“Brighty” the Burro
The Legend of the Grand Canyon’s Most Spirited Wild Burro
Few animals have captured the hearts of Grand Canyon visitors quite like Brighty the Burro. More than a century after he roamed the North Rim, his story continues to live on through books, historic photographs, local folklore, and the beloved bronze statue that once welcomed visitors inside the Grand Canyon Lodge.
If you're wondering who Brighty was—and why visitors used to rub his nose for good luck—here's the fascinating story behind the Grand Canyon's most beloved burro.
👉 Planning a Grand Canyon trip? Although the North Rim continues to recover from the 2025 Dragon Bravo Fire, much of Grand Canyon National Park remains open. If you're planning a visit, check out my guides to both the North Rim and the South Rim to help you choose the best experience for your trip.
🔥Update: What Happened to the Brighty the Burro Statue?
Since originally writing this article, the Brighty the Burro statue was severely damaged during the 2025 Dragon Bravo Fire that destroyed the historic Grand Canyon Lodge. It was recovered from the rubble and is currently being evaluated by conservation experts to determine the best path for restoration.
Although the North Rim continues to recover, the South Rim remains open year-round and many Grand Canyon experiences are still available to visitors.
Table of Contents
The Brighty Statue at Grand Canyon Lodge (Before the 2025 Fire)
Brighty at a Glance
📍 Current Location: Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection (temporarily removed from the North Rim for conservation following the 2025 Dragon Bravo Fire)
🏛️ Former Home: Sunset Room, Grand Canyon Lodge, North Rim
⭐ Known For: The legendary wild burro of the Grand Canyon
🗿 Tradition: For decades, visitors rubbed Brighty's bronze nose for good luck.
📖 Inspired: Brighty of the Grand Canyon by Marguerite Henry
Before the 2025 Dragon Bravo Fire destroyed the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, visitors could find Brighty's life-size bronze statue tucked inside the Sunset Room.
Created by sculptor Peter Jepson, local legend says that rubbing Brighty's nose will bring you good luck. If that's true, there must be a lot of lucky people out there because his muzzle has been polished smooth by thousands of hands over the years.
But Brighty is much more than a good luck charm. Behind the polished bronze statue is the remarkable story of the Grand Canyon's most legendary wild burro.
Who Was Brighty the Burro?
You see, Brighty was a real burro who lived near Bright Angel Creek on the North Rim from approximately 1892 until 1922. He was appropriately named Bright Angel, but people called him “Brighty” for short.
Brighty with Bob McKee taking tanks used to carry water from Cliff Dweller Spring to the Wylie Way Camp on the North Rim, Kaibab Plateau, 1918.
Photo Courtesy of the Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection, #05272
Brighty was first seen in the canyon standing near an abandoned miner’s tent as if waiting for someone to return. It didn’t take long to realize he was extremely tolerant of people especially when food was involved. It is said Brighty had a special fondness for pancakes.
Brighty's Life on the North Rim
During summer, Brighty spent time up on the cooler North Rim hanging out with the game warden Uncle Jim Owens and the McKee family who ran the Wylie Way tourist facilities.
Uncle Jimmy Owens with Brighty the Burro, circa 1910. Uncle Jimmy Owens was the game warden known as the “Grand Old Man of the North Rim,” a canyon character full of colorful stories.
Photo courtesy of the Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection, #05270.
Although Brighty was essentially free to come and go as he pleased, he would often carry water from a spring to the tourist accommodations, and you could regularly find children riding on his back for hours.
Brighty the Burro would let children ride on his back for hours. Here he is at Wylie Way Camp with Bob McKee and others, circa 1918.
Photo courtesy of the Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection, #05271
Why Brighty Became a Grand Canyon Legend
Rumor had it that despite his love of children, if Brighty felt you were unworthy, he would have nothing to do with you. If someone he disliked caught him and tried to make him carry supplies, Brighty would run away, scrape up against the trees until the supplies fell off then be off on his merry way the opposite direction.
Brighty the Burro was like family. Here he is posing with Wylie Way Camp staff and the McKee Family at the North Rim Tourist Camp, July 1918.
Photo courtesy of the Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection, #05427
Brighty was quite a character and a big hit at the park. He was the first to cross the new suspension bridge at the bottom of the canyon when it was built, and he even met President Theodore Roosevelt.
Brighty the Burro with Bob McKee staring out over Transept Canyon at the North Rim, Kaibab Plateau, 1918.
Photo courtesy of the Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection, #05273.
For over 30 years, Brighty did as he pleased. It was this fierce independent spirit that captured the hearts of so many and led to this beloved wild animal being forever immortalized in a 1953 children's book by Marguerite Henry, Brighty of the Grand Canyon. That book caught the attention of a TV producer who put the story of Brighty up on the big screen and led to the creation of the incredible bronze statue of Brighty that was later donated to the park.
For decades, stopping to visit Brighty became a beloved North Rim tradition. Hopefully, once restoration is complete, future generations will once again be able to greet the Grand Canyon's most famous burro.
A special thank you to both the Museum Collection at the Canyon and the Grand Canyon Historical Society for your incredible assistance in providing me with background information and historic photos for this article.
Please consider becoming a member or donating to GCHS to help their efforts in preserving our history.
📚 Brighty in Books and Film
It was this fierce independent spirit that captured the hearts of so many and helped turn Brighty into a Grand Canyon legend. His story was immortalized in Marguerite Henry's beloved 1953 children's book, Brighty of the Grand Canyon, introducing generations of young readers to the remarkable burro who roamed the North Rim.
The book later inspired the 1966 Disney film Brighty of the Grand Canyon, bringing his story to an even wider audience. Today, Brighty's legacy lives on through his bronze statue, which is currently undergoing conservation after the 2025 Dragon Bravo Fire, along with the books, photographs, and stories that continue to introduce new generations to the Grand Canyon's most beloved burro.
👉 Brighty of the Grand Canyon, a children’s book by Marquerite Henry.
👉 Bobby, Brighty & the Wylie Way, a collection of stories, letters and memoirs by Martha McKee Krueger, daughter of Bob McKee.
📍 Visiting Brighty's Statue Today - 2026 Update
Update (2026): The 600-pound bronze statue of Brighty the Burro was severely damaged during the 2025 Dragon Bravo Fire, which destroyed the historic Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim. Although Brighty was badly charred and lost an ear and portions of his front legs, the beloved statue was recovered from the rubble and moved to the Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection for evaluation. Park officials and conservation experts are currently exploring conservation and restoration options, with hopes that Brighty will one day return to the North Rim.
✨ I'll update this article as the National Park Service shares more information about Brighty's restoration and the future of the North Rim Lodge.
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