Good morning, travelers – or shall I say “woof?” Today’s Grand Canyon vacation  planning question revolves around Grand Canyon hotels, in particular, are any of them pet-friendly?

‘sativabaker’ writes:

I’m headed to the Grand Canyon last minute on my way to San Diego. Where should I stay? Flagstaff? I’m a 21 year old female going with my dog.

My reply:

The Red Feather Lodge is the only pet friendly Grand Canyon hotel in the immediate vicinity of the Grand Canyon (Tusayan/Grand Canyon Village South just outside the park), but if your trip is last minute, you’ll probably find it sold out. Another downside to that property is that their pet rooms also double as their smoking rooms. Williams, 1 hour South of the Grand Canyon has several pet-friendly Grand Canyon hotels, as does Flagstaff, 90 minutes from the park [editor's note: Williams and Flagstaff are referred to as 'Grand Canyon Gateway Communities'].

Check out this video for more information on Williams, Flagstaff, Page and other Grand Canyon Gateway Communities:

Some other insights on bringing your dog to the Grand Canyon:

If you want to take your dog into the park, he/she must be on a leash at all times and will be limited to walking on paved rimside trails with you. Dogs are not allowed in any of the buildings or on the shuttle buses. Another option you might consider is boarding your dog for the day at the Grand Canyon Railway Pet Resort in Williams or the Grand Canyon Kennel inside the park. The former  is quite new and very nice from what I’ve heard.

The Grand Canyon National Park Service goes as far as to say leave your dog at home when visiting the park. Having taken my dog(s) to many National Parks (Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, the Rocky Mountains), and enjoying their company thoroughly, I don’t fully agree with that assessment, but be aware that having a pet in tow does limit where you can go and what you can do. For instance, finding a pet-friendly hotel may be difficult last minute as ‘sativabaker’ is surely finding out. If all else fails, you might consider camping. Another thing to keep in mind is that your dog will not be allowed inside any buildings such as hotels, restaurants, gift shops, etc. The only exception: service dogs for the disabled, but they absolutely must be properly certified!

Another consideration: pets are NOT allowed on any Grand Canyon tours, even if they’re little! Sorry, Paris Hilton, you’re not gonna carry your little doggie in your purse on the Grand Canyon River Adventure or the Inner Grand Canyon Jeep Tour. If you’re traveling with a pet and plan to take a full day Grand Canyon tour, you’ll need to arrange to have your pet boarded for not one but two nights.  The reason: many of these tours start at 6 AM or similarly early departures. Area kennels typically do not open until 8-9 AM, so it will be impossible to get your pet into boarding that same morning. Similarly, since most full day tours end after 5 PM, by which time most kennels will be closed, you won’t be able to pick your dog up the night you return from your tour.

One last thing and we’ll wrap this up: If you plan on using any of the Grand Canyon area’s local pet boarding facilities, remember to bring your pet’s vaccination records. All shots must be current, or Fido won’t walk through the door.

So till next time, make it a “grand” day, even if it is a “dog day afternoon!”

This morning on TripAdvisor the “$64,000 question” had to do with congestion in Grand Canyon Park Village at the South Rim. This poster, who was planning on making a Grand Canyon day trip from Flagstaff, had obviously heard and perhaps experienced first-hand some of the horror stories of years past, like hour+ waits at the entrance gate and making multiple circles around the Village Loop drive in order to find a parking space.

I’m pleased to report that several recent developments have ameliorated that particular problem quite nicely. Check out this video from the Grand Canyon National Park Service to see what they’ve done. The biggest and best development was the construction of a very large parking lot adjacent to the Canyon View Information Plaza. If memory serves, it has roughly 900 spaces, and serves as a “hub” for the Grand Canyon Village Shuttle system. So find a space to park there, hop on the shuttles, and voila! You have an easy (and free!) way to get around to the different Grand Canyon hotels, restaurants, gift shops and other visitor services. Those with more time can take the shuttle all the way out to the West Rim Interchange near Bright Angel Trailhead and transfer to the Hermit’s Rest Shuttle, where more awesome Grand Canyon views await.

