Hike 1.5 Mile Resthouse on the Bright Angel Trail

3 miles - Moderate Effort
2 Hours (Total)
1,100 Total Feet of Climbing
Max Elevation of 6,850 feet
No Dogs Allowed

If you're not a big hiker but want to "dip your toe" into the Grand Canyon, the short but beautiful hike to 1.5 Mile Resthouse on the Bright Angel Trail is for you. The trail is considered the Grand Canyon's premier hiking trail; it's very well maintained, safe, and spectacularly beautiful. You'll hike down into the Grand Canyon, experiencing all the wonders it has to offer without any hardships aside from the short climb back up. The trail has water stations and bathrooms, making it very beginner-friendly.

In this Guide:

Turn-by-Turn Hike Directions & Video
Fitness Level and Gear to Hike to 1.5 Mile Resthouse
Tips on Weather, Parking, and Planning

Quick Links:
Parks Pass - Park Website - NOAA Weather Report - My Sep 2024 Gear

Want a longer hike? Try the Bright Angel Trail hikes to 3 Mile Resthouse or Indian Garden.

Don't forget to check out my Grand Canyon hiking tips here!

How to Get to the Bright Angel Trail

The Bright Angel Trail might be the most popular trail in Grand Canyon National Park, but it's still tricky to find. I recommend navigating to the Bright Angel Lodge, and then from there, following the maps below to the parking areas.

Use this navigation address:
Bright Angel Lodge, 9 Village Loop Drive, Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023

If you're using Google Maps, the actual trailhead is on there too:
Bright Angel Trailhead, 15 Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023

Once you are in the lodge area, you can park anywhere that you don't see a no-parking sign or staff parking sign. The parking lots are shared with visitors staying in accommodations such as Bright Angel Lodge.

Bright Angel Trail Parking — The areas in the red boxes offer parking close to the trailhead. There are always people coming and going, give the areas a look before parking farther out.

Bright Angel Trail 2 — Here's the parking lot next to the trailhead. It's a bit hidden from casual drivers, and I usually have good luck here.

Farther Parking Bright Angel Trail — If you do need to park farther out, here are your options, all within a short walk to the trailhead.

The Blue Line Shuttle Bus is a good option to get to the trailhead if you're parked or staying somewhere else in the park. The bus runs year-round. The Hermit's Rest Route Transfer stop is closer to the trailhead than the Bright Angel Lodge stop, but either one will be fine.

I've hiked Bright Angel many times and I've never had a problem parking by the trailhead when I get there just before sunrise.

Bright Angel Trail 4 — There are lots of bathrooms at the trailhead.

Bright Angel Trail 5 — There's a water fill station at the trailhead on the side of the bathrooms.

Gear For the 1.5 Mile Resthouse Hike

The hike to the 1.5 Mile Resthouse is 3 miles total with 1,100 feet of climbing, which is a challenging hike. But the trail is well maintained and there is seasonal water, so you can get away with fitness clothes on this hike if the conditions are favorable. In general you'll want to take 1L of water and some snacks. Sometimes there are water station closures, so make sure you check the alerts page before you go.

The weather in the Grand Canyon can be extreme. In the winter, bitter cold, ice, and snow is not uncommon. So pay close attention to the weather for Grand Canyon Village. If there is snow, the Bright Angel Trail can be covered. In those conditions proper hiking gerar with micro-spikes and trekking poles are a must. There can be ice on the upper parts of the trail.

And of course, in the summer, it gets hot. The canyon walls offer some shade at the right part of the day, but there are sections exposed to the sun, so protect yourself. The temperature rises about 5.5F for every 1,000 feet that you descend. So you can expect the 1.5 Mile Resthouse to be about 6F warmer than the trailhead at the South Rim. In the warm months of summer, this hike is not a good idea during mid-day. Take the temperature seriously; people die from heatstroke in the Grand Canyon.

Gear That I Love Right Now

Nothing is sponsored or promoted, just the actual gear that I use.

Garmin InReach Mini 2Hit SOS or just tell loved ones that you're running late where your cell phone has no service. Review here.

