Arizona is home to some of the most beautiful trails you’ll find in the country, filled with unforgettable views and leading to places that one could otherwise only dream of. While there are plenty of short adventures within our state that will provide you with out-of-this-world sights, there’s one treacherous trail at Grand Canyon National Park that everyone should attempt to try at least once despite the danger. It’s one of the most dangerous hikes in Arizona – okay, THE most dangerous – but it’s worth every effort made to conquer.
The Bright Angel Trail takes you down into the canyon; it is a strenuous hike that not everyone is able to complete.
J N./Yelp
For those who think that they can handle this roughly 10-mile long trail, know that it is strongly recommended that you don’t try this hike all in one day.
Vivian W./Yelp Many of those who visit the Bright Angel Trail will only make it halfway through the hike. Those who have hiked along this trail before will tell you that you should estimate it to take twice as long to get back up the trail as it did for you to originally descend.
One of the most dangerous times to hike this trail is during the summer, when it becomes sweltering hot.
Celeste P./Yelp Included in Ranker’s list of Most Treacherous Hikes In America, the website compares our insane hike to doing “cardio in a sauna.”
Sounds pleasant, huh?
Mikey A./Yelp Each year rangers at Grand Canyon National Park receive more than 200 calls from visitors needing to be rescued from the Bright Angel Trail.
The park has a designated team of rangers that help keep watch over the demanding trail.
Vivian W./Yelp The most common issue is that hikers don’t bring enough water for themselves. Many who decide to take on the Bright Angel Trail underestimate just how much water they’ll need. All year long water is available at the trailhead of Indian Garden, with seasonal water locations available along the trail as well.
While the length of this trail is often a worry to those who dare try it, its steepness is also highly misleading and can cause trouble.
Ron G./Yelp The highest point of the Bright Angel Trail reaches an elevation of 6,860 feet, bringing you all the way down to the Colorado River where your elevation is only that of 2,480 feet.
During the winter and early spring, the trail becomes extremely icy and dangerous, requiring visitors to wear crampons while exploring.
Lori W./Yelp This is one trail you won’t want to lose your footing on… seriously.
Another unsettling issue that comes with exploring this trail? Squirrel bites have become the leading cause of animal injury to those visiting the park.
J N./Yelp That’s right, these guys aren’t messing around! Hikers on the Bright Angel Trail are highly discouraged from feeding any wildlife, especially the squirrels. Near the area of Plateau Point, the squirrels have become a dangerous nuisance to hikers trying to make their way through the canyon.
Sadly, not all of those who have attempted to take on the Bright Angel Trail have made it back safely.
Vivian W./Yelp When it comes to the lower areas of the trail, near the Colorado River, hikers must be wary of issues like hypothermia due to the river’s constant cold temperatures.
Other issues along the way that have resulted in deaths on the trail include flash flooding, dehydration, unexpected storms, and unfortunate run-ins with wildlife.
Vivian W./Yelp
Have you ever dared to take this strenuous trail? Do you agree that it’s one of the best hikes in Arizona? It’s hard to pick just one hike within Arizona to call your favorite, but make sure you certainly don’t leave this Unrivaled Canyon Hike That Everyone Should Take At Least Once off of your bucket list!
J N./Yelp
Vivian W./Yelp
Many of those who visit the Bright Angel Trail will only make it halfway through the hike. Those who have hiked along this trail before will tell you that you should estimate it to take twice as long to get back up the trail as it did for you to originally descend.
Celeste P./Yelp
Included in Ranker’s list of Most Treacherous Hikes In America, the website compares our insane hike to doing “cardio in a sauna.”
Mikey A./Yelp
Each year rangers at Grand Canyon National Park receive more than 200 calls from visitors needing to be rescued from the Bright Angel Trail.
The most common issue is that hikers don’t bring enough water for themselves. Many who decide to take on the Bright Angel Trail underestimate just how much water they’ll need. All year long water is available at the trailhead of Indian Garden, with seasonal water locations available along the trail as well.
Ron G./Yelp
The highest point of the Bright Angel Trail reaches an elevation of 6,860 feet, bringing you all the way down to the Colorado River where your elevation is only that of 2,480 feet.
Lori W./Yelp
This is one trail you won’t want to lose your footing on… seriously.
That’s right, these guys aren’t messing around! Hikers on the Bright Angel Trail are highly discouraged from feeding any wildlife, especially the squirrels. Near the area of Plateau Point, the squirrels have become a dangerous nuisance to hikers trying to make their way through the canyon.
When it comes to the lower areas of the trail, near the Colorado River, hikers must be wary of issues like hypothermia due to the river’s constant cold temperatures.
