Phantom Ranch at the Bottom of the Grand Canyon
A comfortable oasis nestled tucked beside Bright Angel Creek on the north side of the Colorado River, Phantom Ranch is the only lodging below the Grand Canyon Rim.
If you are looking for a unique experience powered by your own feet (or of those of a mule you are riding on top) in the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, look no further than Phantom Ranch.
Located at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, it is tucked in beside Bright Angel Creek on the north side of the Colorado River and is the only lodging facility below the canyon rim. The ranch can only be reached by mule, by foot or by rafting the Colorado River and is a popular stop-over point for hikers and mule riders traveling to the bottom of the canyon via the famous Bright Angel or Kaibab trails.
Getting to Phantom Ranch
It’s not an easy hike. If you take the South Kaibab trail, it is a 7.5-mile hike, which takes 4-5 hours to get to the ranch, depending on your speed. If you hike on the Bright Angel trail, it’s 10 miles and 4-6 hours to get to the ranch. Getting back to the top of Grand Canyon’s rim takes even longer since the entire route is uphill. Heat can and has been a safety hazard hiking to and from Phantom Ranch because of the time you need to spend on the trail to get there and back. In addition, temperatures rise as you get closer to the Colorado River, so if your timing is off, you can end up hiking in life-threatening heat.
Phantom Ranch’s Accommodations
Designed by architect Mary Jane Colter in the 1920s, Colter used native stone and wood as part of her design. There are four dormitories: two for males and two for females. Each dorm has five bunk beds, a restroom and a shower. The ranch provides towels and bedding for each guest. There are cabins you can stay in, as well. While the cabins are variable in size, they can fit between two to 10 people, but the prices are based on double occupancy. There is a central location that houses showers, hot water sinks, bath towels and liquid soap.
To take a mule trip to and from Phantom Ranch, you can book these through the same central reservations offices you make your Phantom Ranch reservations. See details below.
The Phantom Ranch Cantina serves breakfast and dinner, but you must make reservations in advance if you would like meals at Phantom Ranch. The Canteen also sells snacks, beverages and sundries.
For more information:
Reservations (888) 297-2757 or (303) 297-2757
www.grandcanyonlodges.com
Phantom Ranch is very popular and has instituted a lottery system starting for stays in April 2024 to make it easier to secure lodging. You can apply for the lottery 15 months in advance of your desired stay dates between the 1st and the 25th. For example, if you wanted to stay at Phantom Ranch in May 2024, you would apply between March 1 and 25, 2023. Results are announced the next month (April 2023, in our example) and any remaining reservations go on sale to the general public 13th months in advance.
Both the lottery and the general reservations can be found at grandcanyonlodges.com/lodging/phantom-ranch.
One last piece of advice. Don’t forget to reconfirm your reservation two days before your hike. This is required. To reconfirm, please call the Bright Angel Transportation Desk at 928-638-3283.
2023 Phantom Ranch Updates
In 2023 the park service will be doing major infrastructure projects that will impact Phantom Ranch operations. Phantom Ranch hiker dormitories are closed at least through 2023 and showers have been turned off indefinitely. The Phantom Ranch Canteen is open for guests only for breakfast and dinner, with the side window serving snacks and drinks to guests and the general public. Cabins are expected to be closed January through March 2024. Check the Xanterra website for up-to-date details.