Weather grand canyon phantom ranch? (2023)

What is the average temperature at Phantom Ranch?

Average temperatures at Phantom Ranch range from a low of 38 ºF to a high of 58 ºF. Spring (March – May) & Fall (September – November) – Be prepared for anything as the weather varies wildly during these seasons. Inner-canyon temperatures are generally very mild.

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.

Phantom Ranch's elevation is 2,460 feet (750 m); that is about 4,800 feet (1,500 m) lower than the South Rim and about 5,800 feet (1,800 m) lower than the North Rim.

Phantom Ranch, at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, is a popular destination for both hikers and mule riders. Overnight hiker dormitories and cabins can be reserved and meals are available for purchase. Advance reservations for meals and lodging at Phantom Ranch are required.

The cabins are no-frills and basic, with bunk beds, a small table with chairs, and a sink and toilet, however, they do have air conditioning, which feels like a luxury on a hot summer afternoon.

The walk to Phantom Ranch is approximately 7.5 miles down the South Kaibab Trail (average hiking time is 4-5 hours down) and 10 miles on the Bright Angel Trail (average hiking time down is 4-6 hours, average hiking time up is 6-10 hours).

Unless you are an ultra distance hiker, it is not recommended to hike down to Phantom Ranch (at the bottom of the Grand Canyon) and back up in one day. It is about 16 miles round trip if you take the South Kaibab Trail down and the Bright Angel Trail back up.

Water, snacks, first aid kit, medication, flashlight/headlamp (and extra batteries) will be your main weight. Don't get too carried away with change of clothing....you can wash it in the shower or in the creek. I also carry two pairs of socks to alternate on the hike down and back.

Grand Canyon's Phantom Ranch reopens reservations for 2023. Here's how to book. Grand Canyon visitors will have a new opportunity to reserve stays at Phantom Ranch, the rustic lodge at the canyon bottom that's so difficult to get into you need to enter a lottery to get a chance.

Is there cell service at Phantom Ranch?

There are pay phones at Phantom Ranch. AT&T and Verizon subscribers will find a signal at the North Rim Lodge, but you'll have to walk around between the parking lot and the lodge and check your phone.

The ride down is about 10½ miles (5½ hours) and back up is about 7.3 miles (4½ hours). We provide a small plastic bag for essential toiletries, extra underclothing, swimsuit, etc. Duffle Service is available for additional personal items. This service must be reserved and purchased in advance.

Reservations for our lodges on the Rim are currently accepted for stays up to 13 months in advance. On the first of each month we begin accepting reservations for the same month in the following year. For example, on February 1, 2023, we began accepting reservations for the entire month of February 2024.

-Staying two nights is ideal if you can get reservations. There are several short hikes near the bottom which will help you stretch your legs and get some rest before the big hike out.

Mules carry all the food, equipment, and many of the people in and out of the canyon. A trip down to Phantom Ranch by mule is considered by some to be the quintessential Grand Canyon experience.

If you are staying in a cabin at Phantom Ranch you will have to make the short walk to the shower house (just south of the Canteen on the east side of the main trail). There's a men's side and a women's side. Towels will be in your cabin and the magic soap is available here too.

Check our video tour to see the inside of our Phantom Ranch cabin. It certainly isn't the Four Seasons, but bunk beds, our own toilet, electricity, and a sink were total luxury items at the bottom of the Grand Canyon so we sure felt like we were living in luxury!

We don't really spell everything out,” Brown stated. Although the National Park Service's policy permits responsible consumption of alcohol in designated areas of the park, some guests still feel it is too dangerous to drink.

Awnings – put awnings on windows that are getting hit by afternoon sun to keep the windows cooler. Cross Ventilation is having windows on both sides of a room in order to create a flow of air through the room. Stack ventilation uses the temperature difference in the room to push warmer air up and out.

The Duffel Service offered by Xanterra 888-297-2757, is based on availability and offers the luxury of hiring mules to carry your pack for you while hiking the Bright Angel Trail.

What should you not do at the Grand Canyon?

Yes, you can hike the entire Bright Angel Trail to Phantom Ranch in one day, but it is only advised for very strong hikers and only when hiking on cool or cold days in late Fall, Winter or early Spring.

The Bright Angel Trail is roughly 2 miles longer but has water, some shade, and half-way down is Havasupai Gardens, a wonderful place for a rest stop. There you will find water, toilet facilities, a ranger station, and a place to sit in the shade. The South Kaibab Trail has no water and very little shade.

Alternative: Grand Canyon North Rim

How it's like Phantom Ranch: The North Rim is remote compared to the much busier South Rim, requiring a six-hour drive from Phoenix as opposed to four hours to the South Rim.

Hikes along the rim are best in the warmer months, spring-fall. Hiking on the rim can be cool in winter, bring a good jacket. Backpacking trips are best done fall-spring. Day hikes in Grand Canyon are best done in spring and fall, and in summer you should start early.

You do not need a backcountry permit for your stay at Phantom Ranch, but you will need to reserve a cabin or dormitory through Grand Canyon National Park Lodges 15+ months ahead of your planned hike.

Drag-out, or drag-in, service allows visitors to take a one-way mule trip, generally from Phantom Ranch to South Rim or from South Rim to Phantom Ranch. When a drag-out is requested, the South Rim concessioner has a string of five mules available to transport up to five visitors.