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Address: Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Hikes in Arizona February 28, 2022 Tori Jane What are some of the hardest, most dangerous hikes in Arizona? With more than 3,000 trails to choose from in the Copper State, many of them are sure to be pretty difficult and thus quite dangerous if someone attempting them doesn’t quite have the skills just yet. These hikes are best suited for experienced, well-trekked hikers, and it’s a lot of fun to set goals for conquering these tougher hikes and achieving them by hiking plenty of smaller, easier hikes to get better at it. Some of the hardest – but most rewarding – hikes in the state include the incredible Cathedral Rock Trail, in Sedona, which is just 1.2 miles long but highly technical. This trail is suitable for folks who are good at scrambling and climbing smoothed-over rock faces and navigating through and around crowds trying the trail for the first time. In the Phoenix area is the Camelback Mountain via Echo Canyon Trail, which is two and a half miles of difficult rock climbing in exchange for absolutely amazing citywide views at the top. The single most dangerous hike in Arizona is the Bright Angel Trail, which is in the Grand Canyon and is infamous for its difficulty. What are some kid-friendly hikes around Arizona? So, you know which trails are the hardest now, but what about trails that even the little ones can do? Luckily, there are many of those in beautiful Arizona. For this specific purpose, we’ll define a kid-friendly hike as one that’s both easy and under two miles long. Some of our favorites include the world-famous Horseshoe Bend Trail, which leads to an iconic Arizona landmark and is just a mile and a half long, so most children are able to do it. While in northern Arizona be sure to also look at the Sugarloaf Loop Trail, which is 1.9 miles long and features some amazing red rock views. In the Phoenix metro you can do the Hole in the Rock Trail, located at Papago Park, and then when you’re finished you can check out the nearby Phoenix Zoo.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Hikes in Arizona
February 28, 2022
Tori Jane
What are some of the hardest, most dangerous hikes in Arizona? With more than 3,000 trails to choose from in the Copper State, many of them are sure to be pretty difficult and thus quite dangerous if someone attempting them doesn’t quite have the skills just yet. These hikes are best suited for experienced, well-trekked hikers, and it’s a lot of fun to set goals for conquering these tougher hikes and achieving them by hiking plenty of smaller, easier hikes to get better at it. Some of the hardest – but most rewarding – hikes in the state include the incredible Cathedral Rock Trail, in Sedona, which is just 1.2 miles long but highly technical. This trail is suitable for folks who are good at scrambling and climbing smoothed-over rock faces and navigating through and around crowds trying the trail for the first time. In the Phoenix area is the Camelback Mountain via Echo Canyon Trail, which is two and a half miles of difficult rock climbing in exchange for absolutely amazing citywide views at the top. The single most dangerous hike in Arizona is the Bright Angel Trail, which is in the Grand Canyon and is infamous for its difficulty. What are some kid-friendly hikes around Arizona? So, you know which trails are the hardest now, but what about trails that even the little ones can do? Luckily, there are many of those in beautiful Arizona. For this specific purpose, we’ll define a kid-friendly hike as one that’s both easy and under two miles long. Some of our favorites include the world-famous Horseshoe Bend Trail, which leads to an iconic Arizona landmark and is just a mile and a half long, so most children are able to do it. While in northern Arizona be sure to also look at the Sugarloaf Loop Trail, which is 1.9 miles long and features some amazing red rock views. In the Phoenix metro you can do the Hole in the Rock Trail, located at Papago Park, and then when you’re finished you can check out the nearby Phoenix Zoo.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
With more than 3,000 trails to choose from in the Copper State, many of them are sure to be pretty difficult and thus quite dangerous if someone attempting them doesn’t quite have the skills just yet. These hikes are best suited for experienced, well-trekked hikers, and it’s a lot of fun to set goals for conquering these tougher hikes and achieving them by hiking plenty of smaller, easier hikes to get better at it. Some of the hardest – but most rewarding – hikes in the state include the incredible Cathedral Rock Trail, in Sedona, which is just 1.2 miles long but highly technical. This trail is suitable for folks who are good at scrambling and climbing smoothed-over rock faces and navigating through and around crowds trying the trail for the first time. In the Phoenix area is the Camelback Mountain via Echo Canyon Trail, which is two and a half miles of difficult rock climbing in exchange for absolutely amazing citywide views at the top. The single most dangerous hike in Arizona is the Bright Angel Trail, which is in the Grand Canyon and is infamous for its difficulty.
What are some kid-friendly hikes around Arizona?
So, you know which trails are the hardest now, but what about trails that even the little ones can do? Luckily, there are many of those in beautiful Arizona. For this specific purpose, we’ll define a kid-friendly hike as one that’s both easy and under two miles long. Some of our favorites include the world-famous Horseshoe Bend Trail, which leads to an iconic Arizona landmark and is just a mile and a half long, so most children are able to do it. While in northern Arizona be sure to also look at the Sugarloaf Loop Trail, which is 1.9 miles long and features some amazing red rock views. In the Phoenix metro you can do the Hole in the Rock Trail, located at Papago Park, and then when you’re finished you can check out the nearby Phoenix Zoo.
