Mule-assisted Classic
South Rim Village, AZ
5.0 (52 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Famous Hiking Trails
- Mules Carry Gear & Supplies
- HUGE Canyon Views
- Mighty Colorado River
- Layover Day to Explore
- Oasis of Indian Garden
- Mind-blowing Geology
Description
Fantastic for families, people with limited time, and for a broad range of ages and abilities, the Mule-assisted Grand Canyon Classic Tour (100% a hiking trip) is an opportunity to experience the fullness of Grand Canyon National Park with a higher level of comfort than a backpacking trip. You get to fully soak up the beauty as you hike with just a small, top-of-the-line backpack we provide, while mules carry your gear down and back up!
Enjoy starting at the popular South Rim, hiking classic trails with quintessential views, visiting historic Phantom Ranch, camping at breathtaking Bright Angel Campground, spending time at the Colorado River, and hiking by ancient Indian Gardens. You can just relax and enjoy yourself, as we provide all the gear, tasty meals, and a professional guide. This hike is an all-around taste of the Grand Canyon in a relatively short amount of time – don’t miss it!
Need to Know: Grand Canyon Permits
It is strongly recommended to book your Grand Canyon backpacking trip 5 months in advance due to the Park’s permit system. Backpacking permits are issued on the first of the month 4+ months in advance (see deadlines for each month.) Permits for the most popular trips sell out very quickly during the initial lottery, so registering prior to the deadline of the month you’re interested in is highly beneficial. You can also pick any dates, and you’ll receive a 5% early registration discount!
Pre-permit Registration $1306
Grand Canyon’s permit process is complicated, but we take care of everything so you don’t have to worry about it! Here’s what you do need to know – Grand Canyon issues backpacking permits through a lottery system 4+ months in advance (deadlines listed below). Permits for popular trips sell out immediately during the initial lottery, so it’s important to register before the process begins. Pre-permit registrants also receive a 5% discount and can pick any dates!
When you register we will ask you for backup dates and itineraries, as they are helpful if your first choice isn’t available. If a permit request is denied, pre-permit registrants have top priority for open spaces on confirmed permits, and very often get spots. Finally, we have good success rates, but your deposit is 100% refundable or transferable if we’re unsuccessful. Still have questions? Call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453)!
PERMIT DEADLINES
Month of Trip
|
Register Before
|
Permit Results
|
January
|
Sept 1
|
~Sept 15
|
February
|
Oct 1
|
~Oct 15
|
March
|
Nov 1
|
~Nov 15
|
April
|
Dec 1
|
~Dec 15
|
May
|
Jan 1
|
~Jan 15
|
June
|
Feb 1
|
~Feb 15
|
July
|
Mar 1
|
~Mar 15
|
August
|
Apr 1
|
~Apr 15
|
September
|
May 1
|
~May 15
|
October
|
June 1
|
~June 15
|
November
|
July 1
|
~July 15
|
December
|
Aug 1
|
~Aug 15
|
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 3
Our difficulty ratings are based on a scale of 1-5, tours with a rating of 1 being least difficult, tours with a rating of 5 being most difficult
- Backpack Weight:
- 10-15 pounds
- Daily Hiking Distances:
- 6-9 miles
- Most Elevation Loss:
- 4800 feet
- Most Elevation Gain:
- 4500 feet
- Quality of Trails:
- Well maintained
- Additional:
- The trails are crossed with buried logs to protect against erosion, which make for high steps up and down.
Participants should:
- be active and healthy
- exercise several times per week
- be comfortable hiking 8-10 miles per day in hilly or mountainous terrain with occasional breaks
SOLITUDE LEVEL 2
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Grand Canyon hike a solitude 2 because it follows two of the most popular trails in the Canyon (South Kaibab and Bright Angel). You can expect as much as an hour of solitude at a time once we’re several miles into the Canyon.
Learn More about our Rating SystemAll Mule-assisted Classics begin and end at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The South Rim is located 60 miles north of Williams, Arizona (via highway 64) and 80 miles northwest of Flagstaff (via highway 180). You can fly into Phoenix, Flagstaff, or Las Vegas and either rent a car or take shuttles to reach the South Rim.
Groome Transportation provides 9 trips daily between Phoenix and Flagstaff, and 3 trips daily between Flagstaff and the South Rim. The majority of our guests, however, find it most convenient to rent a vehicle and drive from Phoenix or Flagstaff to the South Rim.
Feel free to give us a call at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information on getting to the South Rim.
Arizona does not charge sales tax on services, so there is no sales tax for this trip.
All trips in Grand Canyon National Park have a 5% fee required by the National Park Service. This fee is applied when your reservation is made and is passed through directly to the national park.
There are no other taxes or fees associated with this trip. Feel free to give us a call at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) with any questions!
Private Trips
Traveling in perfect company is a wonderful thing! With our private trip offerings you can book a trip exclusively for your group. Whether it’s with family, friends or colleagues, private trips are a fun and enriching way to explore the outdoors.
Private trip pricing is based on a sliding scale, depending on the number of people in your party. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax and national park fees (where applicable) or guide gratuity. Give us a call at 800-715-HIKE to get the ball rolling!
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2
- 3 People: Rate x 1.3
- 4 People: Rate x 1.1
- 5+ People: Rate x 1
*all rates are per person
Learn About Our Private Trips
View Private Trips- day by day itinerary
- logistical and travel information
- gear and clothing lists and more
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