You’re planning your big trip to the Grand Canyon and you’ve heard about those mule rides to the bottom of the canyon. Maybe you’re wondering: What are your options for mule rides, and how much do they cost?
Mule ride options include 1-3 hour rides along the rim of the canyon, 3-hour rides into the canyon, and multi-day trips to the bottom of the canyon. The cost ranges from $60 to over $2,000. You cannot ride if you weigh more than 225 lbs.
The rides vary between the South Rim and the North Rim, we’ve done rides at both so keep reading for more details! In this article we’ll cover:
Mule rides along the South Rim are operated by Xanterra, a concessionaire of the National Park Service.
There are only two options on the South Rim:
![What to Know About Mule Rides at the Grand Canyon [North & South Rims, Booking, What to Expect]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/QxJyi4b-9lo/0.jpg)
For rides along the south rim, you’ll typically be “in the saddle” for 2 hours. The entire experience will take 3+ hours, including check-in, and a van ride to and from Bright Angel Lodge to Yaki Point. You’ll ride 4 miles along the East Rim Trail (not into the canyon). These rides cost about $175.
There are a few qualifications.
BOOK YOUR RIDE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. This is a popular activity, and mule rides fill up months in advance. To book a ride, call 303-297-2757 or 888-297-2757 or go to Xanterra’s website.
I booked this ride in November for the following April and there were still rides available. I had to check in 1-2 days before to go over what to expect and get weighed. Their 225 weight limit includes your own weight plus the weight of your clothes and shoes. If you are even one pound over, you will not be able to ride and they will refund your money ( I actually saw this happen to another visitor. It was sad but the employee was very kind about it).
Our group had 18 people (limit 20) and we were picked up from the Bright Angel Lodge lobby by a smaller tour bus. Our 15-minute ride was really nice. The bus driver told us stories about when he used to wrangle mules and told us about the wildlife in the park. We even saw some pregnant elk along the way!
Once we arrived at the barn, we were split into 2 groups of 10 and matched with our mules. I got to ride Easton who loves people and doesn’t like other mules. He was the oldest mule of the group, 23 years old!
We were assisted into the saddle and taught how to ride. I want to be perfectly clear that these mules are trained for city-slicker riding-no experience required! No one in our group regularly rode horses. A few of us had been on some other horseback rides. The guy in front of me was in his 70s and there was also a 10-year-old on the ride.
This was the most enjoyable horseback/mule ride I have ever done. It was so quiet and peaceful that I could hear my mule breathing and I loved the little clopping-clop sounds of his feet.
I would say 3/5ths of the ride was right along the rim (the rest was in the forest- it was nice too). It was so pretty. At this point, I’d been looking at the Grand Canyon for 3 days now. Even though these views weren’t very different than the others, there was just something about being away from the crowds on the back of a mule that made it very special.
We were required to have our cell phones and cameras attached to us and weren’t supposed to be taking too many pictures along the ride, but we paused from time to time so we could get some good shots of the canyon.
GOOD TO KNOW: You have to wear pants, tennis shoes or boots, and a hat or helmet that attaches. I had to wear a silly dollar-store cowboy hat! They also give you a little canteen and will use yarn to keep your glasses and cell phone attached to you if you choose not to purchase these items from the gift shop. They don’t want anyone dropping anything.
Don’t expect a good picture. Lots of times when you do activities like this, there is a photographer on hand to take some great pictures. This wasn’t the case on this ride. We stopped at a sort of scenic spot and our guide took our picture. I guess they hire them for their equestrian skills and not their photography skills.
Overall, this is my favorite activity I’ve ever done at the Grand Canyon. Even though it was pricey, it was one of the most memorable things I’ve ever done.
The other option is to ride to the bottom of the canyon, where Phantom Ranch is located.
This 2-day ride takes 5 1/2 hours to ride to the bottom of the canyon on the Bright Angel Trail (the village). It will cross the Colorado River and stop at Phantom Ranch. They serve a sack lunch on the way down and a steak dinner at Phantom Ranch. Phantom Ranch is also famous for its lemonade.
The next morning, they’ll serve you breakfast, and then you’ll ride back up to the South Rim. The website says you’ll return on the slightly shorter South Kaibab Trail (5 1/2 hours), although we saw a group of riders returning on the Bright Angel Trail (7 hours).
Rides start at about $1,231 for the first person, which includes the ride, the meals, and the lodging. Additional riders in your group will cost less.
From November to March, they also offer a two-night (3 days) option for a little over $1000 per person.
| Type of Ride | Cost | Age Limit | Weight Limit | Times |
| 2-Hour Canyon Vistas Rim Ride | $177 | 9 + | 225 lbs | 8:00 & 12:00 (March-Oct) 10:00 (Nov-Feb) |
| Phantom Ranch (1 night) | $1231 | 9 + | 200 lbs | Early (?) |
| Phantom Ranch (2 nights) | $1630 | 9 + | 200 lbs | Early (?); only available Nov-March |
Phantom Ranch Rides are extremely competitive to obtain.
The first option is to enter the Phantom Ranch Lottery. The lottery opens 15 months ahead of time. For example, In September, the lottery opens for November for the following year.
The second option is to check the General Availability. Since cancellations do occur, you can check this section of the website regularly to see if anything has opened up within the 15-month period.
I highly encourage you to watch our YouTube video because, near the end, we interview two women who just returned from Phantom Ranch. You’ll definitely want to hear what they have to say.
For more information, see the Xanterra website.
Mule rides on the North Rim are operated by Canyon Trail Rides. They do not offer rides to Phantom Ranch, but they offer extra options that the south rim doesn’t, including a short ride into the canyon.
Because the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is closed in the winter, rides only operate from May to October.
