We have been down several times both camping and phantom ranch bunk house going in day of but we lived in flagstaff so quick drive home if we didn’t get a spot. I would be first in line and wait for either back country office or bright angel lodge to open up like 5 am and always got a spot but not sure if the still handle that way. Good luck and enjoy!

As long as you are comfortable walking/hiking in your footwear for any length of time you should be fine. Like John says, it's not overly rocky and quite an even trail.

You do not need a Guide, but you Do need information. For instance, the S. Kaibab trail is accessed by a shuttle bus from the visitor center which travels on a schedule and connects with other shuttles from the lodging areas. There is a water station at the top of the trail but nowhere else. With some information the journey becomes straightforward. The trail is free, but the food and lodging in and around the park can be somewhat expensive and gets reserved early. If you're hiking to the bottom you need to stay overnight at Phantom Ranch. By repeated searching on their online booking service you can occasionally come across a cancellation which you can grab for yourself if you act fast. Then you could add your lodging at the top the same way. It takes time and patience but it works. All necessary information can be ascertained on this site and especially the Grand Canyon South Rim web page.

Amazing views everywhere you look. Long, hot, very exposed, not much shade. No Water! Take lots of water and snacks, drink and eat often. Everyone was very friendly on the trails, at the trailhead and at Phantom Ranch. Again it is long and hit, but SO worth all the effort.

It may be difficult to fit in that hike on a day trip if you want to do other things as well, and coming back uphill could be difficult at that altitude depending on your condition. You need to catch a shuttle to the trailhead and back and the hike itself will take several hours. As an alternative you can get fabulous views and easy walks elsewhere along the rim. The visitor center at the rim has an amazing overlook and from there you can catch a shuttle bus to the GC village with museums, gift shops and restaurants directly on the rim. From there you can catch an additional shuttle bus along the western rim with stops at about a dozen overlooks. Then catch the shuttle back to the visitor center where you parked. It should not be crowded that time of year.

We did not sign up for a tour. It is easy to find the trail head and hike down on your own. However, if you want to stay at the Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Canyon, you need to reserve a cabin or a bunk in the dormatory cabin. The South Kaibab and the Bright Angel are the two recommended trails. We hiked down the Kaibab and back up the Bright Angel. There is no water on the South Kaibab but is on the Bright Angel. Pack your water accordingly. We stayed at the Bright Angel Lodge at the South Rim the evening before we hiked. Start early around 6:00 am to avoid the heat of the day.

Sorry just got the notification. Depending on what kind of views. South Kaibab has lots of wide open views stretching for miles. Bright Angel has lots of amazing views, but of the cliff formations as you are in an old fault valley and very closed in lots of the time.

I like the suggestion you got to train--that is perfect. But I would suggest the opposite trail: go down the South Kaibab and up the Bright Angel. That is what is usually done--as far as I have heard. The South Kaibab is a lot steeper and is more exposed to the sun, with fewer rest areas. It is faster going down. But it's going to be hard coming back up no matter which one you take. Good luck!!

No. The trails are clearly marked.