diff --git a/.vitepress/config.ts b/.vitepress/config.ts
index 4beadff90c1..572f706cdd0 100644
--- a/.vitepress/config.ts
+++ b/.vitepress/config.ts
@@ -388,6 +388,10 @@ function sidebarHome() {
                   text: "Install celestia-app",
                   link: "/how-to-guides/celestia-app",
                 },
+                {
+                  text: "Set up a local testnet",
+                  link: "/how-to-guides/local-testnet",
+                },
                 { text: "Docker images", link: "/how-to-guides/docker-images" },
               ],
             },
diff --git a/how-to-guides/local-testnet.md b/how-to-guides/local-testnet.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..91ca7f2ab0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/how-to-guides/local-testnet.md
@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+# Setting up a Celestia local testnet
+
+This guide walks through setting up a local Celestia testnet with a validator node, bridge node, and light node.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+- celestia-app installed (based on [compatible versions](./participate.md))
+- celestia node binary installed
+- jq installed
+- nc (netcat) installed
+
+## Bash script
+
+This method will start up the testnet with a bash script. It still assumes you have the prerequisites installed.
+
+```bash
+bash -c "$(curl -sL https://docs.celestia.org/start-local.sh)"
+```
+
+To interact with the nodes, you can use the `celestia` and `celestia-appd` CLIs. Use the [funding and testing](#funding-and-testing) section below as a guide.
+
+## Manual setup
+
+### Starting the validator node
+
+First, navigate to the celestia-app scripts directory and run the single node script:
+
+```bash
+cd celestia-app/scripts
+bash single-node.sh
+```
+
+### Setting up the bridge node
+
+Once your validator node is running, get the genesis block hash:
+
+```bash
+curl -X GET "localhost:26657/block?height=1" | jq -r '.result .block_id.hash'
+```
+
+This will return a hash like:
+```
+1D53B32ACB02563E425BA1F8B5178B06A748E0F7B9748A8B1D07C34B454AF595
+```
+
+Set this as an environment variable:
+
+```bash
+export CELESTIA_CUSTOM=test:1D53B32ACB02563E425BA1F8B5178B06A748E0F7B9748A8B1D07C34B454AF595
+```
+
+Initialize the bridge node:
+
+```bash
+celestia bridge init \
+    --node.store $HOME/.celestia-custom-bridge \
+    --core.ip localhost \
+    --core.grpc.port 9090 \
+    --core.rpc.port 26657 \
+    --p2p.network test
+```
+
+Start the bridge node:
+
+```bash
+celestia bridge start \
+    --node.store $HOME/.celestia-custom-bridge \
+    --core.ip localhost \
+    --core.grpc.port 9090 \
+    --core.rpc.port 26657 \
+    --p2p.network test
+```
+
+### Setting up the light node
+
+In a new terminal, set the same environment variable:
+
+```bash
+export CELESTIA_CUSTOM=test:1D53B32ACB02563E425BA1F8B5178B06A748E0F7B9748A8B1D07C34B454AF595
+```
+
+Initialize the light node:
+
+```bash
+celestia light init \
+    --p2p.network test \
+    --core.ip localhost:26657 \
+    --node.store $HOME/.celestia-custom-light/
+```
+
+Get the bridge node's peer info:
+
+```bash
+celestia p2p info --node.store $HOME/.celestia-custom-bridge
+```
+
+From the output, locate the relevant IP4 address and peer ID. The output will look similar to this example output:
+
+```json
+{
+  "result": {
+    "id": "12D3KooWAVsZ36CdczaEXNNnDpsPcVyAnbeBe5EPG7AjttRGfux7",
+    "peer_addr": [
+      "/ip4/10.0.0.125/tcp/2121",
+      "/ip4/10.0.0.125/udp/2121/webrtc-direct/certhash/uEiBXDYwH1McBsLM2aEc3SdvAuhq2ZQ0RUgbjgTvXMQm7LA",
+      "/ip4/192.0.2.0/tcp/16279",
+      "/ip4/192.0.2.0/udp/16279/webrtc-direct/certhash/uEiBXDYwH1McBsLM2aEc3SdvAuhq2ZQ0RUgbjgTvXMQm7LA",
+      "/ip4/127.0.0.1/udp/2121/webrtc-direct/certhash/uEiBXDYwH1McBsLM2aEc3SdvAuhq2ZQ0RUgbjgTvXMQm7LA",
+      "/ip6/::1/tcp/2121",
+      "/ip6/::1/udp/2121/webrtc-direct/certhash/uEiBXDYwH1McBsLM2aEc3SdvAuhq2ZQ0RUgbjgTvXMQm7LA"
+    ]
+  }
+}
+```
+
+Start the light node with custom RPC port and trusted peer:
+
+```bash
+celestia light start \
+    --p2p.network test \
+    --core.ip localhost:26657 \
+    --node.store $HOME/.celestia-custom-light/ \
+    --headers.trusted-peers /ip4/10.0.0.125/udp/2121/webrtc-direct/certhash/uEiBXDYwH1McBsLM2aEc3SdvAuhq2ZQ0RUgbjgTvXMQm7LA/p2p/12D3KooWAVsZ36CdczaEXNNnDpsPcVyAnbeBe5EPG7AjttRGfux7 \
+    --rpc.port 42069
+```
+
+### Funding and testing
+
+Get the bridge node's account address:
+
+```bash
+celestia state account-address --node.store $HOME/.celestia-custom-bridge
+```
+
+Get the light node's account address:
+
+```bash
+celestia state account-address --node.store $HOME/.celestia-custom-light --url http://localhost:42069
+```
+
+Send funds to the light node:
+
+```bash
+celestia-appd tx bank send validator celestia1p8yx4yveuu6ushyccepsuknaqpqn9ppq07m4n3 10000000utia \
+    --chain-id test \
+    --keyring-backend test \
+    --fees 500utia
+```
+
+Test by submitting a blob from the light node:
+
+```bash
+celestia blob submit 0x4772756763686174 '"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." -Leonardo da Vinci' \
+    --node.store $HOME/.celestia-custom-light \
+    --url http://localhost:42069
+```
diff --git a/public/start-local.sh b/public/start-local.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0e2a5364327
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/start-local.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Warning for default .celestia-app directory deletion
+echo "WARNING: This script will DELETE your existing .celestia-app directory and start a new local testnet."
