Use Areas & Codes

Use Areas and their corresponding codes are the means by which the Grand Canyon Backcountry Office determines how many people will be in which sections of the Park on any given night. "Use Areas" are short descriptive names for the specific sections of the Park, and each Use Area has a corresponding "Code" comprised of either three alpha characters or two alpha characters and one digit. Each Use Area has a limit on the number of people that can be camped there on any given night. The National Park Service has based these limits on assessments of the ability of each area to tolerate human traffic, with the primary intent to protect and preserve the Park for future visitors.

Backcountry Permits are issued based on each night spent in the Canyon. Technically, this includes day hikes that will end after dark. The permitting process requires each trip leader to identify where their group or party plan to spend the night during the trip by Use Area/Code. Note that several Use Areas are on Native American tribal lands. Additional permits are required for these areas. Access to some trailheads also requires passage through tribal lands and this may also require a permit or entry fee. While Use Areas are included in the list below, it is easier to start with a map that depicts the various Use Areas by Code.

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Use Areas Maps

  • Map Representing Locations Where 77% of Requested Backcountry Permits are Issued: Click Here
  • Single Page Map with a More Expansive View from Bob Ribokas's "Grand Canyon Explorer" Site:
    Click Here (There is a ton of useful Grand Canyon info on Bob's site at: http://www.kaibab.org/)

There are two other map offerings in a larger format printed on weather-resistant paper:

  • Most Comprehensive: The "National Geographic Trails Illustrated Grand Canyon Outdoor Recreation Map" - Most of the Use Areas are represented
  • More Compact: The "SkyTerrain.com Grand Canyon National Park Trails Map, by Ken Schulte - Does not include Use Areas in the more peripheral outlying portions of the Park

Both are available for purchase through this portal:


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Camping Types

Use Areas are managed based on the type of camping allowed. There are three Camping Types identified and backcountry travelers must adhere to the expectations for the area being visited. They include:

Campground: These areas are very well developed. Campsites are designated and generally improved with such "luxuries" as picnic tables, ammo cans for food storage, posts for hanging packs, purified water availability via a spigot, toilets, emergency phones and ranger stations close by.

Designated Sites: These areas are slightly developed. The campsites are obvious and usually signed. Pit or solar composting toilets are generally available and that is about the extent of the luxury.

At Large: These areas are undeveloped and camping is permitted anywhere. However, Leave No Trace principles should be followed here. "Campsites" used by others are generally obvious and should be used to help minimize impact.

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Use Area, Code, Management Zone & Camping Type Table


