9 Unusual Places to Stay Near the Grand Canyon
Don’t let your road trip to the Grand Canyon sound just like your neighbors’ vacation. Set your trip apart by staying at some of the fantastic and unusual lodging options along the way.
You can stay in a hogan and eat a traditional Navajo breakfast, go on a buffalo safari at a dude ranch or search for ghosts in a historic hotel. Here are our top 9 places to stay in the Grand Canyon area, if you are seeking unforgettable, adventurous experiences.
1. Sleep in a Railcar
If you are up for an adventure, spend the night in a refurbished railcar at the Canyon Motel and RV Park in Williams, Arizona. The 1950s Pullman classic is equipped with WiFi, a refrigerator and “color” cable TV, which gives you an idea of how long this motel has been around. There are an assortment of beds in each of the three railcars, so choose the railcar that fits your needs. Best to reserve your spot in advance, as they are popular with visitors! The railcars are not available during the winter.
More Information:
800-482-3955
https://thecanyonmotel.com/
2. Watch the Stars from The View Hotel
The View Hotel is a Navajo-owned business located within the Navajo Nation and the Navajo Tribal Park at Monument Valley. Stay in one of 95 hotel guest rooms, a private, secluded cabin or camp with an RV or tent. Note: Navajo Tribal Park fees have to be paid upon entrance for all guests to the park and hotel.
Each hotel room has a private eastern-facing balcony with views unlike anywhere else in world. The top floor features StarView rooms with unforgettable views of the stars and Monument Valley.
With large windows looking out into Monument Valley, The View Restaurant offers breakfast and dinner with Navajo inspired dishes.
Looking to stay in a cabin? Fully-furnished valley rim cabins offer a unique way to experience Monument Valley. Each cabin features a private porch that overlooks the valley and is decorated in an old west decor.
More Information:
435-727-5555
https://monumentvalleyview.com/
3. See a Ghost (Or At Least Look for One)
While Hotel Monte Vista has housed plenty of Hollywood stars in its 90-plus years, it also allegedly is home to a few ghosts. Just off of historic Route 66 in the heart of Flagstaff’s downtown, this historic hotel was built with money raised by novelist Zane Grey and local citizens, opening on New Year’s Day 1927.
Stay in room 305 to see if you can catch sight of an old woman in her rocking chair sitting by the window. Or ask for room 220, haunted allegedly by a former lodger known for hanging raw meat on the chandelier. People have reported the TV turning on or off or feeling cold male hands touching their faces at night.
Coming by train? The hotel is just one block from the train station. The hotel is a popular downtown nightlife gathering spot, so if you are looking for peace and quiet, this may not be the place for you.
More Information:
928-779-6971
www.hotelmontevista.com
4. Hike, Raft or Take a Mule Ride to Sleep at the Bottom of the Grand Canyon
The best part about Phantom Ranch accessed by the South or North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park is you can only get there by hiking, rafting or take a mule ride. Designed by famed architect Mary Jane Colter in the 1920s, it’s the only lodging below the canyon’s rim. It sits about a quarter of a mile from the Colorado River, nestled in a tree-shaded oasis.
From the South Rim, get ready for a workout as the South Kaibab Trail is a 3-4-hour, 7.3-mile trek down to the lodge. You can also take the Bright Angel Trail, which takes 4-8 hours, covering 10.3 miles of trail. While the Bright Angel route is slightly longer, there is a big advantage to hiking it. Unlike the South Kaibab Trail, the Bright Angel Trail offers multiple places, including Havasupai Gardens, where you can refill your water bottles. It also offers Havasupai Gardens Campground, which makes for a great overnight stay for backpackers going down to Phantom Ranch and back up. Advanced reservations by a permit system is required.
Along Bright Angel Trail, some water pumps are seasonal, so check in with a ranger to find out what the water availability is before you head down into the canyon.
What goes down must come up, so plan on the return hike up the canyon taking at least an additional several hours.
Rest your legs and dine at the main lodge before spending the night in one of the male or female dorms. You also can rent a cabin that accommodates 2-10 people. However, you must have advanced reservations to stay and eat at this popular lodge.
