Each day as I chat with people who are planning their vacations I find there are several who are interested in taking a mule ride into the Canyon.  They ask questions regarding price and availability.  While we not the concessionaire and do not book the mule rides, we do like visitors to have as much information as possible for planning their vacations. At the South Rim, two types of mule rides may be available; the Abyss Overlook Mule Ride and the Overnight Rides to Phantom Ranch.  Because of the limited number of mule rides available for the overnight tours they must be booked well in advance.  In fact, they open up for booking on the first day of the month, 13 months in advance and if you aren’t on the phone by 7:00 a.m. with speed dial (and perhaps a few friends to help you) it is highly unlikely you will be able to book an overnight mule ride at the South Rim.

The Abyss Overlook Mule Rides tend to have better availability and you should be able to reserve one a few months in advance.  However, these rides do not go into the canyon; instead they go through the forest to the Abyss Overlook.  If you are simply looking for a mule ride this will be fun but if you are looking to get to the bottom of the Canyon, you might have to consider alternatives.

Fortunately there are alternatives!  There is only one road that goes into the Canyon and the best way to get to the bottom on that road is by taking the Inner Canyon Tour.  There are also some options for getting to the Colorado River at the beginning of the Grand Canyon.  The Canyon River Adventure Tour gives the best value but for those who do not like tour flights, The Colorado River Float Trip will be the next best option.

If you still have your heart set on a mule ride that will actually go into the Canyon, you might want to consider visiting the North Rim and taking the Mule Ride from there.  They offer two half-day mule rides per day that go to Supai Tunnel in the Grand Canyon.  They also offer two forest rides a day as well as two one-hour rides along the rim.  Because the North Rim is more remote and not visited by as many people, these rides tend to occasionally be available even a week or two out.

OK, so you might have heard a few horror stories about Grand Canyon South Rim: it’s hot and crowded in the summertime… hotels booked to the rafters a year in advance… Mule rides? Forget about it! Not only was the Plateau Point ride discontinued, the daily quota for the Phantom Ranch mule ride was slashed in half, making it even harder to grab a spot on what is perhaps the most coveted visitor experience in the Southwest US.

But there’s a time and place where all these rigid rules about Grand Canyon travel soften around the edges. It occurs between May 15th and October 15th, a short but sweet spell where a Grand Canyon visitor can quietly savor the scent of a cool breeze wafting through tall Ponderosa pines, and listen to the call of a canyon wren echoing from the depths of the gorge. Braver souls can even walk up to the tour desk and be lucky enough to book a Grand Canyon North Rim mule ride, not for next year, no – *gasp* the next day!

This is no alternate reality, friends – this is the Grand Canyon’s cooler, quieter and dare I say prettier North Rim.

This debate – South Rim vs. North Rim – is a very hot topic on travel forums such as TripAdvisor.com at this time of year. Several threads on this subject are active as we speak, but here’s one that’s trending now:

North or South Rim

Now, all that said, here at GrandCanyon.com, 99% of the time, we recommend Grand Canyon South Rim for first time visitors. Here’s why:

1. Grand Canyon South Rim has a larger viewing area of the Grand Canyon. The views are those vast, colorful “iconic” images that you’re most likely expecting to see anyway.
2. Grand Canyon South Rim has more visitor services such as hotels, restaurants, gift shops, etc. To compare: Grand Canyon South Rim has a dozen hotels in the immediate vicinity of the park; the North Rim has three.
3. Grand Canyon North Rim is far less commercialized than the South Rim, which really is the whole point. But if you’re traveling with kids, particularly teens, they may find the North Rim to be a little too laid-back. The South Rim and its facilities have the activities and amenities that appeal to today’s families. Want a Grand Canyon air tour? They’re at the South Rim. Hotels with continental breakfast, in-room wi-fi, pools, etc? South Rim again.

Now, if you could care less about any of those things and are more into hiking, photography, or just kicking back and enjoying nature, by all means, go to the North Rim! After all, there’s no such thing as an “ugly” side of the Grand Canyon. Or maybe you’ve already been to the South Rim and are ready for something different. Go North. But the key to a fulfilling visit to Grand Canyon North Rim is to plan ahead, well ahead. The Grand Canyon Lodge, the sole in-park hotel, is typically booked a year in advance. Out-of-park properties, such as the Kaibab Lodge and Jacob Lake Inn, also book several months in advance. Gateway cities are somewhat far away. There’s Kanab, Utah, about 90 minutes from the park; Page-Lake Powell Arizona, roughly 2.5 hours from the park (and also deserving of a couple days of your time – more on that later), and St. George Utah, about 3 hours from Grand Canyon North Rim.

Here are a couple of videos you might watch too:
1. Grand Canyon North Rim Lodging, including in-park and out-of-park:
2. Trips to the Grand Canyon Rims: South, North and West:

Have a “grand” day friends! Talk to you later,

Alley Keosheyan

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 29, 2012 – a conversation with a visitor about the Grand Canyon Mule Rides.

(18:26:31)  Visitor – We’re planning on visiting GC in July…any special considerations with regard to the heat...are mule tours an option in the summer?
(18:27:10)  Rita – It will be warm, so make sure you have plenty of water, hat, sunglases, sunscreen, etc.
(18:27:32)  Rita – Mule rides are booked a year in advance, however there are shorter mule ride options that may still be available
(18:27:40)  Rita – Let me find that information for you
(18:27:53)  Visitor – thanks
(18:27:55)  Rita http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/mule-rides-716.html
(18:28:02)  Rita – Do you have your lodging yet?
(18:28:20)  Visitor – no, not yet
(18:28:50)  Rita – This is for lodging inside the park: www.grandcanyonlodges.com
(18:29:04)  Rita – If that is booked up, there is lodging just outside the park entrance: http://grandcanyon.com/hotels.html
(18:29:30)  Rita you are welcome! Good Luck!

April 12, 2012 – while Visitor was visiting Grand Canyon Mule Rides.

(17:58:09)  Visitor – I’m looking for a mule or horseback ride for myself and 2 others.
(17:58:36)  Sandy – Here is a link to the Concessionaire’s mule page: http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/mule-rides-716.html
(17:58:47)  Visitor – Loaded the Jeep Tours page: http://grandcanyon.com/srjeeptours.html
(17:59:17)  Sandy – We provide other tour options when the mule rides are sold out.
(18:00:08)  Visitor – I already called the Xanterra phone number (888-297-2757) and they told me they were booked solid for those days.
(18:00:39)  Sandy – OK. Then you might want to consider our Inner Canyon Jeep Tour to get to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
(18:00:55)  Sandy - http://grandcanyon.com/inner-grand-canyon-jeep-tours-south-rim.html
(18:01:11)  Visitor – We’re not interested in riding in a vehicle.
(18:01:23)  Sandy – How about hiking?
(18:02:41)  Sandy – I’d recommend you check the hiking links in our travel planner: http://grandcanyon.com/pdf/2012-grand-canyon-trip-planner.pdf
(18:03:04) Visitor – Thank you.