Code Use Area Name Mgmnt. Zone No. of Group(s)   No. of Parties Maximum People Camping Type
AA9 Badger Primitive 1 and 1 17 At Large
AB9 Rider Primitive 1 and 1 17 At Large
AC9 South Canyon Primitive 1 and 1 17 At Large
AD9 Saddle Canyon Primitive 1 and 1 17 At Large
AE9 Nankoweap Primitive 1 and 2 23 At Large
AF9 Chuar Primitive 1 and 3 29 At Large
AG9 Unkar Wild 1 or 2 12 At Large
AH9 Vishnu Wild 1 or 1 11 At Large
AJ9 Cheyava Wild 1 or 2 12 At Large
AK9 Clear Creek Threshold 1 and 3 29 At Large
AL9 Greenland Springs Wild 1 or 2 12 At Large
AM9 Surprise Valley Primitive 1 and 1 17 At Large
AP9 Phantom Creek Wild 1 or 2 12 At Large
AQ9 Trinity Creek Wild 1 and 2 12 At Large
AR9 Scorpion Ridge Wild 1 or 2 12 At Large
AS9 North Bass Primitive 1 and 1 17 At Large
AT9 Powell Plateau Primitive 1 and 2 23 At Large
AU9 Blacktail Canyon Wild 1 or 2 12 At Large
AV9 Tapeats Amphitheatre Wild 1 or 2 12 At Large
AW7 Tapeats-Upper Tapeats Threshold 1 and 2 23 Designated Sites
AW8 Tapeats-Lower Tapeats Threshold 1 and 1 17 Designated Sites
AX9 Deer Creek Primitive 1 and 1 17 Designated Sites
AY9 Esplanade Primitive 1 and 2 23 At Large
AZ9 Fishtail Wild 1 or 2 12 At Large
BA9* Palisades Primitive 1 and 2 23 At Large
BB9 Tanner Primitive 1 and 3 29 At Large
BC9 Cardenas Primitive 1 and 2 23 At Large
BD9 Red Canyon Primitive 1 and 2 23 At Large
BE9 Hance Creek Primitive 1 and 2 23 At Large
BG9 Cottonwood Creek Primitive 1 and 2 23 At Large
BH9 Grapevine Primitive 1 and 2 23 At Large
BJ9 Cremation Primitive 1 and 2 23 At Large
BL4 Hermit Loop-Horn Creek Threshold 0 and 1 6 Designated Sites
BL5 Hermit Loop-Salt Creek Threshold 0 and 1 6 Designated Sites
BL6 Hermit Loop-Cedar Creek Threshold 0 and 1 6 Designated Sites
BL7 Hermit Loop-Monument Threshold 1 and 3 29 Designated Sites
BL8 Hermit Loop-Granite Rapids Threshold 1 and 2 23 Designated Sites
BL9 Horseshoe Mesa Threshold 2 and 3 40 Designated Sites
BM7 Hermit Loop-Hermit Creek Threshold 1 and 3 29 Designated Sites
BM8 Hermit Loop-Hermit Rapids Threshold 1 and 1 17 Designated Sites
BN9 Boucher Primitive 1 and 2 23 At Large
BO9 Slate Primitive 1 and 2 23 At Large
BP9 Ruby Primitive 1 and 2 23 At Large
BQ9 South Bass Primitive 1 or 2 12 At Large
BR9 Garnet Primitive 1 and 2 23 At Large
BS9 Fossil Wild 1 or 1 1 At Large
BT9 Olo Wild 1 or 2 12 At Large
BU9 National Wild 1 or 2 12 At Large
CBG Corridor-Bright Angel Corridor 2 and 31 90 Campground
CCG Corridor-Cottonwood (Summer) Corridor 1 and 6 40 Campground
CCG Corridor-Cottonwood (Winter) Corridor 1 or 1 8 Campground
CIG Corridor-Indian Garden Corridor 1 and 15 50 Campground
LA9 Kanab Creek Primitive 1 and 2 23 At Large
LB9 Boysag Wild 1 or 2 12 At Large
LC9 The Dome Primitive 1 or 2 12 At Large
LE9 Parashant Wild 1 or 2 12 At Large
LF9 Trail Canyon Wild 1 and 2 12 At Large
LG9 Diamond Creek Wild 1 or 2 12 At Large
LH9 Separation Wild 1 or 2 12 At Large
LI9 Whitmore Threshold 1 and 1 17 At Large
LJ9 Surprise Wild 1 or 2 12 At Large
LK9 Burnt Point Wild 1 or 2 12 At Large
LL9 Snap Point Primitive 1 or 2 12 At Large
LM9 Grand Wash Cliffs Primitive 1 and 2 12 At Large
NA0 Walhalla Plateau Primitive 1 and 3 29 At Large
NB9 Thompson Canyon Primitive 1 and 3 29 At Large
NC9 Ken Patrick Primitive 1 and 2 12 At Large
ND9 Robbers Roost Primitive 1 and 3 29 At Large
NF9 Widforss Threshold 1 and 2 23 At Large
NG9 Outlet Primitive 1 and 2 23 At Large
NH9 Point Sublime Threshold 2 and 3 34 Designated Sites
NJ9 Swamp Ridge Primitive 1 and 3 29 At Large
NK9 Kanab Point Primitive 1 and 3 29 At Large
NL9 Tuckup Point Primitive 1 and 3 29 At Large
NM9 Toroweap Valley Threshold 1 and 2 23 At Large
NN9 Lava Threshold 1 and 1 17 At Large
SA9 Cape Final Threshold 0 or 1 6 Designated Sites
SA9 Cape Solitude Primitive 1 and 2 23 At Large
SB9 Cedar Mountain Threshold 2 or 2 34 At Large
SE9 Pasture Wash Threshold 2 and 3 40 At Large
SF9* Eminence Break Primitive 1 and 1 17 At Large
SG9* Shinumo Wash Primitive 1 and 1 17 At Large
SH9* Saltwater Wash Primitive 1 and 1 17 At Large
SI9* Jackass Primitive 1 and 1 17 At Large

* Permits from the Navajo Tribal Parks Department are required in addition to a National Park Service Backcountry Permit for these Use Areas. Details for obtaining permits can be found on the Backcountry Permits page.

For a copy of the Grand Canyon Backcountry Use Area in Excel spreadsheet format, Click Here.

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