Getting There:
The South Kaibab Trail is located near Yaki Point near Grand Canyon Village, Ariz. Because of the popularity of this area and extremely limited space, you are not allowed to park at the trailhead. Hikers must use the park’s free shuttle bus system to reach the trailhead. Every morning, several hiker express buses leave from the Bright Angel Lodge and then from the Backcountry Information Center (times vary depending on the month). Otherwise, hikers will need to take the village bus (Blue Line) to Canyon View Information Plaza and transfer to the Green Line. South Kaibab trailhead is the first stop on the Green Line.
NOTE: Phantom Ranch will have limited lodging availability or be closed in 2023 due to construction projects.
More Information:
From U.S.: 888-29-PARKS (888-297-2757); International: 303-29-PARKS (303-297-2757)
www.grandcanyonlodges.com/lodging/phantom-ranch
5. Experience the Old West on a Dude Ranch
From singing cowboys to buffalo safaris, don’t miss the Grand Canyon Western Ranch on your trip to the Grand Canyon. This ranch is closest to Grand Canyon West, a tourist area owned and managed by the Hualapai tribe, not the National Park Service. Go on a guided horseback ride and buffalo safari designed for beginners ages 9 and older. Or go for a wagon ride pulled by two Belgium draft horses and view buffalo from the wagon. At night, you’ll find cowboys leading sing-alongs around the campfire and free s’mores fixings. Does life get any better?
More Information:
800-798-0569
grandcanyonwesternranch.com
6. Experience Navajo Life in a Sheepherder Wagon, Hogan or Tent
With a dirt floor and no electricity or running water, spending a night in a Navajo hogan at the Shash Diné Eco-Retreat is an unforgettable cultural experience. Hosts Paul and Baya Meehan take pride in hosting guests from all over the world, sharing their way of life. Facing east like all traditional Navajo homes, you can stay in a Navajo hogan, a renovated sheepherder wagon or a bell tent, which include comfortable bedding, candle lanterns, solar light, fresh filtered drinking water, juice, snacks, hand towels/soap/toiletries, books and games. Wake up to a breakfast of fresh seasonal fruit, muffins, yogurt and breakfast bars.
More Information:
928-640-3701
www.shashdine.com/accomodations
7. Stay on a Houseboat on Lake Powell
On the east side the Grand Canyon is Lake Powell with 2,000 miles of shoreline to explore. Being on a houseboat allows you to set off on an outdoor adventure with the comforts of home at hand. There are several marinas to launch from depending on which location is most convenient to your travels. The two most popular are Wahweap Marina in Page, Ariz. and Bullfrog Marina located at the northern part of Lake Powell in Bullfrog, Utah.
Learn more about Lake Powell houseboating.
For More Information:
Lake Powell Resorts & Marinas
(888) 896-3829
100 Lakeshore Drive, Page, AZ 86040
www.lakepowell.com/houseboating/houseboating-experience/
8. Stay in a Rustic Cabin at Bryce Canyon
Head north of the Grand Canyon to settle into a beautiful rustic-style cabin and experience a modern outhouse in Bryce Canyon, Utah. It’s right outside the entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park. At Ruby’s Inn RV Park and Campground, you can catch a rodeo, go on a guided ATV tour, have Old West photos taken or go for a horseback ride. At night, sleep on classic log bunk beds. While the cabins have electricity, they do not have TVs, so play board games or cards on the cabin’s picnic-style table. In the morning, enjoy modern amenities like the inn’s hot tub and heated swimming pool. Ruby’s also has tipis you can stay in, but you need to bring sleeping pads, sleeping bags since the tipis do not have any furniture inside.
More Information:
866-878-9373
www.brycecanyoncampgrounds.com
9. Glamp in a Safari-Style Tent
Opened in 2020, this glamping hot spot is just 25 minutes from the South Rim entrance to Grand Canyon National Park. Despite its proximity to the park, it feels worlds away. Nestled in a pinon pine and juniper forest, Under Canvas Grand Canyon offers solitude from the 6.38 million people who visit the canyon every year.
The giant white-tented lobby will wow you with its beautiful furnishings. So will your safari-style tent with high-end mattresses, sheets and decor. You can eat breakfast and dinner at the camp’s Embers Cafe, and there are a ton of free activities available to you on site, including live music, yoga classes, nature walks around the 160-acre property and arts and crafts. The concierge on-site will also book your off-site activities for you.
More Information:
928-248-8808
www.undercanvas.com/camps/grand-canyon/