Grand Canyon National Park is now requiring organized, non-commercial groups conducting rim-to-rim hikes and extended day hikes in the inner Canyon to obtain a special-use permit for their activity. The change, the National Park Service says in a news release, is being made on an interim basis in response to increased traffic on inner-Canyon trails. That added use has increased litter along the trails and led to crowded restrooms and trailheads, among other consequences, the Park Service says. The special-use permit costs $175 and is required for groups of any size (limited to 30 people) that meet any of the following requirements:

  • The group has advertised to the general public.
  • Individuals are required to sign up prior to participation.
  • The group has an organizer who has been compensated for their participation, including subsidized participation.

"With rim-to-rim and extended day hiking and running increasing in popularity, we needed to find an interim solution that would give us the tool to educate hikers and runners on best practices until we have a longer-term solution in place," Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga says in the release. In pursuit of that long-term solution, the Park Service is revising its 1988 Backcountry Management Plan and preparing an environmental-impact statement, a draft of which is expected to be released this fall. It will address these and other types of Canyon activities. For more information about the special-use permits, or to apply for one, click here.