South Kaibab to North Kaibab to Bright Angel Trail

Generally an early morning start and a late finish with an amazing sunrise on the way down the South Kaibab and depending on your speed, a beautiful sunset as you hike back toward (or up) Bright Angel. You will love or hate the Grand Canyon, and you will never be the same again. South Kaibab to North Kaibab Trail back to Bright Angel Trail: 44 miles with with an elevation change of 20,000 feet. One thing is certain if you hike R2R2R. There are two main trails down from the south rim, which converge at Phantom Ranch Ranger Station in the bottom of the canyon (where the North Kaibab trail runs the rest of the way to the north rim): The shorter and steeper South Kaibab trail, and the longer, more gradual Bright Angel trail. The South rim sits around 7,200 feet higher than Colorados Front Range and the North rim is over 8,200 feet. Down on the bottom, the Colorado River is at about 2,400 feet. That means hiking gets a lot easier as youre descending but it gets a lot harder as you climb. Ascending nearly 5,000 feet after a long day is already a stout challenge; dont forget to account for the thinning air as well. The longest but least-challenging route is to descend and later return up Bright Angel (roughly 46 miles); the shortest but most challenging is to descend and later climb South Kaibab (42 miles). Or, mix it up, descending down South Kaibab but opting for the more forgiving Bright Angel on the return (44 miles).