Your car camping friends will be put to shame when they hear about your adventures at Indian Garden Campground. To get there, you have to hike two-thirds of the way into the Grand Canyon…with all your gear. But the canyon views make the trip worthwhile — the white, rose, and rust-colored rock layers record millions of years of the earth’s history and create the perfect backdrop for your campsite.
A perennial creek runs through the campground, and lush grasses, cottonwood trees, and willows line the banks. This oasis stands in stark contrast to the surrounding desert badlands. Drawn to the creek, Native Americans lived here for thousands of years before hikers and backpackers discovered this special place. Located just off Bright Angel Trail, hikers and mule trains now stop at Indian Garden for water and shade breaks. At night the foot traffic subsides, and you’re left with a full sky of stars in one of the most remote places in the world.
Every campsite has a shade structure, picnic table, pack pole, and food storage cans. Consider making the trip out to Plateau Point (3 miles roundtrip) to see views of the Colorado River.
For backpacking route ideas, check out our Grand Canyon map ›
Camping below the rim in the Grand Canyon requires a backcountry permit, which you can get up to four months in advance of your trip. The park receives about 30,000 requests for backcountry permits each year but issues around 13,000 permits — the earlier you start planning, the better!
There are two ways to get a backcountry permit:
Indian Garden Campground is about 4.8 miles from the South Rim on the Bright Angel Trail. Accessing the campground requires descending more than 3,000 feet into the Grand Canyon. The Bright Angel Trailhead is located in Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim just west of the Bright Angel Lodge near the beginning of the West Rim road shuttle stop.
Get monthly hikes in your inbox for a year.
"Indigenous peoples were forced to sit back and watch the land be used in ways we could have never imagined, in ways our people swore to prevent. The cries of our ancestors are asking us to find modern ways to protect our land from further contamination and destruction."
Ophelia Watahomigie-Corliss of the Havasupai Tribe makes the case for renaming Indian Garden. Read now ›
Water is life in the Grand Canyon, but uranium mines located on public land mere miles from the North and South Rims threaten to contaminate the Grand Canyon's waters. The Park Service warns hikers not to drink out of several creeks along the Tonto Trail because of contamination from a uranium mine that closed in 1969.
We’ve been committed to protecting the Grand Canyon and surrounding landscapes for over 30 years. Will you consider join us as the canyon's champion by making a gift today? Donate ›
Sometimes we need supporters to speak up for the Grand Canyon on short notice, whether that be submitting comments or sending letters to lawmakers. Sign up for action alerts ›
Was it love at first sight, or did sore knees make you vow never to hike in the canyon again? We’re collecting stories about first impressions of the Grand Canyon. Tell us why you love the place ›
Pack your camera and head for the trees! The Colorado Plateau has some of the best displays of fall foliage all season long.
Read More
From blister supplies to water filters, we break down the gear you need to hike and backpack in Grand Canyon National Park.
Read More