One mile (1.6 km) beyond the silver bridge is the eastern terminus and junction with the South Kaibab Trail.

[3] On 31 July and 1 August 2006, passing thunderstorms eroded long sections of the River Trail at an area called the sand dunes, exposing power and water lines that run along and under the trail's road bed.

The trail was briefly closed to mule traffic but remained open to hikers.

[5] Due to the proximity to Phantom Ranch and the Bright Angel Campground, hikers who are not in a life-or-death need for water should proceed across the silver suspension bridge past the mule corral, where a water spigot is located near the restroom building before the junction with the South Kaibab Trail and North Kaibab Trail.

Hikers must proceed to the Bright Angel Campground where they can camp with a permit issued by the Grand Canyon National Park Backcountry Information Center.