Trails Forever
Trails: The Gateway to the Vastness of Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon National Park sees millions of visitors every year and tens of thousands of those visitors travel from around the world to venture below-the-rim. More than 400 miles of trails lead visitors through a geological and ecological marvel, on a journey of connection, escape, and perspective.
In 2021, an all-woman NPS trail crew with the help from Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC) lugged heavy equipment and tools into the canyon near Ooh Aah Point to restore part of the South Kaibab Trail. The trail is now pathed with beautiful, handmade stonework and hikers are now able to enjoy their adventure with improved safety.
Your gift to Grand Canyon Conservancy protects this Natural Wonder of the World and ensures that our trails remain world-class forever.
What's been completed
- Bright Angel Trail, one of the park’s most iconic trails, received 7.5 miles of cyclical maintenance* in 2020. Including rerouting Bright Angel Creek just below Indian Garden to protect valuable ecosystems.
- A Tipoff Structure along the South Kaibab Trail was lowered into place by a helicopter on October 30, 2019. This shelter was installed to benefit people who could use a rest house and shade to recover during their hike.
- Rock was harvested and shaped to maintain 1.55 miles of trail near Ooh Aah Point on the South Kaibab Trail in the summer of 2021.
What's planned
- Trail crews will continue to restore part of the South Kaibab Trail beyond Ooh Ahh Point, conducting cyclical maintenance* below Tipoff.
- Trails crews will help transform Desert View into a thriving Cultural Heritage Site by building a new amphitheater and flagstone pathways near the Watchtower.
- Mules haul equipment and materials to work sites and often our only tools are pickaxes and shovels. Because trail restoration is so challenging, it’s estimated that a single mile of trail restoration work costs $250,000.
- A Trails Forever endowment will support a full season of Youth Conservation Corps workers dedicated to trail restoration and will allow the park to plan a comprehensive program for trail restoration.
*Cyclical maintenance is the continuing treatment, restoration, and repair of all corridor trails at Grand Canyon.
Support our projects
Special projects and improvements like this at Grand Canyon National Park are only possible because of the generous support from people like you.
The Grand Canyon cannot take care of itself. With over six million visitors to the park each year, trails are impacted and the park needs help to maintain them. The Trails Forever endowment fund is a powerful and secure way to support the canyon trails we love in perpetuity.
”Laura and Arch Brown
Words cannot describe all Grand Canyon has to offer: amazing vistas, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, spectacular hiking and rafting. We contribute to trail preservation and educational programs, which are not always funded by federal dollars. Yet, they are important because they allow everyone to stay connected to Grand Canyon. We will continue to support GCC to afford other families the same opportunity.
”Howard Theile & Family
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Current Priorities
Dark Sky Preservation
Grand Canyon has some of the most pristine night skies on the planet. We're working to keep it that way.
Desert View Inter-tribal Heritage Site
Members of American Indian tribes are working with the park to celebrate the tribal heritage of Grand Canyon.
Trails Forever
More than 400 miles of historic backcountry trails lead into the canyon. We want to ensure they remain welcoming and accessible.