Roaring Springs waterfall – supplying Grand Canyon’s drinking water

Roaring Springs is best seen from the North Kaibab Trail, with the water gushing out of the cliffs and cascading over the rocks to form Bright Angel Creek. Bright Angel Creek flows into the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon.

Roaring Springs supplies the drinking water for every visitor and resident within Grand Canyon National Park, with a pipeline to both the South Rim and North Rim. At what is now called the Manzanita Rest Area is the Pumphouse Residence (or the Aiken Residence), where Bruce Aiken lived, painted and worked here looking after the pump house until 2005.

Getting to Roaring Springs

The waterfall is best seen from the North Kaibab Trailhead, with a strenuous hike down from the North Rim (it’s a 9.4 mile / 15km round trip).

In summer, a pre-dawn start is essential avoid the hottest part of the day, with Roaring Springs located 3,050 feet / 930m below the canyon rim.