Mule Rides
Private livestock is limited to the corridor trails (Bright Angel Trail and South Kaibab Trail) in the inner canyon and on select rim trails. Bright Angel and Cottonwood Campgrounds accommodate private equines, as does the South Rim Horse Camp, half a mile from the Bright Angel Trailhead. Grazing isn’t permitted; handlers are required to pack their own feed. Backcountry permits are required for overnight horseback-riding trips and for overnight use of the South Rim Horse Camp.
Mule rides provide an intimate glimpse into the canyon for those who have the time, but not the stamina, to see the canyon on foot. Reservations are essential and are accepted up to 13 months in advance.
These trips have been conducted since the early 1900s. A comforting fact as you ride the narrow trail: no one's ever been killed while riding a mule that fell off a cliff. (Nevertheless, the treks are not for the faint of heart or people in questionable health.)
Outfitters
Xanterra Parks & Resorts Mule Rides. These trips delve either into the canyon from the South Rim to Phantom Ranch, or east along the canyon's rim. Riders must be at least nine years old and 57 inches tall, weigh less than 200 pounds for the Phantom Ranch ride or less than 225 pounds for the rim ride, and understand English. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Riders must be in fairly good physical condition, and pregnant women are advised not to take these trips.
The two-hour ride along the rim costs $155. An overnight mule ride with a stay in a cabin at Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon, with meals included, is $705 ($1,226 for two riders). Package prices vary since a cabin at Phantom Ranch can accommodate up to four people. From November through March, you can stay for up to two nights at Phantom Ranch. Reservations are a must, but you can check at the Bright Angel Transportation Desk to see if there's last-minute availability. 888/297–2757; 303/297–2757; www.grandcanyonlodges.com. Phantom Ranch rides daily; Rim rides mid-Mar.–Nov, twice daily and Dec.–mid-Mar., once daily. Reservations essential.