The One-Hour Rim Ride ($60) goes through the forest and spends some time on the edge of the canyon. They offer four rides per day and riders need to be at least 7 years old and weigh less than 220 lbs.
The Three-Hour Rim Ride ($120) is for those who are scared of heights and don’t want to ride next to the canyon’s edge. It goes through the forest to Uncle Jim’s Point. They offer two of these per day and riders must be at least 10 years old and weigh less than 225 lbs.
The Three-Hour Ride to Supai Tunnel ($120) descends into the canyon. Supai Tunnel is about 1.5 miles down the canyon. They offer two rides per day, and riders need to be at least 10 years old and weigh less than 200 lbs.
| Type of Ride | Cost | Age Limit | Weight limit | Times |
| One-Hour Rim Ride | $60 | 7 + | 220 lbs | 8:30, 9:30, 1:30, 2:30 |
| Three-Hour Rim Ride | $120 | 10 + | 220 lbs | 7:30, 12:30 |
| Three Hour Ride into Canyon | $120 | 10 + | 200 lbs | 7:30, 12:30 |
To book a ride visit the Canyon Trail Rides website. They also offer horse and mule rides in Zion and Bryce National Parks.
We used Canyon Trail Rides at the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon, and we thought they were fantastic! See below for more about the Grand Canyon ride.
Don’t miss Where to Stay at the Grand Canyon: Options & Our Recommendations (South Rim)
I did a one-hour mule ride on the North Rim, and my husband did a horse ride into Bryce Canyon. Both were through the same company, Canyon Trail Rides. The Bryce Canyon ride is probably the best ride in the desert parks. If you are traveling to several parks and can only do one, you may want to look into that one.
Matt grew up with horses, but this was my first time on horseback (muleback?) I was very uncomfortable at first. However, I LOVED my mule ride!
The tour started at the beautiful Grand Canyon Lodge, where they picked me up in a shuttle and dropped me off at the mule pen.
The guides were top-notch and very experienced.
Of course, most customers aren’t exactly equestrian competitors, and the guides know this. So they were very patient and helpful.
My retired dad and 8-year-old daughter came too. She rode Chi-Chi and loved every minute of it.
The guides spent time talking to each rider while on the trail. They also taught the group some interesting things about mules and the canyon.
They also have a little saying: “No leaning, no screaming.”
If your mule walks a little close to the outer edge, they don’t want you leaning to the inside. Just trust the mules. And of course, screaming may startle the mules.
The mules are notorious for walking close to the edge. For whatever reason, they like it. It can certainly be unnerving, and maybe even terrifying.
Again, I urge you to watch our YouTube video to get a sense of this experience. I talk about my own experience and we interview some darling women about their experiences going all the way down the Grand Canyon to Phantom Ranch.
We haven’t done the Phantom Ranch ride, but we loved our rides at both the North and South Rim.
It’s easy to mistake horses, donkeys, and mules.
Horses and donkeys are different species, but both were brought to the Americas by the Spanish in the 1500s.
Horses are larger and more domesticated. Donkeys are smaller and stubborn, but more sure-footed.
Mules are a mix between a male donkey and a female horse. They have the sure-footedness, strength, and steadiness of a donkey but the size and compliance of a horse.
-Each mule at the South Rim costs $10,000 and usually comes from Tennesee
-Mules have smaller hooves for those narrow ledges and eyes more on the side of their head for better peripheral vision. They will often put their hind hooves in the exact same spot their front hooves just stepped.
-Their coats look mangy in the spring because they are shedding. They are well cared for and brushed every morning
-In the winter, the mules have shoes with spikes on them to keep them from sliding in the snow and ice
-Grand Canyon mules work until they are 20-25 years old and then sold to private owners or sent to a retirement pasture.
-A mule can carry 1/3 of its weight
-In case you are wondering why the rides are so expensive, the concessionaire has to share a good chunk of their revenue with Grand Canyon National Park. Think of it as donating to a good cause.
Mules have a long history in the canyon. Before tourism, miners and other travelers used mules to access the canyon.
The Fred Harvey Company was authorized in 1904 to establish a mule ride operation for tourists.
The Fred Harvey Company was the sole operator of mule rides until 1968 when the company was purchased by Xanterra, which continued to operate the mules on the south rim today.
Donkeys also have an interesting history in the Grand Canyon and the West in general. They once roamed wild and free in the Grand Canyon, but the park killed them off in order to preserve the environment. One of these wild donkeys even became famous enough to get his own book and movie!
Download our Free Quick and Easy Guide to the Grand Canyon’s 4 Areas!
| Ride at the South Rim If… | Ride at the North Rim If… |
| If you enjoy a more laid-back atmosphere | If you enjoy a more laid-back atmosphere |
| Want a great view of the canyon without going into the canyon | If you want the option to do a shorter ride INTO the Grand Canyon |
| If you are booking more last-minute | You are traveling from October through mid-May |
| You want to go to the bottom of the Canyon | If you are on a tighter budget |
| You are traveling October through mid-May |
If I could only choose one mule ride, I would take the 2 hour Canyon Vistas Ride at the South Rim. It was so peaceful and beautiful, that I actually got a little emotional.
We hope this helps you plan your trip.
If you’re visiting the Grand Canyon, consider checking out our travel guide. Our guide offers a great game plan for seeing the park. But that’s not all – we also provide an audio guide that provides the best stories of the Grand Canyon – including the story of the donkeys in the canyon.
If you want to get the most out of your trip and have no regrets, you need this travel guide! It’s the best self-guided tour of the Grand Canyon.
This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site.
Receive weekly newsletters updating you on the Best of the West including: essential travel tips, park updates, stories, and our favorite things to see and do.