The name Phantom Ranch is derived from the nearby Phantom Canyon. The ranch is equipped in an up to date manner with a lodge and cabins. The old cable crossing was used until 1921, when a rather flimsy suspension bridge of the swaying variety took its place.

As far as pack weight , I try to limit the kids to about 15% of their body weight. If you are staying at the ranch,then you shouldn't need quite as much. We had all our food and camping equipment. Take it easy,take a 10 minute break every hour and they should be fine.

One day is often enough to complete your river rafting trip from Lees Ferry, the Marble Canyon, and all the way to Phantom Ranch.

Is Phantom Ranch open year round?

Open year-round, the ranch is only accessible by mule, by foot, or by rafting the Colorado River. It is a well coveted place to rest while hiking down and up the Grand Canyon.

At Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Canyon, the average high temperature in September is 96 degrees fahrenheit, and low of 69 degrees fahrenheit (35H/21L degrees celsius.)

While the Phantom Ranch general store does carry postcards, stamps, and pens, occasionally they do run out, so it's best to plan ahead and bring your own. Additionally, if you're trying to make a quick trip at Phantom Ranch, writing your postcards in advance before you arrive at Phantom will help with time management.

The Havasupai people (Havasupai: Havsuw' Baaja) are an American Indian tribe who have lived in the Grand Canyon for at least the past 800 years. Havasu means "blue-green water" and pai "people".

It is completely possible to hike the Grand Canyon's Rim to Rim in just one day, as I have proven. While it's not the most common way to hike Rim to Rim, a lot of people do it each year. However, it is a difficult hike that you should prepare for months before you actually attempt hiking Rim to Rim in a single day.

They die rafting the river at the bottom, and they have died when a sightseeing helicopter crashed. But in over a hundred years of guiding mules in the canyon, we have never lost a mule rider. The mules will walk on the outside edge of the trail, but don't worry — it's because the ground's softer there.

You must always wear long pants and solid shoes. No open-toed shoes or sandals will be allowed. ​Any hat worn must be able to be tied around your chin. As everywhere, weather can vary.

Mules are often considered superior to horses when it comes to trail riding—there's nothing better for riding in the steep mountains. They are more sure-footed, tend to be smoother gaited and because of the aforementioned self-preservation and less flight response, some consider them safer than horses.

Open year-round. Fifty-three year old Mary Jane Colter, architect for Fred Harvey Co. and the Santa Fe Railroad, was given the assignment to design a small group of rustic stone cabins on the north side of the Colorado River near the mouth of Bright Angel Creek. She called it Phantom Ranch.

Can I send mail to Phantom Ranch?

Another unofficial route carries mail to a tourist lodge called Phantom Ranch—it's not through a U.S. Postal Service contract, but the mail that comes and goes as a courtesy to guests does get a special marking that it was “mailed by mule.” These areas are not accessible by road.

At Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Canyon, the average high temperature in October is 83 degrees fahrenheit, and low of 58 degrees fahrenheit (28H/14L degrees celsius.)

At Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Canyon, the average high temperature in August is 103 degrees fahrenheit, and low of 74 degrees fahrenheit (39H/23L degrees celsius.)

During the day at the top of the South Rim, the weather at Grand Canyon ranges between 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperature can drop quickly after the sun sets. Night time temperatures can be chilly, dropping between 20 to 30 degrees and much of this is due to the elevation in Grand Canyon Village being 6,804 ft.

At Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Canyon, the average high temperature in September is 96 degrees fahrenheit, and low of 69 degrees fahrenheit (35H/21L degrees celsius.)

There are up to 20 riders per departure. March 15^th through November 30^th The Mule Ride departs at 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. December 1^st through March 14^th The Mule Ride departs at 9:00 a.m. PRICING – The cost of the ride is $142.83 per person, including tax, and is subject to change without notice.

These accommodations are available to hikers only. There are 2 male dorms and 2 female dorms. Each dorm has 5 bunk beds, a shower, and a shared restroom.

Xanterra paused reservations in January 2022 for mule rides as of January 2023 and hiker cabins as of May 1, 2023. It anticipated the park service would begin work on major infrastructure projects such as the Transcanyon Waterline Project, which would affect its ability to offer services at Phantom Ranch.

July and August are the hottest, rainiest, and busiest months in the park, making them far less ideal times to explore the Grand Canyon than spring or fall.

However, cellphone coverage remains weak or nonexistent outside the South Rim, although some will be able to pick up a weak signal on the North Rim if they are located near the rim itself. Coverage does not generally exist within the canyon, so don't expect to use your phone on any hikes below the rim.

What is the coldest month in Grand Canyon?

Average Temperature in Grand Canyon

The cold season lasts for 3.5 months, from November 20 to March 4, with an average daily high temperature below 50°F. The coldest month of the year in Grand Canyon is December, with an average low of 17°F and high of 43°F.

Fall. The summer heat gives way to a cooler but nonetheless pleasant fall period with average high temperatures gradually falling from the 60s (16-21°C) in September through the 50s (10-15°C) by November along the Rim, and from the 90s (32-37°C) in September to near 70 (21°C) by November along the river.

Death Valley is the hottest place on Earth. In the summer months (May-September) temperatures average over 100°F (38°C), and often exceed 120°F (49°C).