Where to Find Easy Grand Canyon Hikes that Astound

Photo courtesy of Steven Damron

Looking for easy Grand Canyon hikes to get your feet wet--or should I say—get your boots dusty?


Just because you’re visiting the Grand Canyon doesn’t mean you have to bust your knees descending into the inner gorge all the way down to the Colorado River.

Here is our list of four easy Grand Canyon hikes that offer just as spectacular views, without the strenuous descent and climbs.

Rim Trail

Following the South Rim, the Grand Canyon’s Rim Trail goes for miles and connects most of the vista points along the edge of the canyon. This is a great way to sample the views, and do so without driving.

There’s something about driving to a spot, getting out, taking some pics and driving off, that just separates you from the land. Hiking for a couple of hours or more fixes that problem.

You can get to the Rim Trail at any vista point around Grand Canyon Village or along Hermit Road. The trail starts at Pipe Creek Vista in the village and goes west all the way to Hermit’s Rest for a distance of about twelve miles.

Photo courtesy of Ronnie MacDonald

Note: Most of the Rim Trail is paved, so if you are against “hiking” on pavement, consider the other dirt trails in this article.

On the plus side, this easy Grand Canyon hike offers lots of shade and miles of quiet walking with breathtaking views of the Canyon.

The pavement makes this trail ideal for folks in wheelchairs to appreciate a hike at the Grand Canyon. There are only a few stretches of the trail that don’t meet accessibility requirements.

Widforss Trail

Of the easy Grand Canyon hikes, the Widforss Trail is memorable and offers another perspective of the canyon.

The Widforss Trail follows the North Rim which is about 1,000 feet higher than the tourist-heavy South Rim.

You’ll note the high-elevation vegetation including Ponderosa Pine trees.

Despite the North Rim being only around eighteen miles (or less) across from the South Rim, there are no roads across the canyon. To get to the North Rim from the South is an approximate 5-hour drive!

The benefit of being remote is that the North Rim is also less crowded.

The Widforss Trail is about 10 miles round trip and offers a mixture of forest hiking with canyon scenery. You can make this a full day-hike or even a shorter hike will offer plenty to enjoy.

To get there, leave from Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim. Go north along the highway for 2.7 miles and turn left on a dirt road. The dirt road is also about one quarter mile south of Cape Royal Road.

Take the dirt road about one mile to the Widforss parking area and trailhead. Self-guided tour pamphlets are available at the trailhead.

Short Descents into the Canyon

Bright Angel Day Hike

If you’re looking for easy Grand Canyon hikes, but still want to descend into the canyon, one of your best options is the popular Bright Angel Trail.

You can take this well-graded and maintained trail down 1.5 miles or 3 miles to the rest houses there. Note that the first portion of Bright Angel includes seemingly endless and fairly steep switchbacks.

Photo courtesy of Peter Stevens

Water is available at the rest houses in the warmer months, but don’t rely on the park’s water alone. The pipes taking water down to the rest houses are prone to breaking.

Bright Angel Trail Leaves from Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim, along Hermit Road.

South Kaibab Trail

If you’re looking for more of a challenge, or a warm-up for further hiking and backpacking in the Grand Canyon, try a day hike on the South Kaibab Trail.

The South Kaibab is slightly steeper than the Bright Angel Trail, due to the fact that it mostly follows ridge lines rather along canyon walls.

Hike 1.5 miles down to Cedar Ridge and back to the rim for a nice day hike and intro to the canyon.

Just southeast of Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim, the South Kaibab trailhead leaves from Yaki Point along Yaki Point Road.

Hiking anywhere in and around the Grand Canyon has its hazards. If you haven’t read our main article on the Grand Canyon, read it here and see the safety precautions.

Interested in finding out more about hiking in the Grand Canyon? See these other articles:

Grand Canyon Hiking, Our Guide to the Trek of a Lifetime Grand Canyon hiking would make the world’s top ten list of great treks. See why this is on many a hiker’s to do list and how to cross it off yours…

Havasu Falls Hiking Guide: Trek in an Ancient Paradise Havasu Falls hiking makes your visit to the Grand Canyon complete. Find out how to experience this lush paradise of cascading waterfalls...

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