Another change made in recent years was the addition of several pre-paid entrance lanes at the South and East entrances to Grand Canyon National Park. Those with America the Beautiful Federal Lands Access Passes or other prepaid park entrance fee tickets are welcome to use these lanes to expedite their entry to the park. But these are only to be utilized by America the Beautiful Pass holders or those who have prepaid the Grand Canyon Park entrance fees elsewhere!  Those who have not paid their fees and attempt to enter the park via these prepaid lanes will be required to go to the back of the “regular” line.

Some more suggestions to avoid the congestion that is still invariably present at Grand Canyon South Rim during the summer months:

• Time your visit to avoid the peak visitation hours  between 10 am and 3 PM. That’s when the day-trippers from Las Vegas and Phoenix start to arrive, and that’s when parking can be more difficult to find
• If making a Grand Canyon day trip from Flagstaff, take the “long way in.” As TripAdvisor contributor “MikePinTucson” suggests:

Admission no problem at all if you use the east entrance. We have never encountered more than 2 or 3 cars ahead of us at that entrance.Drive along the east rim drive, stopping at all or most of the viewpoints (do not miss Desert View). Parking can be a problem right around the rim lodges. But if you park nearYavapai Lodge, it shouldn’t be much of a problem. Then you can take the free shuttle to the Village area and the Hermit’s Rest road.

• Then take the “short way” out: via Highway 64 to I-40 and Williams, or the more scenic Highway 180 which can be accessed at Valle Arizona. Here’s a map of what that total drive would look like:

View Larger Map

The typical Grand Canyon Day Trip from Flagstaff entails a 90-minute drive each way via the most direct route. Using the above route, expect to add at least another 90 minutes onto your drive time; and don’t be surprised if it takes a little longer. The Grand Canyon East Rim is one of the most beautiful drives in Northern Arizona, so don’t be surprised to find yourself stopping at one of the over half a dozen named viewpoints along the Grand Canyon Rim.  But you’re on vacation, so hopefully you’re in no hurry!

Imagine sitting on a hotel balcony at Grand Canyon South Rim sipping your favorite beverage. Before you in all its glory gapes the one and only Grand Canyon! All this beauty is making you hungry, so you leave behind your lovely Grand Canyon view and adjourn to your room and cook a little something in your room’s kitchen. Quesadillas, some huevos rancheros, maybe warm up the leftovers from that huge Navajo Taco you got at the Cameron Trading Post. Victuals in hand, you return to your seat on your lovely balcony and lose yourself once again in your lovely Grand Canyon view.  And then –  you wake up!!!

Sorry, folks, but this Grand Canyon vacation scene will only happen in your dreams.

Alphonse Karr was a French journalist, novelist and all-around smart alec who lived in the 19th century. Alphonse Karr is also a popular variety of non-invasive clumping bamboo, but I digress. The former Mr. Karr is who I want to bring up: he’s the guy who’s widely credited for saying “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” What does that have to do with the price of eggs, much less the Grand Canyon?  It means that in this day and age of information overload and ultra-connectedness, where there are no secrets or unknowns about pretty much anything, so many misconceptions still abound about the Grand Canyon, especially when it comes to Grand Canyon hotels.

Case in point: the frequency with which folks still ask “how can I get a room with a view of the Grand Canyon – oh and with a kitchen too?” We’re discussing that very thing right now on TripAdvisor. Take a look:

