River Trail,
Grand Canyon National Park

Located 8.7 miles from Tusayan, Arizona (AZ)
4 Stars
4,128 Steps 1  (1.9 mi)
Trails › National Parks › Grand Canyon › River Trail

The River Trail is situated along the Colorado River and connects the Bright Angel Trail and the South Kaibab Trail with Phantom Ranch and the Bright Angel Campground. There is little elevation change on the River Trail. There are two bridges that cross the river — the silver bridge and the black bridge.

River TrailThe Bridge at River TrailRiver Trail Sign Post

Elevation

The River Trail has a maximum elevation of 2,672 ft., a minimum elevation of 2,437 ft. and an elevation range of 235 ft.

Metrics

[ A to B ] or [ B to A ]
Length 2Min Ele 3Max Ele 4Range 5
1.9 mi2,437 ft2,672 ft235 ft
[ A to B ]
Time 6Floors 7Gain 8Loss 9
54 min11.4137 ft334 ft
[ B to A ]
TimeFloorsGainLoss
59 min27.8334 ft137 ft
Data Accuracy
5 Stars
Data Reliability
5 Stars

Calories

The following chart shows the total calories that you may expend on the trail while hiking in both directions. The chart is based on data derived from a statistical model of energy expenditure that relates gross weight, typical speed and trail topography.

Topo Maps

Download the PDF River Trail topo map and the adjoining quads to plan your hike. These are full-sheet, 7.5 Minute (1:24,000 scale) topographic maps.

Adjoining 7.5' Quadrangle Legend

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9
  1. Northwest Topo Map: Shiva Temple, AZ
  2. North Topo Map: Bright Angel Point, AZ
  3. Northeast Topo Map: Walhalla Plateau, AZ
  4. West Topo Map: Grand Canyon, AZ
  5. Topo Map: Phantom Ranch, AZ
  6. East Topo Map: Cape Royal, AZ
  7. Southwest Topo Map: Tusayan West, AZ
  8. South Topo Map: Tusayan East, AZ
  9. Southeast Topo Map: Grandview Point, AZ

Difficulty

The following chart illustrates the difficulty of hiking the River Trail compared to two other trails. The x-axis is cumulative elevation gain and the y-axis is maximum elevation. The length of the trail is reflected in the size of the bubble.

FAQ

What is the length of the River Trail?

The length of the trail is 1.9 miles (3.0 km) or 4,128 steps.

How long does it take to hike the River Trail?

A person in good physical health can hike the trail in 54 minutes in one direction and in 59 minutes in the opposite direction.

Warnings

Prevent tick bites: Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents with products containing 0.5% permethrin. (cdc.gov)

Grandview TrailSouth Kaibab TrailWidforss Trail

Footnotes

  1. Steps is a unit of distance equal to the sum of stride lengths that vary with the terrain.
  2. Length is the distance of the trail between the two trailheads, measured on the trail.
  3. Min Ele is the minimum elevation on the trail.
  4. Max Ele is the maximum elevation on the trail.
  5. Range is the difference between maximum and minimum elevation.
  6. Time is the typical total time required to hike the trail.
  7. Floors is the gain divided by twelve feet, the height of one floor.
  8. Gain (cumulative elevation gain) is the sum of every gain in elevation.
  9. Loss (cumulative elevation loss) is the sum of every loss in elevation.

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