The mule rides was ONE of our motorcycle trip highlights! Of…read morecourse when we booked, by calling direct- you are given specific instructions on weight maximum INCLUDING clothes and shoes. Clothing attire for safety. We brought ball caps- which is a NO- but, you can either take advantage of the complimentary helmet (hopefully you have sunglasses) or you can purchase a cute cowboy hat for $8- which is a steal! If you decide to bring sunglasses/ cell phone- you will be given string to secure the items on you. The mules are easily distracted and curious if the tour doesn't go as planned. LOL When I made the phone reservation- it was also mentioned ANY bags will NOT be allowed on the mule. Just make sure you check in your bag/ purse to the Bright Angel Lodge guest check in (right next to the tour check in desk) and they will give you a claim ticket. The bell hop closet is secured and locked. Once you arrive at the mule corral- instructions will be given in a group huddle. Once you are assigned your mule- the same steering/ handling of the mules will be given by your tour guide. The weather was perfect for our adventure! It was pretty cool when I was assigned Sheldon & my bestie was assigned Delilah. Tex, our tour guide mentioned both of them are "an item". LOL If you enjoyed your tour guide and the mule rides, pay it forward! Show your appreciation! If you did not bring cash for a tip- you can always ask for a tip envelope back at the tour desk in Bright Angel Lodge. ** I didn't wear glasses & did not put into consideration how dusty it gets on the trails. I regretted NOT bringing any eye drops! My eyes were so red and irritated. We booked a shuttle from Williams & then took the train back into town.

Kinda Expensive. But hey it's a once in a lifetime deal. Only the canyon vista ride was available…read morewhen I booked several months in advance for the summer. The rules are super strict and kinda unreasonable for some in my opinion. They include Long pant and long sleeve shirts. Closed toe shoes. Full brim hat with chin strap (no baseball caps) but Kids wear helmets. Lanyards for eye or sun glasses and phones (sold for $30 but fyi they can make ones with string for you too for free). Weight limit of 225 lbs. A Required call-in confirmation 48 hours in advance followed by Check-in the day before (90 minutes before ride checkin if you can't come day before or else 30 minutes before ride if you can). Fluent English also required which is probably why we saw zero non-Anglo ethnicities on our tour. Weight is done the day before you leave at the bright angel lodge checkin. Scale seems to weigh in a few pounds heavier than my scale at home. Not sure which is correct. You can park in guest reservation area right in front of the lodge to do the check in as finding parking is near impossible during the day. You get free Davey Crockett looking water flask bottle to keep but you gotta wash it out with lemon juice (given for free) overnight to get the inside clean and not tasting weird. You can fill it up at the water bottle filing station in the lobby of bright angel lodge It can be cold there even in June due to the high winds. Probably why you need a chin strap on the hats. One guy lost his hat even with the strap It's like $200 per person for a 2 hour ride that doesn't go into the canyon but just along the rim. Honestly 2 hours was 1 hour too long for us. Legs and butt sore by the end. Guides are nice. If you're up front you can hear stories from the guide. Otherwise it's just you and the mule to pontificate. Mules are housed around Yaki Point. About 15 minute ride from Bright Angel Lodge. They walk along the rim there. 1 hour out and 1 hour same path back.