TripAdvisor Grand Canyon Forum: Grand Canyon Lodging Choices 

Now back in the day when we all thought the Georgia Satellites were going to be the next big thing in rock-n-roll,  I actually had the privilege and pleasure of working as a desk clerk of the world famous Grand Canyon hotel, the El Tovar. If I had a dime for every time I was asked “does my room have a view?” I’d be rich. And if I had a quarter for every time I had to say “no,” I’d be even richer. On a quiet snowy day in December, for giggles and grins I added up all the rooms at all the hotels in Grand Canyon South Rim: El Tovar, Kachina, Thunderbird, Bright Angel, Maswik Yavapai. All put together there are just over 900 rooms in the park at Grand Canyon South Rim. And of those 900+ rooms a mere 6% might – not will, but might – have a Grand Canyon view. And of that mere 6% a …. mere-er (no I don’t know whether that’s an actual word)… 4 rooms… yes people, not 4 hotels, 4 rooms are guaranteed to have a Grand Canyon view! That’s it and that’s all!  And yet the traveling public assumed that getting a room with a view wouldn’t be a problem – that was back in the day when we relied on *gads* newspapers, magazines, radio and TV for our information, people!

In fact a post I wrote on this very subject on TripAdvisor a few years back was so well-received it was “promoted” to the list of “Top Questions to Ask About the Grand Canyon.”

TripAdvisor.com: “How can I get a Grand Canyon hotel room with a view?”

Here’s the facts, folks: a room with a view is very hard to come by. Even those rooms that might have a bit of a view aren’t guaranteed of such since one man’s panorama is another man’s postage stamp. Trees, shrubs and other obstructions might block your view slightly too. But here’s the thing: if you’re hanging out in your hotel room during the daylight hours on your Grand Canyon vacation, ‘Houston, we have a problem!’ The whole point of visiting the Grand Canyon – or any National Park for that matter – is to enjoy the treasures that lie outdoors, not the indoors. Your hotel room should just be a place to lay your head after a fulfilling and exciting day of sightseeing. If you happen to be fortunate enough to score rooms at one of the park’s venerated Historic Landmarks, like the El Tovar or Bright Angel, consider yourself lucky, because you are. But if you’re expecting the Four Seasons, here again, you’ve bought into someone else’s myth and not reality.

Oh, almost forgot about kitchens. Grand Canyon South Rim hotels have mini-fridges but no microwaves. Most Tusayan/Grand Canyon Village South hotels have both mini-fridges and microwaves; some will allow you to ‘rent’ these items for a nominal fee. But if it’s a full kitchen/kitchenette you want/need, you’ll have to stay in Flagstaff, which is about 90 minutes South of the park. Seriously, unless you have very strict dietary needs, food allergies, etc. that would make utilizing the on-site dining facilities problematic, having a kitchen should be very low on your priority list. Highest priority: being as close to the Grand Canyon as you can.

Here’s a video that discusses all Grand Canyon South Rim lodging options both in and out of park:

I would like to request information on grand canoyn floating trip.
Sure – where are you staying during your visit?
At the Holiday Inn in Flagstaff, Arizona.
I am just wondering where they could be picked up and at what time,  because it doesn’t make sense for them to drive all the way to the airport if they go to some Grand Canyon hotels.
We offer a Colorado River Float Trip package that also includes a hike in Lower Antelope Slot Canyon.
Pickups are offered at most major hotels in Flagstaff (which includes the Holiday Inn). Pickup is 6.30-6.45 am
The one I am talking about is the smooth water float trip.
It definitely makes more sense to be picked up right in Flagstaff versus driving all that way to the South Rim.
http://grandcanyon.com/colorado-river-rafting-trip-flagstaff.html
So they do pick up at the Holiday Inn in flagstaff between 6:30 to 6:45am?
They sure do.
So the passangers just need to be in front at the hotel at this time?
Yes, at the front lobby. When you book the trip, you’ll receive a confirmation via e-mail that will give you the meet time, location, guidelines on what to bring, wear, etc.
Where does the tour starts picking up passengers?
The starting point is the Grand Canyon Store in Flagstaff, which is across from the AMTRAK Station.
Okay we have 45-50 pax.
Would that be okay?
Yes, absolutely.
What time do they drop them off at the hotel?
6:30PM?
The trip is ~12 hours long, so round 6.30-7 PM. That said, refrain from scheduling anything time sensitive for that evening in case you encounter a traffic problem or other delays.
Alright. What is the price per person?
Our price per person is $229.
Okay ..thank you

May 3, 2012 – while visiting the http://www.grandcanyon.com/gcnmule.html page.