+echo "Make sure you have backed up any important data from .celestia-app"
+read -p "Do you wish to continue? [y/n] " answer
+if [[ ! "$answer" =~ ^[Yy]$ ]]; then
+    echo "Aborting..."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Function to check if a command exists
+check_command() {
+    if ! command -v "$1" &> /dev/null; then
+        echo "Error: $1 is required but not installed."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+# Function to wait for a service to be ready
+wait_for_service() {
+    local port=$1
+    local service=$2
+    echo "Waiting for $service to be ready..."
+    while ! nc -z localhost "$port"; do
+        sleep 1
+    done
+    echo "$service is ready!"
+    sleep 5  # Give it a little extra time to stabilize
+}
+
+# Check for required commands
+check_command "celestia-appd"
+check_command "celestia"
+check_command "jq"
+check_command "nc"
+
+# Clean up existing directories
+rm -rf "$HOME/.celestia-custom-bridge"
+rm -rf "$HOME/.celestia-custom-light"
+
+# Create necessary directories
+mkdir -p "$HOME/.celestia-custom-bridge"
+mkdir -p "$HOME/.celestia-custom-light"
+
+# Kill any existing celestia processes
+pkill celestia-appd
+pkill celestia
+sleep 2
+
+# Start the validator node
+echo "Starting validator node..."
+cd "$HOME/celestia-app/scripts" || exit 1
+
+# Automatically answer "y" to the prompt
+echo "y" | bash single-node.sh &
+wait_for_service 26657 "validator node"
+
+# Get the genesis block hash
+echo "Getting genesis block hash..."
+BLOCK_HASH=$(curl -s "localhost:26657/block?height=1" | jq -r '.result.block_id.hash')
+if [ -z "$BLOCK_HASH" ]; then
+    echo "Error: Could not get block hash"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Export the custom network variable
+export CELESTIA_CUSTOM="test:$BLOCK_HASH"
+echo "Set CELESTIA_CUSTOM=$CELESTIA_CUSTOM"
+
+# Initialize and start bridge node
+echo "Initializing bridge node..."
+celestia bridge init \
+    --node.store "$HOME/.celestia-custom-bridge" \
+    --core.ip localhost \
+    --core.grpc.port 9090 \
+    --core.rpc.port 26657 \
+    --p2p.network test
+echo "Starting bridge node..."
+celestia bridge start \
+    --node.store "$HOME/.celestia-custom-bridge" \
+    --core.ip localhost \
+    --core.grpc.port 9090 \
+    --core.rpc.port 26657 \
+    --p2p.network test &
+wait_for_service 2121 "bridge node"
+
+# Get bridge node info
+echo "Getting bridge node peer info..."
+BRIDGE_INFO=$(celestia p2p info --node.store "$HOME/.celestia-custom-bridge")
+PEER_ID=$(echo "$BRIDGE_INFO" | jq -r '.result.id')
+PEER_ADDR=$(echo "$BRIDGE_INFO" | jq -r '.result.peer_addr[] | select(contains("/ip4/10.0.0.125") and contains("/udp/") and contains("/webrtc-direct/"))' | head -n 1)
+if [ -z "$PEER_ID" ] || [ -z "$PEER_ADDR" ]; then
+    echo "Error: Could not get peer information"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Initialize and start light node
+echo "Initializing light node..."
+celestia light init \
+    --p2p.network test \
+    --core.ip localhost:26657 \
+    --node.store "$HOME/.celestia-custom-light/"
+
+# Construct the light node start command
+LIGHT_NODE_CMD="celestia light start \
+    --p2p.network test \
+    --core.ip localhost:26657 \
+    --node.store \"$HOME/.celestia-custom-light/\" \
+    --headers.trusted-peers \"$PEER_ADDR/p2p/$PEER_ID\" \
+    --rpc.port 42069"
+
+# Log the command
+echo "Starting light node with command:"
+echo "$LIGHT_NODE_CMD"
+
+# Execute the command
+eval "$LIGHT_NODE_CMD" &
+wait_for_service 42069 "light node"
+
+# Get addresses and fund light node
+echo "Getting node addresses..."
+BRIDGE_ADDRESS=$(celestia state account-address --node.store "$HOME/.celestia-custom-bridge" | jq -r '.result')
+LIGHT_ADDRESS=$(celestia state account-address --node.store "$HOME/.celestia-custom-light" --url http://localhost:42069 | jq -r '.result')
+echo "Funding light node..."
+celestia-appd tx bank send validator "$LIGHT_ADDRESS" 10000000utia \
+    --chain-id test \
+    --keyring-backend test \
+    --fees 500utia -y
+echo "Waiting for funding transaction to be included in a block..."
+sleep 5
+echo "Testing blob submission..."
+celestia blob submit 0x4772756763686174 '"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." -Leonardo da Vinci' \
+    --node.store "$HOME/.celestia-custom-light" \
+    --url http://localhost:42069
+echo "Setup complete!"
+echo "Bridge node address: $BRIDGE_ADDRESS"
+echo "Light node address: $LIGHT_ADDRESS"
+echo "Custom network: $CELESTIA_CUSTOM"