Bright Angel Trail and Plateau Point

The Bright Angel Trail is one of two main thoroughfares into the Grand Canyon from the South Rim Village. The trail itself is wide, nicely graded and well-maintained, and sees hundreds of visitors and a couple mule trains each day, even in the off-season. It passes through colorful cliff bands, ranging in hue from white and grey to pink, coral, orange, and purple. Along the way, there are two rest houses and a campground. The Indian Garden Campground, at 4.5 miles from the top, is the day hike turn-around point for most people, though we decided to go a bit further out to Plateau Point, where you can finally see the Colorado River meandering through the Inner Gorge.

The trail picks its way through cliff bands, then down to the bottom of the Garden Creek Canyon.

Bamboo grows alongside Garden Creek.