Visitor – Hello, yes, I looking for mule trip and rafting. I have 21 and 22 May available for this. Can you offer me anything?

The Famous Grand Canyon Mule Trips

Alley – Grand Canyon mule rides are sold out 1 year in advance. We do have single-day white water and smooth water rafting trips though. Which do you prefer?
Visitor – Oh, only one company provide mule trips? What the difference between white water and smooth water rafting?
Alley – Yes, only one company offers mule trips. The difference between white water and smooth water is that white water has rapids, smooth water does not.
Visitor – Oh, no way for mule trip so only even for 1 person? So, white water more fun I guess?
Alley – For the mule trips you would need to contact Xanterra South Rim at 888-297-2757 Being 1 person might be advantageous.
Alley – For more information on white water rafting visit ->: http://grandcanyon.com/white-water-rafting-tour.html
Visitor – If they have place for mule trip – what do you advise to first, mule trip, or rafting?
Visitor – Which one more difficult physically?
Alley – The mule trip to Phantom Ranch takes 2 days; and it is the most difficult physically.

The Historic Teddy Roosevelt Mule Trip in 1913

Visitor – I saw somewhere in the web, half day mule trip.
Visitor – Don’t you offer half day mule and rafting trips?
Alley – That is no longer offered. The mule trips are either 2 days or 3 hours. The 3-hour mule ride is only through the forest, it does not go into the canyon at all.
Visitor – What about rafting? What options do you have?
Alley – 1-day smooth water and white water raft trips. By the way, where are you staying (Hotel)?
Visitor  - And price. and it is available, so can I book it today or during this next couple of days?
Alley – The 1-Day White Water: $549 per person 1-Day Smooth Water: depending on pickup location, $184-229 per person.
Visitor – I booked hotel yesterday in Flagstaff, I don’t remember name, I can check in Travelocity, but I would like to find some place to stay from 21-22 night, don’t drive back to Flagstaff.
Alley – Where are you going after leaving Flagstaff?
Visitor – To Grand Canion
Alley – Where are you staying at the Grand Canyon?
Visitor – I come to Flagstaf in the evening of 2o of May, then I have 21 Monday, 22, and 23 at 6:30 I fly back to Dallas from Phoenix.
Alley – Are you staying in Flagstaff the entire time?
Visitor – Nowhere yet. I am looking somewhere to stay in Grand Canion. If I find, I would cancel my booking in Flagstaff.
Alley – Visit www.grandcanyon.com/hotels.html or call 1-800-916-8530
Visitor – Google says it is 1.40 minutes drive from Grand Canion
Visitor – I remember I check, looks like nothing available. Probably I need to call.
Alley – You might have better luck that way. Sometimes cancellations don’t make it back to the web.
Visitor – Where usually they pick up for rafting?
Alley – They pick up at all major hotels in the Flagstaff area.
Alley – They don’t pickup at Snow Bowl, Munds Park or any of the cabins on the outskirts…
Visitor – Let me find hotel name in a second… can you tell me they would pick me up from there or not..?
Alley – Yes
Visitor – Howard Johnson Flagstaff I-40 Exit 198 E. Lucky Lane
Alley – Yes, no problem
Visitor – Oh, cool. So for Monday and Tuesday, I can book rafting, and they will pick me up. What about mule trip, are they pick up for that?
Alley – No, you are expected to provide your own transportation to Grand Canyon South Rim for that
Visitor – What the price for mule trip?
Alley – You would need to contact Xanterra for that.
Visitor – Rafting also only one company, or there a different companies for that?
Alley – Different companies operate smooth water and white water trips, but we can help you set up either from Flagstaff.
Visitor – Not all companies provide pick up from Flagstaff?
Alley – Both smooth water and white water raft trips (single day) offer Flagstaff pickup, but not for the mule trips.
Visitor – White water 550$ 1 day. right?
Alley – Correct – also that’s due in full immediately upon reservation and 100% NON-REFUNDABLE for cancelling, so be sure you’re committed to your date
Visitor – I see. very strict
Alley – Yes, that particular trip is quite popular, that’s primarily why.
Visitor – How I can come back to chat with you? I want to check with mule trip, then see what I am doing. Your chat appear suddenly in my window.
Alley – I am usually first on the chat lines in the morning. I work Sunday through Thursday.
Visitor – Is there any button I can press on your web site, to start chat again?
Alley – The green “help” button at the top left.
Visitor – What about this site - http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/feesandreservations.htm?
Visitor – It is some other company?
Alley – That is the National Park Service (rangers).
Visitor – Thank you very much for information Alley. I’ll come back for more questions.
Alley – Please do – thanks for visiting today
Visitor – Can I save the our chat?
Visitor – Oh, I did it.
Alley – Yes, I can e-mail you the transcript.
Visitor – Thank you very much, and have a good day.
Alley – Thank you, I will e-mail the transcript when it comes in.