Topo Pursuit 2The best hiking footwear I've ever owned. No blisters. Get them wet, they dry quickly. Lots of cushion and comfort.

Garmin Epix ProHiking maps, route info, and fitness stats on my wrist. Review here.

Osprey Hikelite 26Lightweight, carries all your gear, and your back doesn't get sweaty. Oh yea, it's also one of the most inexpensive packs you can get.

Check out the complete list here. ( Updated September 2024)

Fitness To Hike To the 1.5 Mile Resthouse

Bright Angel Trail 13 — A sign at the start of the Bright Angel Trail warns hikers not to overexert themselves. Conditions in the Grand Canyon can be extreme, and the climb back out of the canyon is tough. This is not the venue to push yourself past your limits.

Grand Canyon hikes are deceiving. Unlike mountain hikes where you do the climb and then get an easy hike back down, in the Grand Canyon it's oh-so-easy hiking miles downhill, but then you have to turn around and go back up. As the park rangers like to say, there's no shuttle bus from the bottom of the canyon to the top. So even if you are comfortable hiking for 3 miles, you need to be prepared to hike over 1,100 feet on the way back out.

It's not uncommon to climb back out at half the pace that you descended. Most folks go down at between 2-3mph, and climb back out between 1-2mph.

Bright Angel Trail To 1.5 Mile Resthouse Maps

The Bright Angel trail is what the Parks Service calls a corridor trail. The corridor trails are heavily used and actively maintained. The Bright Angel Trail is the most used trail in the park. It's built with a standard gradient (overall) of 10% and has a standard width of 4 feet wide. What that means in practical terms is that, while it's a tough trail, it's never too steep and never so narrow that you're walking on a precipice.

Interactive Map

Use This Map:
View in CalTopo | PDF Map | GPX File

How Will You Navigate?

Using the Apple Watch for Hiking

Garmin Fenix 7 & Epix Review For Hikers

How To Read a Topographic Map

Garmin GPSMAP 67i Review

Landmarks on 1.5 Mile Resthouse Hike

Landmark	Distance	Elevation	Water
Trailhead	0	6850	yes
1st Tunnel	0.18	6708	no
2nd Tunnel	0.75	6240	no
1.5 Mile Resthouse	1.5	5730	Spring to Fall

Elevation Profile

5 Mile Resthouse Hike Elevation — The hike is pretty straightforward. You go down, then you go back up. The nice thing about the climb is that it's constant so you can get into a groove.

Mules on the Trail

Bright Angel Trail 10 — The steep gradient on the Bright Angel Trail isn't the only challenge; you'll have to share the trail (and yield to) mules.

For over a century ,mules have been hauling gear, supplies, and people in and out of the Grand Canyon. Right behind the Bright Angel Trailhead is a mule pen used on the trail. These mules take people down to Indian Garden for a day trip and to Phantom Ranch for an overnight trip. Mule trips are very popular, can be booked 15 months in advance, and fill up quickly.

As a hiker on the Bright Angel Trail, the mules can be a pain. If you get stuck behind them, you'll be stuck behind them for a while, until the mule handler allows you to pass. Oh, and they'll be crapping too. If you are going in the opposite direction as the mules, you should stand as close to the inside of the trail as possible and let them pass as you heed the mule handler's instructions.

Mules aren't aggressive, but they can bite. Keep your hands to yourself. Don't try to pet or feed the mules.

My tip is to leave at sunrise before the first mules leave. By the time you head back up from the 3 Mile Resthouse, you should pass them head-on, which is much better than getting stuck behind them on the climb out.

Bright Angel Trail FAQ

Bright Angel Trail 65 — Staying on the trail is vital to protecting the delicate landscape around the Bright Angel Trail.

Do I need a permit for the hike? You don't need any permit to hike the Bright Angel Trail as a day hike.
Can I camp on the trail? You can't just pitch a tent and camp on the Bright Angel Trail, but you can camp at Indian Garden with a (hard to get) backcountry permit.
Is the Bright Angel Trail dangerous? The Bright Angel Trail is statistically the safest trail in the park. Heat exhaustion is the most common danger on the trail, so make sure you prepare accordingly. There are no animals that will attack you, and mules won't kick you off the trail. You probably have a better chance of falling by bumping into another hiker.
Can I explore off of the trail? No, please stay on the trail and respect the fragile environment. Do not take any bones or organic material that you may find. Do not approach any wildlife you see.

