When you are planning any activity that requires you to remain in the Park overnight, you are required to obtain a Back-country Permit.
Activities that require back-country permits
- Hiking overnight with or without a Guided Hiking Tour
- Cross-Country Ski trips that will last overnight
- Horseback Riding (Guided Horseback Tours included) with camping overnight
- Overnight camping outside of specified developed campground areas
- River rafting, including river rafting tours, that requires you to overnight in the Park
How to get a back-country permit to the Grand Canyon
Permits may be obtained by going to the Back-country Information Center at the Grand Canyon National Park. You may fax in requests, mail them in or get them at the office only – no requests are handled by phone or email or texting.
- It takes approximately 21 days to process your application and returned to you by mail, so be sure to turn in your application request well enough in advance of your planned trip.
Back-country Information Centers
South Rim Open daily 8:00 a.m. – noon and 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. North Rim Open daily 8:00 a.m. – noon and 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Mid-May – mid-October or later, depending on weather
Contact for both Rims
www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/backcountry.htm Telephone: 928-638-7875 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Monday – Friday only Fax: 928-638-2125 Mail: Backcountry Information Center P .O. Box 129 Grand Canyon, AZ 86023
Cost of the Permit
$10 per permit plus $8 per person or stock animal per night camped below the rim and $8 per group per night camped above the rim. Denied requests will not incur a charge. Permits cancelled at least four days in advance will receive hiker credit (minus a $10 cancellation charge) valid for one year. Backcountry Information Center charges are NON-REFUNDABLE!
How to get a copy of the permit request
- Download the form and return it as soon as possible or as close as is acceptable to the Back-country Information Center.
Important Information:
How Soon Should You Turn in Your Permit Request?
- The Back-country Information Center processes permits no sooner than 4 months before the intended dates.
- However, they only issue permits by mail which can take up to 3 weeks to process and arrive so, except for a few, first-come-first-served basis, campground permits to walk up visitors, it is important that individuals planning to do major overnight activities within the park plan their activities ahead of time.
Please see the above site for more information about the Back-country Permits – as rules and information may change periodically.
