We mostly focus on beginner hiking but in this post, we are going to get you prepared to bike Hermit Road on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. We look forward to sharing all we know about bicycling Hermit Road from Grand Canyon Village to Hermit’s Rest. So, let’s get started. Maps we use today are from the National Park Service. Here is a link to their maps page: Maps - Grand Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Watch the Video version of this blog post here or continue reading below:
We’ll tell you how to rent bikes in the Grand Canyon at the end of this post but first let’s talk about the bike routes of the South Rim. The focus of this video is Hermit Road and the Hermit Road Greenway Trail. But,
Can you ride bikes at the Grand Canyon?
The Grand Canyon Greenway has about 13 miles of paved asphalt trails built especially for bikes. Note that on these trails you will find hikers, walkers, and the occasional elk. Bikers must yield to pedestrians as a rule when in the Grand Canyon. The bike trails East of Grand Canyon Village are from the Visitor’s center and Campgrounds out to Kaibab Trail and Yaki Point and also South to Tusayan. The Tusayan trail is nice as parking is located South of the entrance station and people can find stress-free parking at Tusayan and bike into the park.
Connect with us and let us know what your favorite bike trail. We’d love to hear about it. Later we will discuss the one danger most vacationers overlook, but let’s talk about our favorite ride.
Is Biking the Grand Canyon with Kids a good idea?
The best place we found to bike was Hermit road. The road from Bright Angel to Hermits rest is 7 miles one-way and during the busy months is only accessible via shuttle and bicycles. It’s not for everyone as the first hill is brutal for people who aren’t active. However, our 10 year old daughter rode this road well and therefore we would recommend it to anyone who is comfortable biking or choosing to e-bike. If you have littles you might consider taking a rope to tow your child up hills. The viewpoints are fantastic and on bikes you can go at your own pace. Make sure you pull over when shuttles drive by as it is a rule of the park. There are many other hills so expect to bike uphill from Hermits rest for most of the trip back to Bright Angel. We’ll put a link in the description with maps from the National Park Service.
Now is a good time to discuss the one overlooked danger of cycling the rim and next we will discuss the bike trail with a historic past and sweet ending.
What is it Like Biking the South Rim of the Grand Canyon?
Cycling in Grand Canyon National Park can be a lot of fun. However, the altitude is over 7,000 feet above sea level in some places on the rim. Altitude affects people in different ways so be cautious when biking the rim and drink a lot of water. Hot days can be especially difficult. If you feel shortness of breath or dizziness take frequent breaks and consider shortening your ride and if bad seek medical attention.
Bike Rentals are coming up next but let’s talk about the bike trail with a treat at the end.
Can you Ride your bike to Hermit's Rest in the Grand Canyon?
Hermit Road connects cyclists to the Hermit Road Greenway Trail. This trail is the exact placement of the original hermit road from 1912. We also saw California condors resting on a dead tree hidden in the woods. As another great bike trail the greenway travels from Monument Creek Vista to Pima Point and ending at Hermits rest, the trail is 2.8 miles one-way. We found this quiet trail to provide a great ride with twists and turns and small hills through pine forest with a handful of overlooks along the way. Hermit’s Rest is the destination at the end of the trail where you can find a souvenir shop with ice cream and other tourist essentials.
Can you Rent Bikes at the Grand Canyon?
Renting bikes and e-bikes at the visitors center through Bright Angel Bicycles seemed to be the most convenient method of rental. We noticed a lot of traffic at the rental shop and they offer bike helmets too. Book Rental Reservations early as they do sell out. They are open 8-5pm in the Summer. Here is a link to Bright Angel Bikes to continue your research: Bright Angel Bicycles & Café —Visitor Center Plaza (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov) Continue planning your trip to the Grand Canyon by reading our other posts on the Grand Canyon
Here is our complete gear list for day hiking the Grand Canyon and most of this is great for biking, too:
Teton Sports Hydration Pack Video Review: https://youtu.be/KEBrYwp8RQk
Amazon Link: 2021 model https://amzn.to/3SnKcGR
2022 model https://amzn.to/3vIogMZ
Camelbak Mini M.U.L.E hydration backpack Video Review for younger hikers: https://youtu.be/WbRgZr6C20g
Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3Zpj91p
Merrell Moab II Men's Hiking Shoes: https://amzn.to/3Ardw8k
The First Aid Kit we carry: https://amzn.to/3Lcvu2h
Trekking Poles: https://amzn.to/3DHj54L
Tactical Flashlights: https://amzn.to/3QLY25T
Compass: https://amzn.to/3GahGU5
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Can you ride electric bikes at the Grand Canyon?
Riding Electric Bikes in the Grand Canyon is totally allowed and encouraged. We saw many e-bikes while riding the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. I wasn't an advocate of electric bikes but when I saw how it made the hills and distance accessible to so many people I became a fan. E-bikes can be rented at the visitor's center. But, make sure you follow all bike rules when on your e-bike and due to the difficulty of the trails and roads and traffic and wildlife a helmet is recommended.
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