Just heard a ranger at the Grand Canyon say they've had 12 heat exhaustion cases on the Bright Angel Trail this week alone.

I was picking up my permit at the Backcountry Office and overheard them briefing a group. They said people are starting too late, carrying way less than a gallon of water per person, and ignoring the 'hike before 10 am' rule. It made me realize how easy it is to get casual about a classic route. What's your go-to method for checking current trail conditions before a trip?

2 comments

2 Comments

shah.ben3h ago

Yeah, I got caught off guard by a washed-out bridge last fall. Now I check the park's social media for real-time updates from other hikers.

the_drew11h ago

Honestly, I used to just check the main park website and call it good. After a trip where a "minor trail washout" turned into a full-on reroute that added three miles, I got serious. Now I always hit the specific trail forum on AllTrails for recent user photos and comments, and I call the local ranger station directly. The rangers know the day-to-day stuff that hasn't made it to the official alerts yet, like which water sources are dry. It takes an extra ten minutes but saves a lot of trouble.

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