Wearing floppy hats and clutching rain slickers, the day's mule riders gather at 7am (8am in winter) every morning at a corral west of Bright Angel Lodge (on the South Rim) to prepare for their rides. You can almost hear the jangling nerves as they contemplate the prospect of descending narrow trails above steep cliffs on animals hardly famous for their willingness to comply. Although the mules walk close to the edges and have been known to back off the trails, accidents are rare, especially among riders who follow the wrangler's instructions. In fact, mule trips have been going into the canyon for more than 90 years without a single fatality from a fall.
The rides, while usually safe, can nonetheless be grueling. Most people's legs aren't used to bending around a mule, and the saddles aren't soft. In addition to the pounding, the canyon can be scorching, and chances for breaks are few. Because the rides are strenuous for both riders and mules, the wranglers strictly adhere to the following requirements: You must weigh less than 200 pounds (everyone is weighed), be at least 4 feet 7 inches tall, not be pregnant, and understand English. Acrophobes are discouraged from participating.
The least expensive ride -- the 1-day trip to Plateau Point -- may also be the most grueling, since it involves a whopping 6 hours in the saddle. It travels down Bright Angel Trail to Indian Garden, then follows Plateau Point Trail across the Tonto Platform to Plateau Point, which overlooks the Colorado River. Having descended 3,200 feet, riders then return up the same trails. This 12-mile round-trip, which breaks for lunch at Indian Garden, doesn't reach the rim until mid- to late afternoon. Cost: $148, including tax.
The other rides are part of 1- or 2-night packages that include lodging and meals at Phantom Ranch. Going down, they follow Bright Angel Trail to the river, then travel east on the River Trail before finally crossing the river via the Kaibab Suspension Bridge. Coming back they use the South Kaibab Trail. The 10.5-mile descent takes 5 1/2 hours; the 8-mile-long climb out is an hour shorter. The Phantom Ranch overnight costs $401 for one person, $710 for two, and $321 for each additional person (prices include tax). The Phantom Ranch 2-night trip, offered only from November to March, costs $566 for one person, $946 for two people, and $406 for each additional person. A livery service is also available.
Mule rides on the North Rim are through a small, family-run outfit called Canyon Trail Rides. Four types of rides, open to ages 7 and up, are offered; the easiest goes 1 mile along the rim on the Ken Patrick Trail before turning back. This 1-hour ride costs $30 per person, while the two half-day rides each cost $65 per person. One stays on the rim, following the Ken Patrick and Uncle Jim trails to a canyon viewpoint; the other descends 2 miles into the canyon on the North Kaibab Trail, turning back at Supai Tunnel. The all-day ride ($125, including lunch), travels 5 miles on the North Kaibab Trail to Roaring Springs before turning back. Riders must be at least 12 years old to go on the all-day ride. No one over 200 pounds is allowed on the canyon rides; for the rim rides, the limit is 220. All riders must speak English.
Reserving a Mule Trip
Mule trips to Phantom Ranch can fill up months in advance, so make your reservations early. Reservations for the next 13 months can be made beginning on the first of each month. For advance reservations, call tel. 888/297-2757. The Bright Angel Transportation Desk, at tel. 928/638-2631, can tell you about next-day openings. If you arrive without reservations, you can put your name on a waiting list by going to the desk in person. Reservations for South Rim mule rides are easier to get in winter, when temperatures in the lower canyon are often very pleasant.
Offered from mid-May to mid-October, mule rides on the North Rim tend to fill up much later than those on the South Rim -- if at all. To sign up, visit the Canyon Trail Rides desk (open daily 7am-6pm) at Grand Canyon Lodge, call tel. 435/679-8665, or go to www.canyonrides.com.