If you're looking for a "dip your toes in and call it adventure" kind of trip, this ain't it. This…read moreis the real deal and Arizona River Runners delivers it with a throttle. I went the motorized raft route, and I'll tell you straight, it's the perfect balance of thrill and sanity. You've got young guns, older folks, everybody laughing, holding on, and living the same moment. One minute you're punching through rapids, the next you're cruising those calm stretches at a steady clip, maybe 8 mph, just soaking it all in. And that's the beauty of it, you cover serious ground without sacrificing the experience. If you don't have 10 days to disappear into the canyon but still want to feel it in your bones, this is your move. Now listen, getting on the water in Grand Canyon isn't something you just wake up and decide to do. Permits, reservations, planning...this is high demand, bucket list territory. You do your homework, plan ahead, and you can make it happen. You wait till the last minute? Good luck. This isn't your local float trip. And then there's the part nobody really prepares you for. The canyon messes with you in a good way, mostly. I swear this is the second time I've felt like I saw Bigfoot out there. Not joking. Starts making you wonder, is it one Bigfoot, multiple, is he just pacing the canyon like he owns it? Add in a little déjà vu, the silence, the scale of it all, your mind starts wandering places you didn't expect. Daytime, it's raw. Sun beating down, heat cooking you alive, jumping into the river whether it looks crystal clear or straight up brown just to cool off. Nighttime, whole different world. Stars like you've never seen, Milky Way stretched across the sky, dead quiet except for the river and a crackling fire. Cold drink in hand, swapping stories, realizing you're sitting in one of the most unreal places on earth. But don't get it twisted, this place demands respect. The canyon is massive, and it'll remind you quick how small you are. People make it through just fine until they don't. Heat, terrain, isolation, it's not forgiving. There are spots out there where if something goes sideways, you're not just hiking your way out. That's part of what makes it real. End of the day, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. There's something about finishing a trip like this, grateful, a little humbled, maybe a little paranoid about Bigfoot, but knowing you just experienced something most people never will.

I cannot say enough good things about this company. We did a "hikers" trip and it was amazing. The…read moreguides were great. They were knowledgeable, safety conscious, friendly and so much fun. The food was amazing. We were all impressed with the guides organizational skills and their cooking . We heard all the stories about the formation of the Grand Canyon and the history of its exploration. We got to hike to some spectacular locations. We rafted 6 days from Lees Ferry to Pipeline Beach then hiked out on Bright Angel Trail. We are already making plans to return and raft from Pipeline to the end. Our trip was everything we had hoped for and more. Highly recommended!!! Arizona River Runners does a spectacular job!

This trail is very nice for everyone of all ages and for leashed pets! It's pretty well defined so…read moreyou won't get lost. Most of the trail is paved and some sections are even accessible. It's pretty flat. I would say it's great for a stroll, walking at whatever pace you want for quiet views of the inner canyon. The only drawback is that there's no water on the trail, so be prepared. There are primitive toilets along the trail. At the end of the trail at Hermit's Rest there's running water (and the gift shop with snacks). There are nine scenic overlooks along this trail, although all along the trail you will see amazing views. If you would rather bike, you can bike on the road that kind of follows the rim, or take the shuttle. There are also shuttle stops at various points, so if you only want to do a portion of the Trail that's also doable.

Walking the Rim Trail was easily our favorite part of visiting the Grand Canyon. It's the perfect…read moreway to take in those iconic South Rim views, especially since it's dog-friendly! The path is mostly paved, though we did hit a few moderately steep sections along the way.  There aren't water stations or restrooms directly on the trail, so definitely fill up and use the facilities at the popular stops whenever you can. We drove in and found parking near the lodges (no parking fees). While there are benches and shuttle stations to rest at, keep in mind that dogs aren't allowed on the shuttles, so you'll be walking the whole way back if traveling with your pup. We visited in early March and were definitely glad to have jackets for the chilly weather.

How can you not love it. I've seen a bunch of imposters claiming to be the "little" Grand Canyon…read moreetc. but really nothing compares to this place.

A beautiful place to reset your emotional well being. I sat for hours writing and admiring the…read moremajestic view every single day for four days. You pay $35 of a park pass and can go in and out for a week.

What's not to love when you witness a world wonder? Came…read moreduring the week not much traffic on a Thursday it was perfection. Plenty of parking and limitless views. It's labeled as a park yet it house many things: a hotel, a store, a deli, cabins, a train etc. I did a nice picnic under a tree took in the sights and enjoyed the canyon. The photos don't it justice.

