Grand Canyon Mule Trip, safe/fun?
 

Hi all,
Have you done a mule trip into the GC? If so, did you feel safe? I realize it's on the rim, but just want to make sure we're not getting too too risky here
thanks,
f

According to numerous sources (including the book about fatalities in the Grand Canyon), there has never been a tourist fatality on the mule rides. There have been injuries, mostly from people falling off their mules (asleep, perhaps). So it's not "risky"---but if you are not accustomed to riding, it can be pretty uncomfortable after several hours. Well worth it, however; getting down into the canyon will give you an appreciation for the beauty of the place that you cannot get from the rim.

Before you decide - what do you mean by safe?

Are you likely to die or be seriously injured? No.

Are you likely to end up sore and possibly bruised - if you're not used to riding - probably yes.

And it won;t be fun if you have any issue with heights or with large animals (have you ever ridden?).

(I'm always amazed at people who have never been on a horse who go riding for the first time and seem to think it's a car. Some don;t like being that high off the ground. Some don;t like that the horse has a mind of it's own. And some don;t get the "partnership" idea - and the need to establish who the senior partner is.)

I have been on the mule ride and consider it one of the highlights of my traveling life. I am afraid of heights, don't ride, am over 50 years old, got saddle sores and thought my knees would never work again. I can say all that and tell you that I never regreted for a minute being on the mule at the Grand Canyon. The place looks and feels entirely different once you are below the rim. The beauty of it more than made up for the fear and discomfort. Go for it.

If not doing the mule ride into the canyon, are there other options to go down? I've terrible allergies.

Hey moldy!!

Yes, you can walk down...read this first:

http://www.genehanson.com/canyon/canyon.htm

Debi

But he wasn't walking---he was running. To go down and back up the S. Kaibab trail in under 4 hours is an impressive feat of athleticism, but he didn't have any time to enjoy the trip.

We walked down (and back up 2 days later) with full overnight backpacks, stopping to take photos and enjoy the views. 4.5 hours down, 5 hours up, and marveled at the beauty every step of the way.

You can also see the bottom of the canyon from a raft, if you're not up for the hike or the mule ride.

Very safe.
Very memorable.
Very sore muscles.
Very much worth it.

I only did it once; it was a lot of fun but I was sore the next day.

We were told (by a park worker, not the mule ride people) that there was one fatality on the mule ride - a woman had gotten off of her mule to take a picture, and somehow fell off the edge. But that might not be the "fault" of the ride, only the rider.

I was surprised that the mules were so large, somehow I pictured something smaller like a donkey, but these were closer to horses. I know I must sound very ignorant, but I hadn't seen a mule before.

Also, they have a strict weight limit (I think it was 200 pounds) and my husband could not sign up for the tour.

DH and I did the 3 day trip last December and had such a GREAT time that we are going back and doing it all over again in 39 days (but who's counting !!)

But not everyone enjoys it - the woman on the mule in front of me decided to walk back up to the rim instead of riding. She didn't want to go anywhere near another mule ever again!

I was a little sore, but nowhere near as bad as I thought I would be - after walking around for an hour, I was fine.

I am getting so excited sitting here thinking about our trip. Giddyup.
Gilbert