Is the Tonto Trail open?

Yes, in October 2026. The August 29, 2026 flood closed the trails east of it (the South Kaibab below the Tipoff, Phantom Ranch and the North Kaibab), not the Hermit Trail, the Tonto Trail west of Havasupai Gardens or the Bright Angel Trail above the River Resthouse. But every water tap below the rim has been off since September 6, 2026, including Havasupai Gardens. Check the park's Key Hiking Messages page before you go.

How long is the Hermit Trail to Bright Angel Trail hike on the Tonto?

My GPS recorded 26.0 miles: 20.9 from Hermits Rest down the Hermit Trail and along the Tonto Trail to Havasupai Gardens, then 5.0 up the Bright Angel Trail, with about 4,990 ft of climbing. NPS gives 24.8 to 25.3 miles. I called it about 26 miles in my film.

Is there water on the Tonto Trail?

Very little. Monument Creek always has water, Santa Maria Spring is a trickle and Cedar Spring is unreliable; NPS doesn't recommend Salt Creek (highly mineralized) or Horn Creek (radioactive). It's 10.7 miles from Monument Creek to Havasupai Gardens, whose tap is off in October 2026. Treat all water.

Do you need a permit for the Tonto Trail?

For any night below the rim, yes: a backcountry permit by lottery on Recreation.gov, $10 plus $15 per person per night in 2026, with camping only at designated sites. A day hike needs no permit. Booking Hermits Rest to Havasupai Gardens as a single night needs a ranger's help.

How do you get to the Hermit Trailhead?

It's at Hermits Rest, at the west end of Hermit Road, which is closed to private cars from March to November. In 2026 the free shuttle's first bus left the village at 8 a.m. Backpackers with a permit for the Hermit area get a gate code to drive to the trailhead.

When is the best time to hike the Tonto Trail?

Mid-September to November, and March to April. The Tonto has almost no shade, and NPS doesn't recommend its camps from late May through mid-September. I went in early November: very hot in the sun at midday, comfortable at night.

The Grand Canyon Tonto Trail film: Arizona

Arizona · 2 days · 26 miles

Grand Canyon Tonto Trail Hiking Guide

Hermits Rest to the Bright Angel Trailhead in 2 days.

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A day map and elevation profile
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The route

My GPS recording of 2 days on a relief map. The numbers are where each day starts; the red dot is the finish. The full GPX files and the day maps come with the guide.

Relief map of the Grand Canyon Tonto Trail route: 2 days drawn in red with numbered day starts, labelled Hermits Rest, Bright Angel Trailhead and Havasupai Gardens. — Map data: Terrain: Mapzen Terrain Tiles (USGS 3DEP, SRTM) on AWS · Rivers & lakes © OpenStreetMap contributors

At a glance

Days: 2 days
Distance: 26 miles
Climbing: About 4,990 ft (1,520 m) up
Permit: A backcountry permit for every night below the rim, by lottery on Recreation.gov
Route: Hermits Rest to the Bright Angel Trailhead in Grand Canyon Village

What's inside

Where things stand. The route in October 2026: open, with every water tap below the rim off and the South Rim's hotels closed after the August 2026 flood, checked on the park's own pages.
Both days. Stats, the time I took, my notes, the trail, where to get off, a map with an elevation profile, and links to that day in my film.
My GPX files. My own recordings of both days, with waypoints for the Hermit Trail's junctions, Santa Maria Spring, the Tonto Trail junction, Monument Creek, Cedar Spring, Salt Creek, Horn Creek, Havasupai Gardens and the Bright Angel resthouses, ready for AllTrails, Gaia GPS, Garmin or Organic Maps.
Water. Every source on the route by mile, the dry 10.7 miles from Monument Creek, and which creeks the park says not to drink from.
Permits and rules. The backcountry permit lottery and its 2027 dates, fees, the designated camps, and why a one-night trip needs a ranger's help, checked in October 2026.
Getting there. The Hermits Rest shuttle and its 8 a.m. start, the Hermit Road gate code, parking for overnight hikers, and the 2026 entrance fees.
Before you go and a trip sheet. One page of year-to-year checks and a printable one-page summary of the route.

About this trip

In November 2020 my brother and I hiked the Tonto Trail in the Grand Canyon in two days: down the Hermit Trail from Hermits Rest, east along the Tonto Trail past Monument Creek, Salt Creek and Horn Creek to a night at Havasupai Gardens (then Indian Garden), and out the Bright Angel Trail the next morning. It's the trip from my film Hiking the Grand Canyon Tonto Trail. This guide has my GPS files, maps and notes for both days, every water source with the park's warnings, the permit and how to book a one-night trip, getting to Hermits Rest early, heat and when to go, and where things stand after the 2026 flood.

Watch the film on YouTube (150K views).

The Day 1, Hermits Rest to Havasupai Gardens page from the Grand Canyon Tonto Trail Hiking Guide

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Hermits Rest to Havasupai Gardens

The whole day page from the guide as a PDF, plus my camping packing list: the 42 things I carry, with a note on each. The PDF opens right away and both come by email. You'll also get my emails about new guides and trips, a few a year.

The details

Format: A 41-page PDF sized for a phone (A5, prints fine too) and a folder of GPX files, in one zip download.
Edition: 2027 season edition, updated October 2026.
Delivery: Instant. After you pay you get a private download link. Bookmark it to download again on any device.
Payment: Secure checkout through Stripe, in your own currency. Tax is included in the price, except in the US and Canada, where any sales tax is added at checkout.
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Questions: Email kraig@kraigadams.com.

Questions

Is the Tonto Trail open?: Yes, in October 2026. The August 29, 2026 flood closed the trails east of it (the South Kaibab below the Tipoff, Phantom Ranch and the North Kaibab), not the Hermit Trail, the Tonto Trail west of Havasupai Gardens or the Bright Angel Trail above the River Resthouse. But every water tap below the rim has been off since September 6, 2026, including Havasupai Gardens. Check the park's Key Hiking Messages page before you go.
How long is the Hermit Trail to Bright Angel Trail hike on the Tonto?: My GPS recorded 26.0 miles: 20.9 from Hermits Rest down the Hermit Trail and along the Tonto Trail to Havasupai Gardens, then 5.0 up the Bright Angel Trail, with about 4,990 ft of climbing. NPS gives 24.8 to 25.3 miles. I called it about 26 miles in my film.
Is there water on the Tonto Trail?: Very little. Monument Creek always has water, Santa Maria Spring is a trickle and Cedar Spring is unreliable; NPS doesn't recommend Salt Creek (highly mineralized) or Horn Creek (radioactive). It's 10.7 miles from Monument Creek to Havasupai Gardens, whose tap is off in October 2026. Treat all water.
Do you need a permit for the Tonto Trail?: For any night below the rim, yes: a backcountry permit by lottery on Recreation.gov, $10 plus $15 per person per night in 2026, with camping only at designated sites. A day hike needs no permit. Booking Hermits Rest to Havasupai Gardens as a single night needs a ranger's help.
How do you get to the Hermit Trailhead?: It's at Hermits Rest, at the west end of Hermit Road, which is closed to private cars from March to November. In 2026 the free shuttle's first bus left the village at 8 a.m. Backpackers with a permit for the Hermit area get a gate code to drive to the trailhead.
When is the best time to hike the Tonto Trail?: Mid-September to November, and March to April. The Tonto has almost no shade, and NPS doesn't recommend its camps from late May through mid-September. I went in early November: very hot in the sun at midday, comfortable at night.

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