My brother and I spent two days at the park. The first day, we came up with the Grand Canyon…read morerailway, (see separate review), and then we came up to spend another day at the park. Both days were absolutely amazing. I don't care how many times you've been to the Grand Canyon, when you see it again, it's just like seeing it for the first time. Even though I've been to the canyon before, when I saw it for the first time this trip, I literally gasped at the beauty. The vastness of the canyon, the different colors, pictures do not do the place justice. The park is very large, and the drive along the south rim of the canyon is 20 to 25 miles long, with plenty of places to stop, and just view the magnificence of nature. If you want, you can park in one location, and then there are free, shuttle buses to get you around the park. I haven't been to the north rim, which is also part of the national park, but it is supposed to be just as beautiful, but more remote. The north rim is closed during the winter months due to snow. You can hike, or you can ride a bicycle in the park, which they rent. You can hike down into the canyon, or even ride a mule to the bottom of the canyon and spend the night. There's camping available, plenty of places to stay, (we stayed at the Yavapai Lodge,), and some of the hotels, like the El Tovar, are just gorgeous inside. There are snack bars, restaurants, souvenir shops, grocery stores, and a very nice visitor center. Yes, the park does get busy in the summer season, and there can be long lines, but there are lots and lots of places to go, and things to see. A little patience will go a long way. The entrance fee is $30 per car load, (It is quite a bit more expensive if you are not a US resident,) and you can also purchase national park passes, as well. I will never ever get tired of coming here....

One of our favorite spots to view the Grand Canyon. The best viewpoint along Desert View Drive is…read moreat the Watchtower where the Desert View Visitor Center is located. If you are headed up to Page, AZ...then Desert Drive would be the best route to take. The road leads all the way east to Cameron, AZ. From there you can take Hwy 89 North to Page or South to Flagstaff. Anyways, there are other view points to stop at Desert View Drive. All the viewpoints give terrific photo opportunities of the Grand Canyon. There is also the Tusayan Museum along this route as well. Most tourists only go to the main Grand Canyon Visitor Center. If you have the time, then check out the sites along Desert View Drive! You won't be disappointed.

I had been to the Grand Canyon before and wanted to check out a part I had not been to yet. We…read moreentered from the east coming from Flagstaff and it was well worth the extra drive. We stopped at the towers first and enjoyed the short paved walk and view. My favorite stop was by far the Grandview Point. There were lots of good photo ops and you can do a short hike that drops you down a few feet in elevation. Parking is tough at this stop as the lot is small, so we had to circle a few times (we were here on a Sunday). However, all of the points along the Desert View Drive are close to where you park so walking is kept to a minimum.

Absolutely a must do while here in the Grand Canyon. This hike is gorgeous, pretty easy for the…read moremost part, can be much longer than to the point and is part of the Kaibab trail. Endless miles of non stop stunning views and some man made stairs to help along the way. We took the orange line shuttle from the visitor center and it was easy and well worth it. We saw mule deer and elk along the way. Bring water, a hat, multiple layers and a snack, the temperature changes drastically as you head down into the canyon. The incline can definitely be a challenge if you are not used to hiking and the switch backs can be a scramble so good shoes are a must. No restrooms so use them before you hike. Enjoy!

Amazing views! But that incline though has me dying…read more I would not recommend doing this as a mid-day hike because once the sun hits around 10:30AM that heat will hit you like a freight train since there is no shade. Bring 3 liters of water at least and definitely sunnies and a hat.

