Bright Angel Trail Cam in the Grand Canyon

If you decide to take a peek at this live feed, make sure to do it during Arizona daytime hours. This cam is located in the middle of nowhere and after dusk has faded to full dark, not surprisingly, there’s no nighttime illumination so all you’ll see is a black screen. No, you won’t get to see any starry skies either as the cam is pointing down rather than up, but that’s not such a bad thing. It must be very reassuring to the hikers tramping along the Bright Angel Trail to know there’s a webcam they can wave at if they get into trouble along the way. That’s if they get into trouble in the right spot and someone at the other end is watching out for them.

When you’re planning on taking a hike, the Bright Angel Trail isn’t one to be setting out on if you’re a novice trekker or don’t have much of a head for heights. If you’re a veritable mountain goat, well, you’ll probably have no trouble at all. That said, the Bright Angel Trail is a well trodden path that winds its way for sixteen kilometres down the steep cliffsides of the US’s infamous landmark, the Grand Canyon. Hiking doesn’t get any drier, dustier and hotter than this. Why do folk put themselves through this gruelling challenge?

One reason could be because the views from the trail are incredible, if you’re brave enough to take your eyes off where you’re putting your feet for a moment. And two, being able to boast you’ve hiked through the Grand Canyon is something not everyone can shout about. Watch the feed for a while and you may even spot one of the mule packs passing by. If you’re considering a mule ride along the Bright Angel Trail as an alternative to hiking, fair play, but be aware that it’s a five to seven hour ride. No you won’t get blisters on your feet, but you could well develop a few saddle sores.