April 10, 2012

(19:33:21)  Visitor – Yes, Hi...I am planing a tour with my mom and my son to the Grand Canyon. I am looking at your best deals.
(19:33:56)  Visitor – I am planning in spending the night in Williams, Arizona and go to the canyon the next morning.
(19:33:57)  Alley – Are you looking for hotels, tours, both?
(19:34:19)  Visitor – Yeah, I heard Williams is cheaper.
(19:34:20)  Alley – Williams has reasonably priced hotels. Then you can drive yourself to the park if you wish.
(19:34:42)  Alley – Cost is $25 to enter the park, the Entrance Fee is good for 1 week’s time.
(19:35:10)  Visitor – How long of a drive is it from Williams to Grand canyon?
(19:35:20)  Alley – Williams to the Grand Canyon is approximately a 1 hour drive going North on Highway 64.
(19:35:36)  Alley – Did you want info specifically on tours out of Williams or other locations too?
(19:35:44)  Visitor – Do you think we can see it all in one day?
(19:36:22)  Alley – It’s impossible to see the entire Grand Canyon – it’s huge. But you can accomplish a lot in one day driving yourself to the various viewpoints. The best way to see a lot of the canyon in a short amount of time is to fly over it.
(19:37:01)  Visitor – How much does it cost the helicopter ride?
(19:37:14)  Visitor – Info in tours will be great
(19:37:19)  Alley – Prices start at $160 per person and go up from there
(19:37:31)  Visitor – Jeep?
(19:38:05)  Visitor – I would like to get some info about touristic places in the Canyon and Williams, as well.
(19:38:38)  Alley – There are two kinds of jeep tours: Rimside and Inner Canyon. The latter go to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
(19:39:00)  Visitor – That will be nice. My son will love that!
(19:39:10)  Alley – Inner Canyon Jeep Tours?
(19:39:18)  Visitor – How about train?
(19:39:36)  Visitor – Yes
(19:40:10)  Alley – Prices on the Grand Canyon Railway range from $92 per person to $220 per person depending on class of service. Children under 16 are not allowed on the Luxury Parlor Car or Observation Dome; all ages are welcome on Coach and First Class.
(19:40:20)  Alley - Inner Canyon Jeep Tours from Williams are $229 per person
(19:40:50)  Visitor-  Ok. Thx…I have to look at my budget.
(19:41:09)  Visitor – So, to enter the park is $25 per person?
(19:41:38)  Alley – Actually it’s $25 per vehicle (if you drive yourself) and it’s good for 1 week’s time.
(19:41:51)  Visitor – One car?
(19:42:03)  Visitor – I am driving my own car with my son and my mom
(19:42:06)  Alley – Yes, one car and everyone in it.
(19:42:27)  Visitor -So, it’s 25 for the 3 of us?
(19:42:32)  Alley – Yep
(19:43:01)  Visitor – Cool.
(19:43:10)  Visitor – Thanks again.
(19:43:18)  Visitor – have a good day
(19:43:21)  Alley – You’re welcome, please let us know if we can help with anything else.
(19:43:44)  Visitor -Yes, I will!