Mule rides, long a way to see the Grand Canyon up close, are still available in the park, but not as plentiful below the rim as they once were.
Mule rides on the South Rim (left) and North Rim (right) are popular ways to see the Grand Canyon. NPS photos.
Under a stock use plan adopted in January 2011, only 10 visitors a day will be allowed to ride below the South Rim. Under the plan, mule use will continue at "historically high levels," although the number going down into the Inner Gorge from the South Rim was cut in half and will be solely for guests staying overnight at Phantom Ranch. No Inner Gorge day rides will be offered.
South Rim Mule Rides
Concessionaire Xantera offers two South Rim mule trips year-round. They often fill up early. A waiting list is only maintained for day-before cancellations, so chances of obtaining reservations on the waiting list are slim. If you wish to make a trip into the canyon on a mule, plan ahead!
2-Hour Canyon Vistas Mule Ride
Grand Canyon mule riders are able to take in the breathtaking vistas of Grand Canyon National Park while traveling along the rim of the canyon. Grand Canyon National Park Lodges offer a four-mile, three-hour mule activity (two-hours in the saddle) that departs five miles east of the Historic Grand Canyon Village at the Yaki Barn. Bus transportation is included to and from Yaki Barn. The mule ride travels along the East Rim Trail built by the National Park Service. Wranglers will stop at least six times along the trail to provide interpretive information about the geologic formations, human history, fire ecology, and more. There are up to 20 riders per departure.
March 1 - October 31, rides depart twice a day. December 1 - February 28/29, rides depart once a day. 2024 rides cost $177.72 including tax, per person, and includes a souvenir water bottle. Reservations may be made online or call (303) 297-2757 or toll free (888) 297-2757.
Overnight Rides
Stay one or two nights at Phantom Ranch, at the bottom of the Canyon near the Colorado River. This service must be reserved and purchased in advance. One-night rides are available year-round and include accommodations and meals. For 2024, one-night rides cost $1,231.00 for the first person or 2 people for $2,233.76, including taxes. Each additional person is $1,025.75.
Two-night rides are available November - March only at a cost of $1,630.47 for the first person or 2 people for $2,804.46, including taxes. Each additional person is $1,219.98.
Click this link for more particulars, including rider qualifications, things to know, and what to bring and wear.
Traveler's Note: Due to trail conditions, Phantom Ranch mule rides are cancelled through September 30, 2024. The National Park Service also continues to move forward with major infrastructure rehabilitation projects, and these projects may impact some of our concessions operations. As a result, lottery entries / bookings for Phantom Ranch overnight mule rides have been paused between December 2, 2024 and March 14, 2025.
North Rim Mule Rides
These rides are offered from mid-May to mid-October.
North Rim mule trips do not go to the river.
One-hour rides along the rim and half-day rim or inner canyon trips are usually available on a daily basis.
1 Hour Trip - Grand Canyon Rim
7 year age limit - 220 lb. weight limit
8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m.
$60.00/person, including taxes.
3 Hour Rim Ride To Uncle Jim's Point
10 year age limit - 220 lb. limit
7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
$120.00/person, including taxes.
3 Hour Ride To Supai Tunnel - Descends Into The Grand Canyon
10 year age limit - 200 lb. weight limit
7:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m.
$120.00/person, including taxes.
Register in the lobby of the Grand Canyon Lodge at the Grand Canyon Trail Rides desk; open 7 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.
