Grand Canyon: Section of Bright Angel Trail Closed After Rockfall

Bad news if you're planning to hike down into the Grand Canyon over the next few days. According to the news outlet KUTV, a rockfall has forced the closure of a section of the Bright Angel Trail, the most popular route down to the bottom of the canyon from the South Rim.

In practical terms, the closed section runs between the Mile-and-a-Half Rest House and Havasupai Gardens, the middle stretch of the descent. The closure took effect, again according to KUTV, at 11 p.m. on October 14, 2026, and it's been announced for a minimum of 72 hours. In other words, this stretch stays blocked until crews have made the passage safe.

On the ground, KUTV reports that park crews are clearing debris, both to protect hikers and to keep the pack animals that use this trail safe. Work like this can't be rushed. The 72-hour window is a minimum, not a guaranteed reopening.

Here's what this means for your plans. If your itinerary included a hike down to Havasupai Gardens (formerly Indian Garden) by way of the Bright Angel Trail, that descent will have to be postponed or rerouted while the closure holds. The upper part of the trail, above the Mile-and-a-Half Rest House, isn't affected by this particular stretch, but cutting the trail in the middle makes any progress toward the bottom impossible along this route.

A bit of advice before you set out. Check trail conditions that same morning, build some slack into your schedule, and have a backup plan on the rim in case the descent falls through. To plan your visit and understand how the different access points fit together, lean on our Grand Canyon park guide, where we break down the entrances and the hikes. And if the Grand Canyon is part of a bigger trip, take a look at our road trip itinerary that runs through the park to map out your stops.