You will be on a high as you start down the canyon so pull yourself back enjoy the views and ease your way into the downhill.

Trekking poles are recommended especially for uphill. So training with poles to get ready for rim-to-rim on uphill training hikes is something to consider. The first 1 through about 8 times we did rim to rim we did not use trekking poles. Then one year we were getting ready for the Leadville 100-mile run and started using poles to get ready for Leadville. That summer we did Grand Canyon rim to rim with poles. WOW… what a huge difference it made on the uphill coming out of the canyon!

If you are wanting to do Rim 2 Rim 2 Rim in one day the training is very different and you must be prepared from a fitness level.

GRAND CANYON RIM TO RIM ROUTE

The route we recommend and what most people do is going down the South Kaibab Trail and up the Bright Angel Trail.

The descent from the top of the Grand Canyon down the South Kaibab Trail to the Colorado River is 6.5 miles and straight down as you can see from the elevation profile below.

Once you get to the bottom of South Kaibab Trail you are going to cross the Colorado River and head west towards Phantom Ranch. Instead of going to Phantom Ranch you will stay left and cross the Colorado River on another bridge. You will parallel the Colorado River for about 1.8 miles before heading up the Bright Angel Trail.

The climb out of the Grand Canyon up the Bright Angel Trail is about 8.4 miles.

The total distance of Grand Canyon Rim to Rim is 16.7 miles

Grand Canyon Rim to Rim Elevation Profile

Click on the Strava link below to see the map and interactive elevation profile.

PARKING AND SHUTTLE TO SOUTH KAIBAB TRAILHEAD

You want to park your car at Backcountry Information Center lot D and get on the Hikers’ Express Shuttle Bus that will take you straight to the South Kaibab Trailhead.

If you park at Backcountry Information Center, you can walk back to your car once you summit the canyon at the top of Bright Angel Trail.

Hiker’s Express Shuttle Bus leaves at different times depending on the time of the year.

To see what time the shuttle bus leaves depending on the time of the year you will be doing rim to rim click here.

We always get on the first shuttle bus and get to the trailhead as early as possible to enjoy the sunrise and the awesome photos as we head down the canyon. Plus it is a good idea to get an early start depending on your speed… as for some it can be a long day on the trail. Especially smart to get an early start in the hotter months.

EQUIPMENT, CLOTHING, PACK, FOOD, AND WATER FOR DAY RIM TO RIM GRAND CANYON HIKE OR RUN

You want to be prepared with food, hydration, and proper clothing for the time of the year. Think light as to how you pack.

We recommend a light pack that allows for some storage of food, clothing, and trekking pools. The hydration pack does not need to have a huge bladder because there are two places to refill your bladder.

Water Stops

There is NO water on the South Kaibab Trail.
At the bottom of the canyon once you cross over the Colorado River there is a water spigot between the trail and the Colorado River.
Indian Garden is at about mile 12 which is a great place to stop and fill up your water, fuel up and take a rest before your final 4.8-mile climb out of the canyon.

Equipment

Pack with a water bladder. No need for a huge pack… a 7-liter bladder is sufficient.
Trekking Poles. We recommend Black Diamond 3 piece carbon poles. They are lightweight and compact.
Camera: we like to bring several things to take pictures with. Stopping and enjoying the views while taking pictures is so worth it.
- Phone: make sure you put your phone in airplane mode and take it off wifi so you don’t kill your battery.
- Go Pro with a selfie stick. You can get some really cool pictures with photo burst on a Go Pro.
- Small compact camera.
Garmin GPS

Clothing

It all depends on the time of the year. We have done rim to rim in the extreme cold when it was 17 degrees on top of the rim and in mid-summer in 100-degree heat. So make sure you have proper clothing. As you get to the bottom of the canyon it gets much warmer than on the rim of the canyon. There can be a big temperature change from the top to the bottom.

We have always done the trip with smaller packs and have worn layers of clothing that can be compacted down and stuffed in our packs.

Cold Months

Gloves
Head Cover
Upper Layers
Sunglasses
Tights
Hat

Hot Months

Hat
Sunglasses
Long sleeve sun shirt
Sunscreen

Food and Nutrition

Everyone has their favorites when it comes to food and nutrition. No need to pack the cooler and carry more food than you need. Keep it light and healthy. Eat and drink nutrition that is going to keep your energy levels high and give you the fuel you need to sustain the climb out of the canyon.

Below is the list of things we like to eat and drink that have served us well over the years.

Favorite energy bars
Homemade Rice Cakes. We like bananas, blueberries, strawberries, coconut, lemon. Click Here
Gels
Trail mix
Electrolyte pills (Endurolytes)
Energy Shots
Put a small ziplock bag with your favorite sports drink in your pack to mix in your bladder when filling up your water at the various water stops.

LODGING FOR GRAND CANYON RIM TO RIM

There are lots of options as to where to stay. You can stay inside the park which is going to be a little bit more expensive. We usually get a hotel in Grand Canyon Village which is a couple of miles outside the entrance of the park.

We have also camped out in the warmer months in a tent.

If you are going to hotel it, make sure you reserve your room in advance. At times, hotels are 100% booked. We made the mistake one year of not having a reservation and came close to having to sleep in our car so book your accommodations in advance.

If you want a hotel that is right on the rim where you can walk to Back Country to get on the shuttle Hikers’ Express check out El Tovar Hotel.

GRAND CANYON PARK FEE

There is a fee to get into the park. Sometimes there can be a huge line as you enter the park. So if you are staying outside the park and want to make the 1st shuttle, give yourself plenty of time so you don’t miss the 1st shuttle out.