How to Hike to the 1.5 Mile Resthouse

Indian Garden Grand Canyon Hike 4 — The Bright Angel Trailhead is just past the bathroom and plaza area.

Indian Garden Grand Canyon Hike 6 — Here's where you start the hike to 1.5 Mile Resrthouse on the Bright Angel Trail.

Indian Garden Grand Canyon Hike 8 — There's a great sign by the trailhead where you can grab some photos.

Indian Garden Grand Canyon Hike 7 — Once you're done taking pictures, start the hike down the trail.

Indian Garden Grand Canyon Hike 9 — The trail is wide and easy to follow as it winds down the cliffside.

Indian Garden Grand Canyon Hike 11 — At about 0.5 miles in you'll reach the first tunnel.

Bright Angel Pictographs — Just past the first tunnel, up on your left, look for these ancient pictographs under the overhang. Be respectful and stay on the trail here.

Bright Angel Trail 76 — The holes you see along the rock wall here were used for blasting out the trail along the cliffside.

Indian Garden Grand Canyon Hike 12 — At this point you'll see the trail stretching out below you like a ribbon.

Indian Garden Grand Canyon Hike 14 — Avoid any old side trails and spurs coming off the switchback, staying on the same trail.

Indian Garden Grand Canyon Hike 15 — You'll see the trail winding down the canyon wall ahead of you.

Indian Garden Grand Canyon Hike 17 — Shortly before a mile in you'll pass through the second tunnel.

Indian Garden Grand Canyon Hike 19 — Past the tunnel you'll start seeing the different layers of rock that make up the Grand Canyon. Notice how one side of the wall doesn't line up with the other, a result of movement on the Bright Angel Fault that you are hiking along.

Indian Garden Grand Canyon Hike 21 — Soon you'll see the 1.5 Mile Resthouse in the distance.

Indian Garden Grand Canyon Hike 22 — The actual Resthouse is up the steps to the right. The water, toilets, and trail are straight ahead.

Indian Garden Grand Canyon Hike 23 — The Resthouse is a nice little shelter where you can get out of the sun or rain.

Indian Garden Grand Canyon Hike 25 — The seasonal water source is just past the steps to the Resthouse.

5 Mile Resthouse Toilets — And if you walk a minute or two past the Resthouse you'll see the toilets up to the right. The Bright Angel Trail continues down to the left.

Hiking Back To the South Rim

You've got 1.5 miles under your belt, but the hard part is yet to come. Unless you're going to float down the river, you'll have to walk back up to leave the inside of the Canyon.

Bright Angel Trail 74 — The climb can be steep and tough, but it's not too long. The tunnels are good landmarks to shoot for.

Bright Angel Trail 75 — Keep your eyes peeled on the heights around the trail as you climb; there are bighorn sheep in the park.

Bright Angel Trail 77 — You did it! Pat yourself on the back and go treat yourself to some calories at the Bright Angel Lodge, you earned it.

Need More Info?

Have a question about the guide? Join my Patreon and ask me a question.
When planning, always check the park website and social media to make sure the trails are open. Similarly, check the weather and road conditions.
Do you have an update to this guide? View the Youtube comments for this video. Leave a comment and I will do my best to update the guide.

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This Guide Was Written by Cris Hazzard

Cris Hazzard 4 Mile Trail Yosemite
Hi, I'm Cris Hazzard, aka Hiking Guy, a professional outdoors guide, hiking expert, and author based in Southern California. I created this website to share all the great hikes I do with everyone else out there. This site is different because it gives detailed directions that even the beginning hiker can follow. I also share what hiking gear works and doesn't so you don't waste money. I don't do sponsored or promoted content; I share only the gear recommendations, hikes, and tips that I would with my family and friends. If you like the website and YouTube channel, please support these free guides (I couldn't do it without folks like you!). You can stay up to date with my new guides by following me on YouTube, Instagram, or by subscribing to my monthly newsletter.