If you really want to understand the Grand Canyon, you don't stand at the rim. You step off it…read more South Kaibab Trail is not subtle about what it is. There's no easing into it, no gentle introduction. Within minutes, you're descending through tight switchbacks, the rim already pulling away behind you, and that comfortable "overlook" perspective is gone. You're in it now. What makes this trail different is the exposure. It rides out along a ridge, not tucked away or hidden, so the views are constant. There's no point where it closes in or gives you a break. Every step opens something new. Layers of rock stacked like pages, colors shifting depending on where the sun hits, distances that feel close until you realize they're anything but. Early on, you hit that first real vantage point where everything just drops away in front of you. It's the kind of moment that interrupts whatever you were thinking about. You stop, not because you planned to, but because you don't really have a choice. And then you keep going. The trail pulls you downward at a steady, unapologetic grade. It's not technical, but it demands attention. Your footing matters. Your pacing matters. Knees start to take notice on the way down, and somewhere in the back of your mind, you're already aware that every step you're taking is one you'll have to reverse later. There's almost no shade. That's not an exaggeration. Once the sun is up, it owns this trail. That's why going early isn't just a good idea, it's the difference between a great hike and a brutal one. In the early hours, the light cuts across the canyon at an angle, pulling out depth and contrast you just don't get later. Shadows stretch, colors deepen, and the entire landscape feels more alive. By midday, it flattens out and the heat starts pressing down in a way that changes the tone completely. As you descend, the canyon shifts around you. The rock underfoot changes color and texture, walls rise and fall, and the sense of scale keeps slipping just out of reach. You try to make sense of distance, but it doesn't behave the way you expect. What looks like a short stretch can take far longer than it should. Landmarks move. Perspectives lie. There's a point where the noise fades out. Fewer people, more space, just the sound of your own steps and the occasional wind moving through the canyon. It's quiet in a way that feels earned. Not empty, just stripped down to what matters. And then there's the reality check. Going down is the easy part. It always is. The climb back up is where this trail makes its case. The grade doesn't soften. The exposure doesn't change. It's you, the incline, and however well you managed your energy on the way down. It's not impossible, not even close, but it demands respect. You feel it in your legs, your lungs, your pace slowing whether you like it or not. But that's also where something shifts. You're not just looking at the canyon anymore. You're moving through it, working against it, understanding it in a physical way that no overlook can give you. The scale stops being abstract. It becomes something you measure in effort, in time, in breath. By the time you reach the top again, you've earned a completely different perspective than the one you started with. This trail doesn't offer comfort. It offers clarity. It strips things down to effort, environment, and awareness. And in return, it gives you one of the most direct, honest ways to experience the Grand Canyon. Five stars, no hesitation.

I have done Bright Angle Trial a couple of times in the past to the bottom of the Grand Canyon…read more South Kaibab is the other big trail into the Canyon. Over the summer, we camped at the rim and decided to hike South Kaibab a little ways early in the morning before it got too hot. We ended up hiking all the way to Skeleton Point and back. As it approached afternoon, it started to get a little warm. I ended drinking all the water in my CamelBak just before I got to the top. The temperature was climbing fast and I had to use my cooling towel to stay cool. I got to say that I really gained a lot of respect for this Canyon during this short summer hike that I did. The South Kaibab Trail is a 7 mile hiking trail in Grand Canyon National Park that leads to the Colorado River. I like this trail because you get 360-degree views of the canyon after you pass Skeleton Point. The trail is mostly shaded until you reach Ooh Aah Point. Then you are out in the open. Up next is Cedar Ridge at 1.5 miles and then Skeleton Point at 3 miles. After that is the Tipoff and Black Suspension Bridge as you are descending into the Canyon. There is no water on the trail until you get to the bottom of the canyon at Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch. So bring plenty of it along with snacks, sunscreen, etc. The hike is 15 miles (24 km) roundtrip to Phantom Ranch and will take at least 2 days to complete. If you get to the beginning of the trail early enough, you can probably find parking in the parking lot or on the side of the road. But it fills up quick. Another option is to take the free shuttle to the trailhead from the South Rim Visitor's Center. Both water and restrooms are located at the beginning of the trail. The hike is usually a little busy with people to start off with, but many turn around after reaching Ooh Aah Point. It is also fairly steep with lots of switchbacks, so bring poles if you need them for assistance. Be prepared for a climb on the way back to the parking lot during that last mile. Also keep an eye out for Mules as they use this trail regularly. My recent hike was in June and I saw many people with little or no water. I also saw people with footwear that should not be worn on this trail. It blew me away how uneducated and naive people are about doing these hikes into the canyon. I understand lots of tourists come here, but people need to be a little more careful when hiking the Grand Canyon. Many of the deaths that occur every year in this Canyon can be avoided. On the day that I visited and hiked this trail, they reported several heat related incidents that evening and one death. South Kaibab Trail is a great hike. Enjoy, make a plan and be responsible.

If one thinks hiking nine miles in or out of the Grand Canyon is as easy as walking to the store,…read morethink again. Located a few hundred yards from where we are staying, the Bright Angel Trail is one of the superhighways, with its heavenly name making it the most well-known trail. It follows an old Native American route zigzagging down a vertical wall and then cuts across the flat plateau to the river from the South Rim. Early this morning while the temperature was still cool, my partner and I took only a short distance. The trail was safe. We've seen hikers of all shapes, sizes, ages, and fitness levels. It was well-maintained, easy to follow, consistently about 4 feet wide, and has wider sections for passing. The steepness of the trail is very misleading on the way down. Plan on taking twice as long to hike up as it took to hike down. We enjoyed the views, which can be more spectacular in the canyon than from the rim. There is something about actually being in the canyon that is more memorable and moving than being on the rim.

This is the most popular hiking trail into Grand Canyon! Even though it is well-traversed, this is…read morealso a dangerous trail for people who are not prepared, as it's wayy easier hiking down...but you have to contend with the hike up. Also, there is limited water on the trail (and sometimes there are pipeline breaks), with not a lot of shade. With hot weather, this could be a deadly hike. The trail head has bathrooms and a water filling station. Definitely use them before hiking down. This hike is well maintained, with mules sharing the trail. You can see them...or at least smell them as they leave poop on the trail. I hiked down to the Second Tunnel (1.8 miles) and it wasn't too bad, but I was unfortunately limited on time. It seems past this point the crowds thinned out. Havasupai Gardens at 9 miles round trip is the most the rangers recommend as a day trip. I loved how the view of the Canyon changed as I descended the trail!

Located about 2.0 miles east-northeast of Grand Canyon Village, the limestone projecting rocks at…read morean elevation of 7,120 feet make Mather Point an expansive view of the Grand Canyon at the South Rim. Named the first director of the National Park Service, my partner and I came this morning via their free shuttle bus. This is the closest major viewpoint to the South Entrance, often the first glimpse many travelers have of the Grand Canyon. It is just a short, paved walk from the Visitor Center, making it very accessible for all visitors. The guardrail overlook plunges 4,500 ft to the Colorado River, which one can finally see. Visitors can gape at the 10-mile distance from where they are to the Grand Canyon North Rim or peer into the depths of the abyss below them. Many photos seen online were taken from this spot. It offers such wide, dramatic, and picture-perfect views of the canyon.

There's a reason Mather Point is where so many people start. It would be easy for a place this…read moreaccessible to feel overrun or diluted. It doesn't. If anything, it delivers one of the most honest introductions to the canyon you can get. You don't just step out of the car and see it all at once. There's a short walk from the parking area, a gradual approach, and then the land simply gives way. No warning, no buildup. One moment you're on solid ground, the next you're staring out over a void that seems to stretch beyond what your eyes can process. The first impression is scale. Not just "big," but disorienting in a way that takes a minute to settle. Layers of rock stacked and carved into something that looks almost unreal. Ridges folding into one another, shadows cutting across entire sections of the canyon floor, colors shifting depending on how the light hits them. You find yourself trying to pick a focal point and failing, because there isn't just one. We spent a good amount of time moving along the Rim Trail from this point, and that's where it really opens up. It's not a hike in the traditional sense, more of a slow, deliberate walk that lets you experience the canyon from different angles without losing that initial impact. The terrain is easy, but the experience isn't shallow. Every few steps, something changes. A new formation catches the light differently, a deeper cut in the canyon reveals itself, or the Colorado River flashes briefly in the distance like it's reminding you what carved all of this in the first place. There's an energy here that's hard to pin down. People talk quieter. Conversations trail off. Even with a steady flow of visitors, it never feels chaotic. Everyone seems to understand, at least for a moment, that they're standing in front of something that doesn't need to be rushed. What surprised me most is how long it holds your attention. You think you'll take a few photos and move on. Instead, you linger. You watch how the light shifts, how shadows stretch and retreat, how the colors deepen as the sun moves. It's not static. It's constantly changing, and that makes it hard to leave. If you go early, you catch the canyon waking up. The light comes in low, carving out depth and contrast that disappears later in the day. Midday flattens things out, still impressive, but less textured. Late afternoon brings it back again, warmer, softer, almost quieter in tone. It's also one of the most accessible ways to experience the Grand Canyon without sacrificing the impact. You don't need to commit to a full descent or a long hike to feel it. It's right there, immediate and undeniable. And yet, it never feels like a shortcut. There's something about standing at that edge, knowing how long it took for this landscape to become what it is, that puts everything else in perspective. Not in a dramatic way. Just enough to make you pause a little longer than you expected. You can call it a viewpoint. Technically, that's what it is. But it feels more like a threshold.